The Pittsburgh Steelers don’t get into the red zone too often, and when they do get there, they struggle to finish drives.
That was the case again in the second quarter Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
After starting on their own 2-yard line, the Steelers marched right down the field thanks to some key connections from quarterback Kenny Pickett to wide receiver Diontae Johnson, and a 32-yard pass interference penalty drawn by Calvin Austin III. But once they got into the red zone, the Steelers tried to get too cute with a shovel pass to tight end Connor Heyward, and then Pickett misfired to a wide-open Johnson in the end zone, forcing the Steelers to settle for a field goal.
It comes down to execution, as head coach Mike Tomlin said after the game, and the Steelers didn’t execute on the play in a big spot.
That misfire from Pickett to Johnson was one that the veteran receiver called a “game-changer” following the 20-10 loss Sunday at Acrisure Stadium.
“I’m not saying we weren’t on the same page. I was expecting the DB to play a certain way. We just have to see it quicker,” Johnson said to reporters regarding the miss in the end zone on third down that resulted in the Steelers settling for a field goal, according to a tweet via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Tim Benz. “I’m not saying (Pickett) is not making the right reads. …I’m not saying he’s not working his butt off. He’s doing everything he can but…those little moments, those are game changers.”
The misfire to Johnson was certainly a game changer.
At that point, the Steelers’ offense had found some rhythm as Pickett and Johnson were a great combination on the drive, hooking up four times for 43 yards. They couldn’t come together one last time, even with Johnson breaking wide open on the in-route in the end zone.
Johnson did a great job setting up the rub route at the top with Heyward and found himself wide open in the end zone. Pickett was late getting his head back around to that side of the field and then fired late and behind Johnson. That kept an easy touchdown off the board, causing Pittsburgh’s to settle for a field goal that cut Jacksonville’s lead 6-3.
Pickett hits that one, it’s 7-6 and all the momentum is on the Steelers’ side, especially after what should have been a 98-yard touchdown drive.
Against good teams like Jacksonville, you cannot as an offense settle for field goals in the red zone. You have to score touchdowns. The Steelers missed a big one on Sunday in the second quarter and it cost them.
