Russell Wilson’s exhausting optimism is gaslighting Steelers can’t afford right now

Just minutes after his worst game as a Pittsburgh Steeler, Russell Wilson offered words of encouragement to his teammates and the fanbase. It's what Wilson does. His method of leadership is intoxicating positivity. When things are going well, Wilson's optimism is welcome – no one wants to be a Debby downer. However, considering the Steelers have lost two games in a row, some realism would be appreciated – or at least a plan. Wilson didn't offer that.

“I think that we can’t worry about the next two. We just gotta worry about this next one coming up. We got to play on Wednesday. It’s gonna be a great environment coming back home in front of our fans. Obviously we’ve been on the road the past two weeks, so to play in front of our fans with the Terrible Towels and all that on Christmas Day is a special day,” Wilson said, per Steelers Depot. “It’s gonna be a great battle, you know? And so, the best thing we can do is keep our head up. The best thing we can do is understand that the best days are ahead."

In some ways, this is what drove Wilson's former teammates in both Seattle and Denver a little mad. Wilson is a Hall-of-Fame caliber quarterback, but his emotions never change. He seems almost robotic when the going gets tough, as if programmed never to show anger or frustration. In reality, that's what we all want to see right now, albeit with a hint of Wilson's charm and excitement to look ahead.

Russell Wilson isn't authentic, and Steelers fans can tell

Pittsburgh's loss to Baltimore was Wilson's worst as a Steelers, as previously mentioned. He threw a pick-six and fumbled inside the Ravens five-yard line on a different drive, thus killing all of Pittsburgh's first half momentum. These are games the Steelers hoped having a stable veteran at the wheel would come in handy. Surprisingly, Wilson has made several rookie mistakes, like refusing to slide after a thrilling 20-yard run, or forcing a ball into traffic when he didn't need to.

“We really believe that and who we are. And a lot of that’s because of our work ethic, and a lot of that is because of the belief of the guys that we have in the rooms," Wilson continued.

I am happy the Steelers believe in themselves – they should, as they're playoff-bound for a reason. But simply making the postseason isn't the end goal. Mike Tomlin hasn't won a playoff game in nearly a decade. If this year's iteration of the Steelers fails to do so again – thus collapsing in memorable fashion – Pittsburgh fans won't be so forgiving.