PITTSBURGH — Mike Tomlin and his group did not mince phrases within the aftermath of the Steelers‘ third straight loss.
“That sucked, to be blunt,” the coach mentioned after Pittsburgh’s 29-10 Christmas Day loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. “Not the kind of ball we wish to play and actually sort of eerily just like our final efficiency in that we’re not doing the elemental issues properly sufficient.”
In dropping to the Chiefs, the Steelers (10-6) not solely didn’t compete with one other one of many league’s prime groups, additionally they misplaced the flexibility to manage their future within the race for the AFC North title and a coveted house playoff sport. Though they as soon as led the division by two video games, the Steelers now need to beat the Cincinnati Bengals within the regular-season finale and have the Baltimore Ravens lose their Week 18 sport to the Cleveland Browns to seize the crown.
“It’s bought to be a want-to,” linebacker Alex Highsmith mentioned of the way to proper the ship. “There’s not sufficient of that proper now. There’s bought to be a want-to. It’s that point of the yr the place we bought two assured video games left. We’re going to search out out … who desires this. Everybody on this room bought to need it. That’s the one manner we’ll transfer on and get higher.”
The once-stout Steelers protection has given up a mean of 30 factors up to now three weeks, and the turnovers that when outlined the group’s success have slowed. The Steelers have solely three takeaways up to now three video games after accumulating three every within the 4 video games earlier than the dropping streak. The Steelers failed to provide a takeaway in opposition to the Chiefs, regardless of forcing a fumble the Chiefs in the end recovered on a punt return.
And up to now two weeks, the Steelers have given up 5 touchdowns and never had an interception on throws outdoors the numbers. Through Week 15, that they had given up solely six passing touchdowns and had six interceptions on such throws, per ESPN Research.
“Guys cannot be f—ing broad open. Do your job,” security DeShon Elliott mentioned of the way to repair the Steelers’ recurring issues. “I really feel like we communicated. Guys simply weren’t doing their freaking job. Get again to the drafting board. It’s Week [17]. Shouldn’t be having these issues. … This is a Week 1, Week 2 drawback. So I do not know the place we went, down the road began turning into an entire completely different protection [than] we have been, however we bought to get again to who we’re.”
The Steelers’ giveaways have compounded the problem. Though they nonetheless have the second-best turnover margin within the NFL, the offense has turned the ball over 5 occasions throughout the dropping streak, together with twice Wednesday. Quarterback Russell Wilson threw an interception ultimately zone within the first half, and within the fourth quarter, tight finish Pat Freiermuth fumbled on third down to present the Chiefs a brief area. The guests scored 4 performs later to go up 29-10.
“We regressed when it comes to our turnover tradition, when it comes to sustaining possession of the ball and getting the ball,” Tomlin mentioned. “We’ve been a plus group in most cases, and that is actually been a catalyst for us when it comes to the video games unfolding the best way that we need. The final two weeks particularly, we’ve not been [plus] in that space. We’ve been minus in that space, and so the outcomes are what they’re.”
Before the gauntlet of three video games in 11 days, members of the Steelers’ group mentioned they’d study so much about their group over this stretch. Asked what he has realized, defensive captain Cameron Heyward was as frank as his coach.
“The final three weeks we performed like s—,” Heyward mentioned. “Simple as that. I personal that. Every participant’s bought [to own that]. Can’t squander alternatives, whether or not it is turnovers, whether or not it is getting off the sector, whether or not it is scoring touchdowns, it is a multitude of issues, and it has reared its large head.
“My confidence is rarely going to lack within the group. It’s simply from an execution standpoint, it is simply dumbfounding. We need to get it carried out on these performs. We sit up in conferences, we take it out to the sector. That means nothing in the event you do not do it within the sport.”
