“We had been capable of get a primary down,” mentioned tight finish Pat Freiermuth on what modified after falling behind 17-3. “We had 5 three-and-outs to start out the sport. We’ll be taught from it. We’ll repair it and get higher.”
The sluggish begins offensively have to alter.
The Eagles have an excellent protection. It entered this sport No. 1 within the NFL. And with out Pickens, the Eagles loaded the field and dared the Steelers to throw the ball.
They did so with little or no success early, as Russell Wilson began the sport simply 2 of 8 for 8 yards.
Meanwhile, the operating sport was doing nothing, as effectively, because the Steelers gained 5 yards on 4 first-quarter carries.
“We acquired behind the sticks,” mentioned Austin. “The penalty I acquired knocked us out of a landing. Instead of getting 7, we acquired 3. Getting behind the sticks so much, being in second-and-long, third-and-long, that is simply going to be shedding soccer that means. It’s very irritating as a result of we all know if we do not beat ourselves, it is a totally different sport.”
• The Steelers did load as much as cease Barkley. And they did so on the expense of leaving their cornerbacks on an island with large receivers A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith.
Both caught landing passes and completed with 100 yards receiving, Brown on eight catches, Smith on 10.
The Steelers figured the Eagles would possibly throw the ball extra this week than that they had. After all, Brown had complained final week that the Eagles weren’t throwing the ball sufficient.
And Hurts’ 32 go makes an attempt had been the primary time he is been over 30 since a Sept. 29 loss to Tampa Bay.
In some methods, it is a tip of the cap to what the Eagles anticipated from the Steelers. They knew they had been going to have robust sledding within the operating sport.
“I believe a Mike Tomlin group is bodily, disruptive, and difficult,” mentioned Hurts. “That complete convention, that complete division, is hard. Playing in opposition to a Steelers group is all the time a troublesome problem. It was undoubtedly a check, a battle. They’re coming after the ball and enjoying bodily ball. It was an incredible opponent we performed on the market.”
• Lost in all of that is the truth that Chris Boswell made each of his subject objective makes an attempt on this sport and now holds the Steelers’ report with 38 made subject objectives in a season. And he is gotten there with simply 41 general makes an attempt.
• Buffalo’s win at Detroit doubtless places securing the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye out of attain of the Steelers. So, the following step now after locking up a playoff spot is securing a house playoff sport.
And they try this by profitable in Baltimore subsequent week.
That will make focusing this week fairly simple.
“It’s superior to have the ability to clinch it this early, however I want we’d have gotten the win to have the ability to have a good time,” mentioned Freiermuth. “But we need to do some stuff massive within the postseason and hopefully clinch the division subsequent weekend.”
To try this, they’re going to must get again to the issues that helped this group rattle off seven wins in eight video games coming into this one.
“We approached this sport with the suitable mindset,” mentioned Austin. “But you’ll be able to strategy the sport with the suitable mindset and if the main points, execution and focus does not match your mindset, then it does not matter. In any win or loss, you have to return to the fundamentals and clear up the little issues and overemphasize issues so they do not occur once more.”
