Those sloppy Pittsburgh Steelers. Too often, their mission is to not only beat their opponent, to make more plays than the group they’re competing against, but to also not beat themselves. “Shoot ourselves in the foot” is a phrase repeated the last two weeks. It’s why the team’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals was as close as it was, the Steelers screwing around in the first half before ironing things out in the final 30 minutes to emerge victorious.
Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals began with a similar script. This time, it didn’t change. They didn’t figure things out. The Steelers just progressively sank lower and lower until they finished with one of their worst losses of the Mike Tomlin era.
In almost every conceivable way, the Steelers found ways to do the wrong thing at the wrong time. Let’s walk through it.
Having 11 Players On The Field
Just having the correct number of 11 players on the field was a challenge for the Steelers. Early in the second half, OT Chukwuma Okorafor was the missing man, supposed to check in as a tackle-eligible. He wasn’t alerted until there were 10 seconds left on the play clock, trying to jog from the sideline to the Steelers’ end zone but not having a chance to get there in time. Pittsburgh was forced to burn a timeout minutes into the third quarter.
Defensively, the Steelers had one snap with one extra man on the field. Flagged for 12 men late in the game, Pittsburgh had four defensive linemen on the field against the Cardinals’ 13 personnel. In this package, they’re supposed to have only two safeties on the field. Here, they have three.
Wires got crossed if Pittsburgh was going to respond to 13 personnel with its 3-4 “Big” package with three safeties or its 4-4 look with one corner and two safeties. They did both and it led to the flag. Repeated communication issues compounded all the more after LB Elandon Roberts went out out with a groin injury. And several times over the past three weeks, they couldn’t produce the legal number of 11 defensive players. Shake my head, as the kids say.
Illegal Formation
Not once but twice, the Steelers were flagged for illegal formation. An offensive tackle not covered up, negating quality runs. Don’t blame that on the tackle either. There’s an eligible player responsible for being on the line and covering him. That’s their job. And twice, they couldn’t do it.
In the first, there isn’t even a player to LT Dan Moore’s side, no one who could even possibly cover him up as RB Jaylen Warren jets across. I don’t even know how that happens. With Warren’s motion, which is part of the Zorro toss play call (so this motion was very much intended), there’s no eligible even on Moore’s side. It’s an obvious penalty. Did Pittsburgh practice it this way?
On the second, the penalty was on RT Broderick Jones. But the issue is with TE Connor Heyward aligning off the ball instead of covering him up.
Two quality, first-down runs wiped out by pointless penalties. Just stuff that kills offense, kills drives, especially for units like Pittsburgh’s.
Bad Snaps
Whenever the Steelers did have 11 people on the field and when they did align in a legal formation, snapping the ball was an adventure. Twice, Mason Cole botched the play. The first snapped off his butt, the ball bouncing and rolling to QB Kenny Pickett who couldn’t get the exchange off to Najee Harris. The play was a bust and this came on 3rd and 2, negating a potential conversion and forcing a punt.
The second was even more of a disaster. With Mitch Trubisky replacing the injured Pickett, Cole snapped low. The ball stayed off the ground, but Trubisky couldn’t bring the snap in, losing his handle as he went to reach for it. Nor was he able to fall on the ball and the Cardinals recovered for the turnover. They’d use that possession well, punching the ball in for a RB James Conner touchdown to go up 17-3 and take true control of the game.
Here’s a look at both.
Special Teams Penalties
As much focus as the Steelers’ offense and defense will receive and deserve, special teams were a mess, too. Penalties have been far too frequent the last two weeks. And this doesn’t even count K Chris Boswell’s miss from 45 yards, his first from realistic range this season (he missed from 61 yards against Jacksonville) that hooked wide to the right.
The Steelers damaged themselves in all kinds of other ways. Three special teams penalties, all on captain Miles Killebrew, with two of them accepted. The first was a running into the punter, not an egregious play and one that was declined. The other two had major impacts.
The first came early in the second quarter. P Pressley Harvin III booted deep and forced a Cardinals fair catch at their 19-yard line. Not an amazing punt but a would-be long field for Arizona. Despite seeing the fair catch, Killebrew ran into returner Greg Dortch, a 15-yard fair catch interference penalty. Instead of the Cardinals starting at their own 19, they began the drive at their 34. And though Arizona still punted, that penalty helped flip the field, Pittsburgh starting their ensuing offensive possession at its own 20.
With just over 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Harvin punted again. Killebrew ran downfield to try and make the tackle but went high, grabbing Dortch’s facemask. Tack 15 yards onto to a 7-yard return, setting up the Cardinals at Pittsburgh’s 33. It became a 24-yard net punt. About as bad it gets.
Deflated, the Steelers defense let the Cardinals chew up time and yards. RB James Conner scored his second touchdown of the game to make things 24-7, essentially ending the game.
It’s been Pittsburgh’s biggest issue all year. And I know it can apply to many teams and the loser of any game. Just avoid the things that beat you, putting aside any of the execution or talent aspects, and the tone of the game is going to be entirely different. The Steelers won’t get this kind of margin for error in the playoffs, if they even get to that point. Yesterday’s loss puts a damper on those hopes.
