Steelers Players Didn't Use Monday Night Win Streak As A Rally Cry Against Giants

The Pittsburgh Steelers are very familiar with setting records and pushing the boundaries of excellence in the NFL. They were the first team to get six Super Bowl wins and the only team to win back-to-back Super Bowls two different times. Head Coach Mike Tomlin is the only NFL coach to begin his career with 17 consecutive winning seasons. Throughout their many years of greatness, they have had leaders in nearly every statistical category and boast many busts in Canton. 

Some new records were set during the Week 8 Monday Night Football game against the New York Giants. Veteran defender, team captain, and reigning Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, Cameron Heyward played his 202nd game in black and gold, a team record for a defensive player. With that game, Heyward surpassed Donnie Shell at 201. In addition, with the win, the Steelers have gone undefeated in 22 straight Monday night home games and own the all-time record at 57 wins.   

Recently, 93.7 The Fan Sports Director Jeff Hawthorn joined Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson on The Fan Morning Show to discuss the Steelers' win. Crowley asked Hawthorn about the mood in the locker room after the game surrounding the Monday night record. He wondered if the players were pumped up and if they had been concerned with maintaining that streak because it is a point of pride, or if they were like, "Oh well, geez, that's pretty cool."

"Oh well, geez, that's pretty cool," joked Hawthorn. "When it's brought up, I think they're aware; I think maybe from friends they're aware, but I don't think this is a streak they look at. They don't look at it that way (as a rallying cry). I see it more of, we took care of business; it's cool we did it in prime time, and everybody's watching. It's funny you mentioned Cam, there were a few defensive guys, they were excited they won the game, but there was also this, 'Man we let Tracy run on us. We gave up too many yards.' There was almost, not loss, but this sense of, 'Yeah, that's great, but we need to play better.'"

The Steelers' offense got off to a quicker start with Russell Wilson under center than during his first game this season in Week 7. The defense played well, with Beanie Bishop Jr. having another huge interception, Alex Highsmith and T.J. Watt each creating a ton of pressure, and both recording two sacks apiece. 

However, they did allow Daniel Jones and his offense, including weapons like Tyrone Tracy Jr., Malik Nabers, and Darius Slayton, to have some big plays. The Giants had 394 total yards of offense, with 237 yards in passing and 157 on the ground. But they also struggled to convert third downs, thanks to the Steelers' smothering line. They allowed those four sacks, lost a fumble, and threw that interception. 

The Steelers are entering their bye for Week 9. They will have time to work on adjustments before returning and facing the high-powered Washington Commanders offense, led by the exciting rookie quarterback, Jayden Daniels. 

Steelers' Russell Wilson Was Excited

While the defense might have felt they could have performed better against the Giants, Wilson told the media that he is thrilled to be in Pittsburgh with this group of players. Wilson lost his starting job for several weeks because of a lingering calf injury, and the Steelers were winning with Justin Fields playing. This had many people questioning why Tomlin would change anything. 

However, Tomlin showed everyone why he has never had a losing season. Wilson had a rocky first half against the New York Jets, but quickly found his footing and began spreading the ball to his various receivers. 

Wilson said working with players like George Pickens, Calvin Austin III, and Van Jefferson makes playing in Pittsburgh fun. He said that now the fans and the media see what the players all see: the dedication and extra work they put in. 

Are you surprised the players don't care more about the Monday night record? Click to comment below. 

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