PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Knocked down twice this past week, by teams that own four combined wins, can the Steelers get off the mat and remain in the playoff hunt going forward, after another Sunday where every other team in the division won?
“I think you keep guys together by being accountable,” said Steelers defensive captain Cam Heyward. “Not running from the mistakes.”
“It starts with looking yourself in the mirror, understanding and seeing what you can do more or better to help the team outcome of W’s,” said Steelers Patrick Peterson.
The veteran corner saying in November how important these games are, yet the Steelers have lost three of the last four games. They scored four total touchdowns in those games and a pair of them were without fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada.
Damage already done. Combined going into the Week 15 over the last three seasons, the Steelers are 18-20-1. Maybe they make a late run again, but if they win a pair of games that should have, the Steelers are 9-4 and in the conversation for a first-round bye. Miraculously, they are currently in the sixth spot with the same record as the Bengals, Colts and Texans.
“We understand those type of games can’t happen,” Peterson said. “You can’t let those type of games slip away.
Like Coach always talks about during the time in Latrobe, two is a pattern. We have to find a way to get out of this funk that we are in. We are way too good of a team to be losing games like that.”
“I'm not someone who is going to shy away from what's going on,” Heyward said. “I know a lot of our guys are going to think the same way. When we're out there or in meetings, there is a standard, a level of play that needs to be accustomed to everybody, and when we fall short, everybody is accountable for it. Nothing more than that.”
Heyward said that starts in practice this week. He will know better who is dialed in as the week continues.
“We got to worry about the next game, that’s the mindset,” said tailback Najee Harris. “It’s not the way we wanted to go. Nobody likes losing. At this point too, late in the season, for us to make the playoffs we have to worry about the next game. That’s the mindset, worry about the next game.”
“We are still going in the right direction. It’s hard to say that now after the past two games. As a team you have to ignore all of the distractions, just worry about the next game.”
“It sucks because you know how hard you work every week and you come out here and you put on a performance like that in front of your fans,” said receiver Diontae Johnson. “It’s not good enough. You just head back to the drawing board and keep working.”
“Like I try to allude to young guys all the time, the window is only open so wide,” Peterson said. “You have to take advantage of the opportunities at hand. Hopefully guys gravitate to that message.”
“I feel like we have the right leadership—everything we want to accomplish is right in front of us.
More words, what this team needs is action.