The Pittsburgh Steelers lost a game they had to win against the Arizona Cardinals 24-10 in Week 13. The team played poorly in all three phases of the game. They were embarrassed in Acrisure Stadium by a team that had not won a road game in over a year. The result put the Steelers playoff hopes into question.
Philip G. Pavely / USA Today
Steelers' TJ Watt sinks to his knees in pain during a 24-10 loss in Week 13 against the Cardinals.
The Steelers compounded a poor performance on the field with an even worse performance in the locker room afterward with the press. Mason Cole failed to take accountability for his poor play, TJ Watt complained about officiating, and Jaylen Warren hinted at the real reason why the Steelers lost.
On Tuesday, Ben Roethlisberger and Spencer Te’o returned to YouTube with Episode 45 of Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger. The duo was coming off a marathon simulcast on Sunday that was extended with two weather delays. It is refreshing to see Roethlisberger and Te’o do a recap episode on the same week as a simulcast and, hopefully, the beginning of a trend. Roethlisberger addressed Warren’s comments and the story that the Steelers took the Cardinals lightly.
“Did they overlook them? Did they take them lightly,” Roethlisberger asked. “It’s annoying as a player, no, we didn’t take them lightly. I don’t want to say this is playing down or taking someone for granted or taking it easy, but if you weren’t prepared for somebody in the sense, not the whole team, but like I think that tight end that got after them at the end of the first half when they went 99 yards - when that tight end, I think it was [Trey] McBride, they didn’t know who he was. I didn't know who he was,” Roethlisberger continued.
Roethlisberger is astutely pointing out that the Steelers seemed lost that Trey McBride, one of the breakout players of the 2023 season, was the go-to target for Kyler Murray. The lack of a plan to slow down McBride was evident when he took over the game on the decisive scoring drive. The second-year player is among the leaders in receptions and yards at the tight end position.
Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger
Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger and Spencer Te'o during Episode 45 of the popular podcast.
The fact that Teryl Austin, Mike Tomlin, and the Steelers defense didn’t prioritize him indicates how little attention to detail went into the game plan. Roethlisberger shared that it isn’t necessarily a conscious decision by a player or coach to take a team lightly. It is as simple as the intensity or lack thereof in your preparation.
“I didn’t know who he was,” Roethlisberger said of McBride. “If you could sit there and say we weren’t prepared for this guy, we weren’t prepared for that guy, then you could say that’s a form of overlooking somebody or not playing 'em that tough. If you are not prepared for somebody, you could lump that into the same category, maybe.”
Steelers' Jaylen Warren Shockingly Admits Reason For Devastating Loss To Arizona
After the game, Warren was an honest broker and explained the loss. He stated his opinion without calling anyone out specifically. He is one of the two best playmakers on the offense, but he is technically second-string. Why is the backup tailback the only one taking accountability for a horrible loss?
“Someone said that,” Roethlisberger concluded. “Someone on the team actually said we weren’t sure not who he was, but just like what he was capable of. I said, going into that game, You have a dynamic guy at quarterback that can do amazing things with his legs and has a rocket on his arm. Things can still happen with him. A bad team with a stud, things can happen.”
Warren makes the league minimum as an undrafted free agent, so he can ill afford to take a play lightly, never mind a whole game against another NFL team. Roethlisberger played with some all-time great Steelers like Troy Polamalu and James Harrison. It is unthinkable that the great Steelers' defenses in that era would take an opponent for granted.
Gene J. Puskar / ap
Steelers legend Troy Polamalu before a game.
The two-time Super Bowl champion rightfully observes that the Cardinals had an advantage with Murray at quarterback. It should have precluded the defense from failing to prepare for him and all of his weapons. The rumors of Murray potentially being a target for the Steelers in the offseason seemed well-founded based on his performance in bad weather in Week 13.
The Steelers (thanks to some help from the Denver Broncos), are currently still holding the fifth seed in the AFC. The room for error is narrowing, with only five games remaining. Kenny Pickett will likely miss at least three of them. The Steelers face a must-win against the New England Patriots. Facing Bill Belichick with the season on the line is a familiar position for the black and gold. Hopefully, they will take this one seriously.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Did Roethlisberger's explanation hit the nail on the head? Please comment below, or on my Twitter/X: @thebubbasq.
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