In a playoff standoff that resembled a catfight at a dog show, Kirk Herbstreit lambasted the Steelers for their lackluster first-half performance, as the Ravens strutted to a 21-0 lead by halftime.

The Steelers’ first-half woes were so bad they might as well have been auditioning for a reality show entitled 'America's Got Zero Fight.' Outgained 308-59 in total yards and shut out in the first half for the first time under coach Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh’s struggles mirrored the same issues that plagued them during the regular season, leaving fans clamoring for Justin Fields to take the reins—and wondering if Derrick Henry could suit up for the Steel City.

As the Ravens marched down the field with the elegance of a gazelle at a ballet recital, the Steelers appeared to be practicing their best impression of a crumpled piece of paper. The sheer disparity in yardage in the first half was shocking; fans could practically feel the collective eye rolls from the sidelines. Even the referees seemed confused, wondering how they’d been so kind to the home team. Pittsburgh could not escape the Raven’s grasp, who, after racking up 464 total yards by game’s end, seemed to have done a better job of reading the playbook than the Steelers ever did.

In the midst of this performance, Herbstreit offered a wry suggestion: why not give Justin Fields a shot in the second half? Perhaps he thought the young quarterback was the secret ingredient needed to spice things up, akin to adding hot sauce to a plate of plain noodles. If it were a cooking competition, the Steelers would have been rife with criticism from judges and at risk of elimination before they had even taken a bite of the competition.

The first half pushed the boundaries of disbelief for Steelers fans, many of whom hardly recognized their team. It marked a particularly disheartening milestone: the first time the Steelers were shut out in the first half of a playoff game under head coach Mike Tomlin. One has to wonder if this echoes a cautionary tale about complacency in the postseason. After all, these are the playoffs—arguably the time to bring out one's best performance. Instead, the Steelers showed up with something resembling their pajamas and a sleepy demeanor.

As fans sipped their lukewarm coffee and edited their Twitter bios to express their discontent, Mike Tomlin climbed the post-game podium with the kind of resignation one typically reserves for the dentist's office. He admitted that the Ravens 'were the better team' on that day—an understatement that could only be matched by saying the Titanic took on some water. Tomlin eventually credited Lamar Jackson, who has a flair for turning defensive strategies into soggy confetti, further exacerbating the Steelers' woes.

However, it wasn't all gloom and disappointment. By the time the third quarter rolled around and Russell Wilson finally found the end zone with a pass to Van Jefferson, the Pittsburgh faithful erupted as if they’d just discovered a long-lost treasure buried beneath a pile of dirty laundry. Alas, trailing by 21 points, this whiff of optimism was more akin to a banana peel in a marathon—nice and pleasant initially, but ultimately irrelevant in the grand scheme.

Despite scoring two touchdowns in the second half, Pittsburgh's late-game rally highlighted the challenges they faced throughout the game. The Ravens led the game 21-0 at halftime, dominating the Steelers' performance. The final score settled at 28-14 in favor of the Ravens, leaving the Steelers to ponder how a season that began with promise unraveled into something resembling an off-key karaoke session at an office Christmas party.

Then again, looking ahead, could this be a moment of reflection for the Steelers? Surely they’ll go back to the drawing board, review game tapes, and—hypothetically—stitch together a plan that includes not falling face-first into a playoff pit. As for Kirk Herbstreit, his criticisms echo the thoughts of many fans and analysts who expect much more than they received; it’s a wake-up call for a team overcoming a peculiar case of postseason lethargy. Wake up, indeed, or the only trophies they’ll be competing for are those given for best 'taking a nap' performances.