The only consolation I can take from the Steelers’ stunning 19-16, overtime loss to the Jets on Sunday is that is I can officially trade in my guilt about the Steelers’ win over the Jets in the 2004 AFC divisional playoffs. That was a game the Steelers probably shouldn’t have won. And they wouldn’t have if Jets kicker Doug Brien didn’t miss two field goals in the final two minutes of regulation before the Steelers won it 20-17 in overtime.

What goes around comes around. The Steelers organization did their penance Sunday for that lucky playoff win.

I’d rather have the guilt.

Of the Steelers’ three losses this season, this one bothers me the most, and I know I’m not the only one who feels that way.

The loss in Arizona was their first. They weren’t going to go 16-0. Plus Ken Whisenhunt probably had some inside info on how to beat the Steelers. The loss in Denver could be attributed to the high altitude and the fact that Denver is always a tough place to play.

There’s no way to rationalize this loss.

The Steelers were beaten by a 1-8 team, a team whose only win came against the winless Dolphins. Not only that, but the Steelers had the game well in hand until their offensive line let them down again.

They had a three-point lead and the ball near midfield with less than three minutes left. All they needed was two more yards for a new set of downs. But on third down, Ben Roethlisberger was sacked for the sixth time, forcing a punt. The Jets took the ball and tied the score to force overtime.

The Jets’ final sack came in OT, where field position is precious. It dragged the Steelers back to their own 14. That’s 11 sacks in the past two games. This might be the worst offensive line I’ve witnessed as a Steelers fan. Even during the mediocre 1980s, the Steelers had solid offensive lines.

The O-Line wasn’t the Steelers’ only glaring weakness entering the game. There was also their kickoff coverage. But instead of trying to improve it they basically waved the white flag on it by kicking the ball short to keep it out of the hands of return man Leon Washington. Daniel Sepulveda, until Sunday one of the few bright spots on special teams this season, was the culprit in overtime on Sunday. His punt from the Steelers’ 20 was a subpar 39-yarder to Washington, who returned it 33 yards to the Steelers’ 26 and right into field goal position for Mike Nugent, who won it with a 38-yard kick.

I was afraid of this. I warned of the potential for a pitfall in the blog that accompanies my weekly columns on this site. I was worried for the wrong reason, however. I thought the Jets would be inspired by the Curtis Martin ceremonies at halftime. But they didn’t need a former running back to provide motivation. They had a perfectly good one in uniform in Thomas Jones. Or at least the Steelers made him look like a good running back. The Steelers forgot how to tackle and allowed a runner to gain 100 yards in a game for the first time since Edgerrin James did it for the Colts in 2005.

I can’t help but think of something once said by Bill Parcells, who presented Martin during the halftime activities. He said you are what you are. On one hand, if it weren’t for two game-ending field goals this season, the Steelers would be 9-1. But the fact of the matter is the Steelers aren’t good enough to be 9-1. They’re a 7-3 team for a reason.

Before the start of the season, I’d have taken 7-3 after 10 games. But here the Steelers are, 7-3, and I’m not feeling all that great about it. A team that was on the fringe of being mentioned in the same conversation as the Patriots and Colts earlier in the season now faces some legitimate questions, with the biggest being the offensive line.

Making Jones (30 carries, 117 yards) look like he was coated with Teflon and committing eight penalties for 100 yards didn’t help. But this loss is on the offensive line. It’s hard for the Steelers to close the deal on a victory with Roethlisberger on his back. Up 16-13 with eight minutes left in the game, they could have wrapped it up after Deshea Townsend’s interception and return to the Jets’ 45. But the Steelers turned it over three plays later when a sack on Roethlisberger jarred the ball loose.

Townsend’s performance, by the way, makes the Steelers’ loss hurt just a little bit more. The 10-year veteran cornerback also broke up a pass to force a punt on the Jets’ first possession of overtime. That's one guy who didn't deserve to lose. On the other side, Ike Taylor earned his money by covering Brad Smith like a blanket in the end zone on the Jets’ last possession of regulation.

Yeah, there was the flea flicker to Laveranues Coles early in the game to set up a Jets touchdown. But that was the only Jets' touchdown. The Steelers should have been able to overcome that. I never thought there would be a day when the Steelers’ secondary was doing everything it could to keep the Steelers in the game while the offensive line was blowing it.

It’s quite likely that in the next two weeks, the Steelers’ problems will be swept under the rug. They have Miami (0-10) and Cincinnati (3-7) at home before going on the road to face the Patriots.

I was really looking forward to going to Gillette Stadium on Dec. 9 to see the Steelers take a shot at foiling the Patriots’ perfect season. But now it just looks like I’ll be freezing my ass off while watching the Steelers lose. The Steelers on Sunday didn’t look like a team that can beat the Patriots, or any other team they might see in the playoffs, for that matter.