The Pittsburgh Steelers took a devastating blow to their playoff hopes on Thursday evening with a 36-28 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. What arguably may have been the team's easiest remaining game on the schedule was anything but that for Mike Tomlin's team. There was an astonishing amount of mistakes made throughout the game which ultimately led to a 29-0 hole that the Steelers could not quite dig themselves out of. The hardest part of the entire game however, was watching a 39-year old quarterback, presumably in his final season, be one of the few players to show heart and passion throughout the contest regardless of the scoreboard.
Ben Roethlisberger was 28/40 for 308 yards with three touchdowns and an interception (which was more so on his receiver than him). Roethlisberger seemed like he was one of the, or maybe the only one who was playing like the season depended on it. He was sacked, and not gently may I add, five times. We saw him chirping Tomlin on the sideline and shaking his head in disgust at times because of how poorly the team's performance was for the majority of the game.
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ESPN's headline this morning is "Steelers Nearly Complete Huge Comeback." Other than a few defensive plays and rare mistakes from Kirk Cousins, that should read, "Roethlisberger Nearly Completes Huge Comeback."
Make no mistake, Roethlisberger can't throw, catch and run all by himself, but the comeback efforts were thanks to no one other than the veteran. Watching that game really made me understand this is his final year wearing the black and gold, and will certain players rally behind that and put themselves before the team? Pretty sad in my opinion.
It goes beyond just efforts though, but mental mistakes, coaching preparation and decisions too.
Whose idea was it to put Justin Layne one on one in the red zone against Justin Jefferson?
Although it did not go for a touchdown, it sure should have. Jefferson was wide open and just barely enough pressure in the backfield allowed for a misfire from Cousins.
Why did it seem like every other snap from Kendrick Green was nearly soaring over Roethlisberger's head?
Many snaps were caught with just Roethlisberger's right hand over his head as he is nursing a bad shoulder. Green had communication issues with Roethlisberger and certainly played like a rookie last night. It might be necessary in the offseason to draft a true center and move Green to his natural position at guard.
Why wasn't Chase Claypool benched long before the 4th quarter comeback?
Tomlin concedes he benched Claypool for his first quarter personal foul. Safe to say, Claypool didn’t get the message. pic.twitter.com/c2momo8Mdb
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) December 10, 2021
So what if he had eight receptions for 93 yards? If he doesn't receive a taunting penalty on the first offensive drive of the game, the whole matchup may be different. If he decided to block his assigned guy on a short 3rd down, a drive continues rather than another weak Pressley Harvin III punt. And finally, the Steelers would have had one, maybe two more offensive plays inside the 12-yard line had Claypool not celebrated a simple first down with his team down eight and 30 seconds to go.
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How in the world was the defense this ill-prepared for Dalvin Cook?
Whether you expect him to play or not, there needs to be a game plan set in stone for his abilities. The holes open to him by his offensive line made it seem like we were indeed watching junior varsity football, as Tomlin said. Cook ran for a league season high, 205 yards on the ground.
The defense failed to record a sack for the second time this year after have 75 consecutive games with at least one.
The Vikings were missing arguably their best offensive lineman. It's not like Cook ran the ball 50 times. Cousins dropped back to pass 31 times and while there was occasional pressure, no one could make a play.
Honorable mention for playing at 100% the entire game goes to Minkah Fitzpatrick, Najee Harris and Trai Turner.
Coming off an emotional divisional win is surely tiring, but the Vikings were just as exhausted physically and mentally after losing to the winless Detroit Lions last Sunday. You could almost convince me this loss is on anyone on that sideline other than #7. He played his heart out and always does which is why he will go down as one of the most beloved and cherished players in Steelers history.
Who do you think is at fault for Thursday night's loss? Let us know in the comments below!
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