Not many people expected the Steelers to finish the season 16-0 but no one expected their first loss to come at the hands of the now 5-8 Washington Football Team.
Here are five quick takeaways after the team’s first loss of the season:
Drop-ese
Coming into Monday afternoon’s game, only the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys, 8 wins combined, have more dropped passes than the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kind estimates have the Steelers at 7 more drops against Washington. RPOs can work in place of a successful run game, but only if you can catch the ball. Right now the Steelers struggle to do both.
Injuries mount
Already without middle linebacker Devin Bush, outside linebacker Bud Dupree, linebacker Robert Spillane left in the second quarter with a left knee injury. It occurred as Spillane was blitzing and tipping a pass from Alex Smith for an incompletion. Since becoming a starter, Spillane has 38 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 sacks, a pick 6 and a fumble recovery.
Corner Steven Nelson already out with a knee injury, the other starting corner went out in the fourth quarter as Joe Haden suffered a possible concussion.
You Can’t Run and You Can’t Hide
Up 7-0 in the 2nd qtr, the Steelers had a first and goal at the Washington one-yard line. Here is how it went-Benny Snell-no gain, Benny Snell-no gain, a throw to an offensive tackle that was incomplete and Benny Snell for no gain. None of the runs really sniffed the goal line.
With five minutes to play, the Steelers on the Washington 28, the Steelers had to attempt a pass on third and 1 and then on 4th and 1 the Steelers were in shotgun and another incomplete pass.
Was Wright the wrong guy?
The Steelers moved practice squad kicker Matthew Wright to the 53-man roster to fill in for injured Chris Boswell on Wednesday afternoon, and Boswell being injured may have cost Pittsburgh the game.
Wright made two extra point tried and a field goal from 37 yards, but late in the fourth quarter, facing a 4th down, the Steelers decided to go for it, rather than kick a field goal and it did not work out well.
Tipped passes finally doom Steelers:
With Ben Roethlisberger throwing quick passes, tipped balls soon followed and one finally doomed the Steelers against Washington. Running a 2-minute drill on first down, Roethlisberger threw a pass that was tipped and then intercepted, all but sealing the game. -coming into the game only Cam Newton, Kyler Murray and Derek Carr had more passes tipped than Ben. It looks as though there were 2 today, that would make 12, tying him with Carr.