The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t play well in all three phases Sunday in their Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, but the turning point of the game was a mistake by Kaleb Johnson on a kickoff, the rookie RB failing to grab the ball after it dropped in the landing zone. Seattle recovered it for a touchdown to take a two-score lead, and the Steelers never recovered. After the 31-17 loss, Johnson took ownership for his mistake.
“Just gotta get better every day. That’s all I have to say about this. I just gotta go in there every day now and work my hardest now, even more with a chip on my shoulder,” Johnson said.
He wouldn’t say whether or not he was sure of the rule.
“If I wasn’t sure, if I was sure, it doesn’t matter, I just gotta do what I gotta do and I still gotta go in there and execute plays,” Johnson said via Chris Adamski of TribLive on Twitter.
Johnson said it’s “part of football” and to flush it from his mind since it’s something he can’t dwell on.
It’s a mistake that should have never happened. Johnson’s non-answer about whether or not he knew the rule might be a sign that he simply didn’t, and the fact that he walked off the field after the ball dropped was an indicator he probably didn’t know the rule. Some of that blame can go toward special teams coordinator Danny Smith and the coaching staff for not drilling the rule in the players, but the players have a responsibility to know the rules as well. It’s not great that Johnson seemingly didn’t know what was happening in such a big moment.
It’s not a mistake that should define him or his career, though. While he may not be back returning kicks, it’s not something he can dwell on. It’s not the sole reason why the Steelers lost, and while it sure didn’t help, Johnson just has to flush it and move on, as he said. He knows he messed up, and while it never should’ve happened, he was visibly upset speaking to reporters and it’s a tough situation to be in as a rookie.
The Steelers could’ve overcome the mistake if they were able to stop the run, get off the field on third downs, or consistently move the ball on offense. None of those things happened. It’s not a game that anyone should remember fondly. Johnson’s mistake was a major part of the loss, but the team still should have high hopes for him and he needs to learn from it, move on, and get ready to play the Patriots next week.
