NFL drops the hammer on Steelers safety as Mike Tomlin's defense fails miserably

The fifth time is a charm for Steelers safety Damontae Kazee, who has been suspended for the rest of the season after his fifth offense for unnecessary roughness. This time, Kazee injured Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman by launching his helmet into Pittman's upper body as he tried to make a diving catch.

Were this Kazee's only offense, perhaps the league would have fined him, but at this point it's a pattern of behavior that the NFL cannot tolerate. Kazee can appeal his suspension, but it's tough to see a scenario in which he wins that case.

Pittsburgh has three games left in the regular season and its depth will be tested at safety without Kazee and Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Steelers: Mike Tomlin insists Damontae Kazee isn't a dirty player

If Kazee is not a dirty player, then he ought to learn the fundamentals rather than launching himself towards an opposing player. I have little doubt that Kazee didn't want to injure Pittman. However, his form and technique was lacking, and circumstance caused a helmet-to-helmet collision.

While the onus is on defensive players to avoid such contact these days -- Tomlin is right -- having this many infractions in one regular season suggests Kazee isn't understanding what the league and his coaches are trying to get through to him.

“It probably shouldn’t happen,” Colts head coach Shane Steichen said after the game. “He led with the crown of his helmet, and you never want to see that.”

Kazee's infraction was avoidable in the sense that he should not have led with his helmet, and certainly should not have launched himself towards the ball with an opposing player battling for that same right.

Thankfully, Pittman posted on social media that he was feeling okay, though he remains in concussion protocol. As for the Steelers, their slim postseason hopes just took a hit.