After the Pittsburgh Steelers’ worst performance of the season, you wouldn’t expect a former Cincinnati Bengal to try to boost the spirits of the fan base. But Chad Johnson sees the value in giving the Steelers a taste of the NFL’s humility, which was surpassed by the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night. He made the case on Sunday night’s edition of NightCap.

“I think it’s OK,” Johnson told co-host Shannon Sharpe. “And it’s good that Russ (Wilson) had a game like that. They had a game like this.”

Pittsburgh never led and was dominated in the second half, running just 11 plays in two drives and possessing the ball for 5:50. To illustrate: This season there were 403 individual team trips that lasted longer. The Eagles wore down the Steelers with their running game and were extremely efficient in the third, going 10 of 17. On the other hand, Pittsburgh converted just 30 percent during that tough deficit, including going 0-5 early in the game.

It’s the first game in a difficult three-game stretch for Pittsburgh, which now prepares to face the Baltimore Ravens on a short week, followed by an even quicker turnaround for a Christmas game against the Kansas City Chiefs, where QB Patrick Mahomes will probably also play with an ankle sprain. Wilson and the rest of the team need to get better to avoid a quick losing streak that casts serious doubt on the Steelers’ chances.

“Seeing (Wilson) have a game like that is understandable,” Johnson said. “And I want to say it’s okay. I want to say it’s okay. Boom. We go back to the drawing board. What do we need to do better in the future?”

Basically, a reality check late in the season is better than a reality check in the postseason. It’s one thing to beat the Cleveland Browns, the Cincinnati Bengals and the rest of the teams that play in New Jersey. The playoffs take things to another level and it’s clear the Steelers still have a lot of work to do. Health is another factor and getting WR George Pickens and SS DeShon Elliott back sooner rather than later will be crucial. But that alone won’t turn these ugly losses into victories.

If Pittsburgh can heal wounds and beat Baltimore on Sunday, the ship will be right again. The sky is no longer falling. But if the Steelers lose, the division will be up for grabs, and the Chiefs come to town days later. And Johnson’s mentality will change from calm to worried.