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 — who have 8 wins combined — had 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. As of late, the Steelers struggle to do both.
Injuries mount
Already without middle linebacker Devin Bush and 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.
Cornerback Steven Nelson was already out with a knee injury, and the other starting cornerback 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 for no gain, Benny Snell for 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.
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's replacement may have cost Pittsburgh the game.
Wright made two extra point tries 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 two-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. As there were two today, Big Ben is now tied with Carr for the league lead.
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No running game, dropped passes and more defensive injuries doom Steelers




