ORCHARD PARK, NY (93.7 The Fan) – Steelers dropped out of the top spot in the AFC Playoff race, lost a few more to injury and left serious questions if there offense is good enough to get past the first round.
Here are a few takeaways from the 26-15 loss at Buffalo.
Allen better than Roethlisberger
Simply stated this game boiled down to quarterbacks and Josh Allen was far better than Ben Roethlisberger. Allen threw for 238 yards and a pair of touchdowns, the only interception was on a pass where his arm was hit. Allen also rushed for 28 yards.
Roethlisberger not only is no longer capable of rushing, when the Steelers still had some life, he threw a horrible pass attempt to James Washington that was intercepted.
The first interception he stared down JuJu Smith-Schuster and gave up a Steelers lead as Taron Johnson jumped the route for a 51 yard pick six and the Bills never trailed again.
Ben’s final numbers 21-37 for 187 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.
Offensive line injuries
Much like injuries hit at middle linebacker, now injuries at left guard. Steelers lost a pair of them Sunday night. First starter Matt Feiler and then his back-up Kevin Dotson, each with pectoral injuries. Team was down to JC Hassenauer, who filled in at center for Maurkice Pouncey the last two games.
Tackle Chuks Okorafor left for a couple of plays due to injury but was able to return during the Steelers TD drive to make it 23-15.
Johnson benched for most of first half
Mike Tomlin said on Tuesday ‘they can catch the ball or they can get replaced by those who will catch it’. After dropping the first pass of the game, Tomlin waited until a drop on third down on the next series to bench Diontae Johnson. The second-year receiver was second on the Steelers with 65 catches and leading the team with 654 receiving yards.
Johnson would return in the second half and end with four receptions for 40 yards.
Sack record
A sack, and for good measure forced fumble, by Tyson Alualu broke the NFL record of 70 straight games with at least one sack. It was the only sack of the game.
The streak started in Week 8 against the Ravens in 2016. James Harrison, Ryan Shazier and Anthony Chickillo, all no longer with the team, had sacks on that day. Steelers continue to lead the NFL in sacks this season with three games to play.
McFarland benched
Fourth and 1 from the Washington 28 yards line with just under five minutes to play, the Steelers went for it. Instead of a run or a throw to one of their top receivers, Steelers ran a wheel route to rookie tailback Anthony McFarland. Ben Roethlisberger claimed he needed to throw it better. The fact McFarland didn’t even dress for the game in Buffalo, when they are looking to get the running game going, likely tells a different story.
Steelers rushed for 47 yards.
