By Jessica Costello
SteelerNation.com
The Pittsburgh Steelers didn't quite have the debut that they had hoped against the New England Patriots last night. It surely wasn't what the linebacker, Devin Bush, envisioned for his official NFL debut.
I think it's fair to say no one on the team, veteran or rookie, expected a 30-point deficit as they walked out of Gillette Stadium.
But even with the outcome of the game, Bush pushed to find the good in it all.
“It was fun to be out there for the first NFL game against the defending champs in their home stadium,” Bush said. “It was quite the experience.”
Playing mainly at inside linebacker for the Steelers, Bush tallied 11 tackles for the team. A solid personal performance, it didn't do much considering the overall effort from the defense. The Patriots quickly jumped to a 20-0 halftime lead after Tom Brady abused the middle of the defense and got away with multiple deep passes.
“He was getting the ball out fast,” Bush said. “He was finding those matchups, completing the ball on third down, getting the ball behind the defense. He was checking in and out of run plays, play-action plays, and screens.”
Bush was prepared to be tested by Brady. But in that sense, he didn't necessarily get what he wanted.
“It wasn’t as much as I thought he would,” Bush said. “Couple times, but you have to get off the field.”
The Steelers weren't able to stop the Patriots, quickly proving that while they converted 7 of 14 third-down positions. New England directed the whole game, something the Steelers need to fix and fast.
“It was more of a communication, execution thing,” Bush said. “That’s the area we need to get better in.”
What do you think Steeler Nation, what needs to be fixed in time for next week's game against the Seattle Seahawks? Comment below your thoughts/reactions!
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