Following each game in the 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers season, I will highlight the event or string of events in the game that is the turning point. Not all turning points will be earth-shattering but are meant to give a unique look at how we arrived at the outcome of the game, one that may be hard to see during the live watch.
You knew it, I knew it, and anybody who follows football knew it. The Pittsburgh Steelers and the New England Patriots were supposed to play in a low-scoring game. The oddsmakers in Vegas had it pegged as one of the lowest over/under point totals in decades. Only, that isn’t how the game played out. The Steelers allowed 21 points in the first half and were forced to play catch-up the rest of the game. They fell just short of catching up and dropped the game 21-18 to a team that was 2-10 entering the day.
Head coach Mike Tomlin gave a high-level overview of the Steelers’ recent struggles during his Monday press conference.
“In the last couple weeks, I thought our situational defense was significant,” Tomlin said in the press conference posted on the team’s YouTube page. “Our inability to hold people to field goals in the red area…We got put on a short field a week ago, and we weren’t able to hold ’em to a field goal, and really that’s the difference of the outcome of the game.”
Similar to last week, the turnover on offense, followed by a touchdown allowed on defense, significantly altered the flow of this game. On the first play of the second quarter, QB Mitch Trubisky targeted Pat Freiermuth on 3rd and 10 into triple coverage and was intercepted. S Jabrill Peppers picked it off and ran it back 32 yards to the Pittsburgh 11-yard line.
Trubisky talked about wanting to be aggressive throughout the week. I suppose he was aggressive here, but not in a good way, and it cost the Steelers big time. He had some pressure coming with a cornerback blitz on the outside and S Kyle Dugger coming off the edge. Dugger easily got past RB Jaylen Warren and hit Trubisky as he threw the ball. The blame doesn’t fall on Trubisky alone, but he cannot make that type of throw at that spot on the field. Throw the ball away and live to fight another day, as the Steelers have done all season long.
Two plays later, QB Bailey Zappe would connect with TE Hunter Henry for an 8-yard touchdown pass that made the score 14-3.
The Patriots aligned with TE Hunter Henry alone on one side with trips out wide on the other. The Steelers had all of their defensive backs other than Minkah Fitzpatrick over on the side of the three receivers. They left LB Mykal Walker one-on-one against Henry, and Fitzpatrick was keeping his eyes on the quarterback covering the shallow middle of the field. Henry was able to shake Walker and secure the touchdown. Damontae Kazee came across to help but was late and didn’t take a great angle.
It is far from ideal to put your defense on a short field, but this defense prides itself on being one of the best in the league. If they want that title, they have to be able to prevent touchdowns and force teams to settle for field goals. Especially the Patriots, who are one of the worst offenses in the league. Digging that big of a point deficit early in the game plays right into the Patriots’ hands. They were able to outlast the Steelers’ comeback attempt with the solid defensive play they are known for.
