Steelers Fall to The Bears: My Take on What Is Wrong With The Steelers.

After their Week One victory over the Tennessee Titans, Steeler Nation (or much of it at least) wanted to see the return of the old-school running game.

Forget the fact that Ben Roethlisberger threw for 363 yards on 33-for-43 passes. Or that he led the Steelers into field goal range to tie the game near the end of regulation, and win the game on the Steelers' first possession in overtime, based only on his arm.

Steeler Nation wanted to see a return to the running game, and that is what they got. Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it!

After the Steelers' defense started the game forcing a three-and-out against the Bears, the offense picked up where they left off against the Titans.

Roethlisberger ended a magnificent first drive of the game with a touchdown on 4th-and-goal from the one-yard line with a play-action boot leg, hitting Matt Spaeth for a TD pass.

On this drive, the Steelers dominated the Bears' defense. Not even a die-hard Bears fan will deny that.

The Steelers ran the ball four times for eight yards and passed nine times for 84 yards.

That averages out to two yards per rush, and more than nine yards per pass attempt.

It may be hard for Steeler Nation to accept this, but the Pittsburgh Steelers are no longer a run-first team. In his post game press conference, Mike Tomlin said he would rather rush for zero yards and win.

This is what it may take to win in 2009-10 for the Steelers.

For a team to win, it has to play to its strengths, and the Steelers strength is not its running game anymore.

Under center, we have one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL in Roethlisberger. Ben has the potential to become an All-Pro at the position, the first one for the Steelers since Terry Bradshaw in the '70s.

Split out wide, the Steelers have two, count them, TWO Super Bowl MVP's. There is not another team in the league that can say that. Not the Patriots, not the Colts, and certainly not the Ravens.

As the third option at receiver, we have either Limas Sweed, who at 6'5", can out-jump anyone in the league, and rookie Mike Wallace, who is one of the fastest men in the NFL.

At tight end, Heath Miller, had he been on the Colts or Patriots, would be known as one of the best in the game. Every time Ben throws him the ball, he makes a play.

As the third down back, who should be getting considerably more playing time, is Mewelde Moore. There is no one on the Steelers at running back that has the hands out of the backfield that Moore does.

To have all of this talent, and to FORCE the team to run the ball is a mistake. I am not saying that we should never run the ball, but to run the ball 22 times, when it is obviously the team's weakness, is just not good play calling.

There is no reason that this Steelers team cannot put 24 to 30 points on the board every game. There is too much talent for our team to not win the football game if the defense holds the opposition under 20 points.

Speaking of the defense, Dick LeBeau needs to take the leash off of LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison and start going after the passer.

Too many times during the first two weeks have I seen Harrison and Woodley dropping into coverage.

During the offseason, LeBeau said that he had a new vision for the Steelers. He needs to go back to the old vision. The one where the Steelers scared every quarterback in the NFL. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

It almost looks as if, because Troy Polamalu is injured, LeBeau is holding back all of the elaborate plays in the play book.

Yes, losing Troy is a big loss, but don't compound it by playing scared. The Steelers defense attacks and beats people up. That is what they are known as, and until they start playing like it, teams are not going to respect them.

Turning our attention to special teams, I will start with the good news first.

Daniel Sepulveda, you are the man. If you need any more explanation than that, then you haven't been watching the games.

In three punts against the Bears, Sepulveda averaged 54.3 yards per punt, downing one inside the Bears three-yard line.

Jeff Reed and Stefan Logan, you have some explaining to do.

Reed, since you have been so accurate for so long, I am willing to give you a pass on this game. Being that you are in your contract year, missing two field goals against the Bears that ended up costing the Steelers the game, is not a good way to get an extension.

And I don't want to hear one person say it was because of the field. There is no stadium in the NFL that has a worse field that Pittsburgh. Reed is automatic in Heinz Field, there is no reason he should miss anywhere else.

Stefan Logan, look rookie, (I know he is in his second year, but he is playing like a rookie) it is time to show us more of what you did in the preseason. You have to be more electric than you have been in the first two weeks.

Watching the game against the Bears, the Steelers almost looked uninterested. They did not seem to have the fire or passion that they need.

If Mike Tomlin is the coach that everyone, myself included, thinks he is, he needs to light a fire under the collective rear ends of the coaches, players, and everyone else associated with the Steelers, and play Steeler Football.

And that is winning, regardless of how you get there.