On paper, a 30-6 loss looks utterly uncompetitive. And the Pittsburgh Steelers’ blowout losses have been stacking up. But the Steelers had a chance to get back into the game Sunday against the Houston Texans. Late in the third quarter, Pittsburgh was driving, trailing 16-6 at the Texans’ 42.
Facing a 4th and 1, if the Steelers could move the sticks and come away with any points, even a field goal, it’s a one-possession game. Instead, Kenny Pickett was sacked, injured, and turned the ball over on downs. Houston marched downfield and scored, salting the game away.
On the latest episode of the All Things Covered podcast, Patrick Peterson cited that moment as the turning point of the game.
“I feel like when we came out in the second half, we kind started to take the momentum from them,” Peterson told co-host Bryant McFadden. “We got two field goals out of those possessions that we had some good drives on. But I believe the 4th and 1, when we weren’t able to convert, I believe that’s when they were able to regain the momentum. And regain their confidence within themselves.”
Peterson’s not wrong. As ugly as the first half was on offense and defense, the Steelers got stops on the other side of the break. The Texans ran just seven plays on their first two second-half possessions, punting each time, with the Steelers kicking a pair of third-quarter field goals to make it a 10-point game. In typical Steelers fashion, they were clawing back. At least until they called a five-step drop out of shotgun on 4th and 1. Pickett’s primary read was taken away and he ran into pressure.
The result was a sack, injury, and all the air being taken out of the Steelers’ balloon. It’s a play call few have been able to understand with even former QB Ben Roethlisberger saying he “hated” the decision.
“I believe once we failed that 4th and 1, they recaptured the momentum,” Peterson said.
After that play, the Texans looked like their first-half selves. Taking over on offense, they used 10 plays and over five minutes of game clock to drive into the end zone, capped by a trick play touchdown, RB Devin Singletary hitting TE Dalton Schultz for a six-yard score. They added a long touchdown from WR Nico Collins to put an exclamation point on the blowout.
While Peterson’s comments weren’t him speaking angrily at the Steelers’ offense, frustrations overall are boiling over. WR George Pickens was apparently upset over the team’s decision to kick a field goal during the second half while center Mason Cole seemed unhappy about the play call to pass on 4th and one. Pittsburgh’s offense must show signs of life against a tough Baltimore Ravens’ defense this Sunday or else the Steelers will enter their bye week looking way up at the Ravens in the AFC North standings.
