Let me paint you a picture Nation!

A plane leaves Pittsburgh, gently ascending into the late afternoon air. The atmosphere onboard is light, full of camaraderie and positive outlooks.

The in-flight entertainment is an old 1983 sci-fi classic filled with crazy characters and warriors brandishing swords of light. The team is confident, and laughter and good-natured jokes are bantered about.

The press corps seated in the back of the plane is busily typing away at their laptops, drafting potential articles about the upcoming game.

As the captain comes on the intercom to announce that they are preparing for their landing into Miami International Airport, the screens all fill with the image of a strange creature with giant bulging eyes, sitting in a strange swivel chair.

He looks like nothing more than a carp given legs and arms, and as the intercom clicks off, and the sound for the film returns we hear this strange creature shout…

“IT’S A TRAP!”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLgiGGzhFf5

Okay, I can’t prove that is how the Steelers plane trip to south Florida is going to occur: I just know it’s true. We’ve been hearing it all week, and even from some of the faithful who thought last week was going to be a “trap game” (which technically, if last week was a trap, this week can’t be. You can’t have two trap games in a row – that’s not a trap – that’s a double trap!).

It’s a trap game. The Steelers are doomed to fail because Miami sucks and we play New England next week.

We’re doomed! Doomed I say!

Poppycock!

I would have used a more appropriate term, but this is supposed to be a family show.

Yes, the Steelers have a game in Miami this weekend, and it’s against the 1-4 Miami Dolphins; the same team who allowed the Titans to score 30 points, the Bengals 22, the Tom Brady-less Patriots 31… and the Browns (yes, the freaking Cleveland Browns) 24.

They managed to win one of those games (1 guess against who, and if you get it wrong you have to turn in your Terrible Towel).

They held Seattle to 12 points in week one, a game played in Seattle, but it’s been all downhill since then.

Do they really even need to play the game?

I mean the Steelers are clearly the better team.

There is no way they can lose this game, right?

I have one word for you – Philadelphia.

Yes, they can lose. If they decide to beat themselves, they can lose.

It’s NOT a trap!

(Ok, technically this game is the very definition of a trap game – I just maintain that the whole idea of trap games, let down games, playing down to competition and all of that is simply nonsense).

First and foremost, let me tell you that I think the whole idea of “trap games” is hogwash.

Poppycock.

Frankly it’s all just a way to explain something that makes no sense.

The Steelers have had the “reputation” for playing down to teams. I read somewhere this week that one writer believes that you can count on the Steelers to under-perform and lose 2-3 games every year. The “Tomlin haters” out there are convinced that Tomlin falls flat in games just like this one.

It’s all a load of horse manure!

“No it’s not – fire Tomlin!” I hear them screaming!

But yes, it is.

“What about those Raven’s games?”

Yes, they got swept last year by possibly the worst Raven’s team in memory, but let’s be fair – if we have the Wizard of Boz, and not Scooby Doo, we win one of those games for sure, and I can write the second one off to just a bad bad game (they are allowed to have bad games). Other than that Ravens game, I don’t think you can legitimately complain about any other Steelers loss last year: Patriots, Chiefs, Seahawks, Bengals, Broncos.

“Don’t care – still true – fire Tomlin!”

Look, I understand that it’s hard to see them lose to teams that we all know simply aren’t as good. It’s frustrating and aggravating.

The truth is that over the past 3 seasons the defense has been heavily transitioned, and hasn’t been what we were used to, and they were going to have bad games.

It’s also true that Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season, even considering those transitory years (No wonder Adam Crowley calls us spoiled!). They have lost to teams they should have beaten.

So has every other team.

The fact is, the Steelers are a highlight game on most team’s schedules. It’s a game that if they can win gives them some bragging rights. If they lose some of these games, it’s not because of it being a trap – or playing “down” to the competition, it’s just the simple fact that you cannot win them all.

And seriously – you Tomlin haters need to get a better line: he’s awesome!