PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It was the other pivotal play in the game Sunday. So much attention to the mistake rookie Kaleb Johnson made (letting the kickoff get behind him), but there was another in the same end zone that was costly in the Steelers 31-17 loss to Seattle.
It was in the third quarter on a third down and four from the Seattle four-yard line and the score tied at 14. Taking the lead was a given with a short Chris Boswell field goal. Rodgers was flushed left and looking into the end zone. He saw Pat Freiermuth in the back corner, but Calvin Austin stopped and turned and tried to make a play. Austin tipped the pass and it was intercepted by Seattle’s Derion Kendrick.
Scoring opportunity gone.
So, what happened? Who was it intended for, the tight end or wide receiver?
“Pat Freiermuth,” Rodgers said. “And Cal (Calvin Austin III) is the best kid ever, but he probably should have just stayed in the flat there. He knows it. He was
kind of stealing it from Pat or catch it and put it away. Score a touchdown.”
Austin wasn’t going to deny it. As he was asked previously after the game and gave the advice to Kaleb Johnson to own up to his mistake and work to correct it, the fourth-year receiver explained his error.
“It was scramble rules,” Austin said. “I should have stayed at the front pylon. It’s something that we are coached. In the spur of the moment, I can’t try to make a play right there. I have to do what I’m coached.”
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“Cal's the best kid and, you know, it sucks because he's such a great kid, but unfortunately that whole sequence took points off the board,” Rodgers said.
The 20-year veteran added in the NFL you can’t get too high with the highs or too low with the lows. They will reset in practice this week and try to do better in New England.