PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – The emotions were still raw as the Steelers players gathered on Monday 21 hours after the loss to Cleveland. What the team said about moving on to Sunday night?
It’s typical that they have meetings on Monday to go over film of the last game and put it to bed for lack of a better phrase. It’s learning from that one and following a players’ day off on Tuesday, it’s attacking the next opponent starting with practice Wednesday.
This loss was different. A win against the 3-12 Browns and not only are you in the postseason with a home game, it’s likely a week of rest for many veterans and giving as many guys with bumps and bruises the game off on Sunday.
Instead, it’s essentially a one-game playoff at home Sunday night against Baltimore.
“Obviously it sucks,” said linebacker Nick Herbig. “You have a chance to win the division and we didn’t execute. Starting with myself, we just need to be better, play better, but at the end of the day we still have an opportunity. We need to go out there and prove to ourselves we are who we say we are.”
“It was just a bad performance,” said tight end Pat Freiermuth. “We are focused on trying to beat Baltimore. We are all looking forward to the opportunity Sunday night. It’s a big one obviously. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves. We got to go into Sunday night, whatever it takes.”
“You just got to flush it,” said Steelers linebacker Malik Harrison. “We can’t play the game again. We just got to turn the chapter. (Monday) you check the film and just get ready for the Ravens.”
Rookie Derrick Harmon experienced the pain of elimination last year at the Rose Bowl when his Oregon team lost to Ohio State after beating them in the regular season. At 22-years-old, Harmon might have the most mature look at putting a bad game behind you.
“I always say don’t let no loss get to your heart and don’t let no win get to your head,” Harmon said. “That’s my mentality on it.”
“That’s the only thing we can do,” Freiermuth said. “It’s all about Baltimore. I think everyone in the locker room is ready to get past what we put on film, what we displayed on Sunday and being able to go on Sunday Night Football, be able to execute and win.”
“We just got to play our ball,” Herbig said. “How long have y’all been covering the Steelers. It always comes down to this game every year. Steelers and Ravens, that’s what it is. It’s a big game and we got to go out there and perform.”
Owning up
While there was an open window for media to be in the locker room for about 45 minutes before the team watches tape on Monday, there is no requirement for players to be in the room at that time. Linebacker Nick Herbig came in, stood up and talked about one of the potential game-changing plays that didn’t happen Sunday in Cleveland.
With 2:46 to play in the second quarter and the Steelers trailing 10-3, Shedeur Sanders threw a pass to the right sideline intended for Blake Whiteheart, Herbig stepped in front of it, but the ball bounced off his hands and fell incomplete. The third-year Steelers linebacker likely goes untouched for a 22-yard Pick 6 and the game is tied if he holds onto the ball.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t,” Herbig said when asked about thinking of that play. “Obviously that changes the game. Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games and I didn’t.”
“That’s the stuff that keeps you up at night, but you got to be able to move past that and prepare for this week.”