For the second time this season, the Pittsburgh Steelers allowed a game-winning landing with below a minute to play. And as soon as once more, it got here after the offense took the lead within the fourth quarter simply minutes earlier. As soon as once more, it was a collective failure on offense and protection — even particular groups.
And Steelers OLB Nick Herbig is aware of they’ll’t let it occur once more, however additionally they can’t take issues without any consideration.
“It’s the NFL. You by no means have the sport received till there’s zeroes on the clock,” he mentioned by way of the workforce’s web site. “We’re gonna come out and struggle each second. Each blade of grass, we’re gonna struggle.”
To their credit score, the Steelers did struggle, tremendously, however so did the Browns. The Steelers pressured them right into a 4th-and-3 scenario, however Jameis Winston managed to seek out Jerry Jeudy. It was a daring name, arguably within area objective vary regardless of the horrid, snowy circumstances.
Later within the sequence, the Steelers opted to forego one other fourth-down play in favor of accepting a five-yard penalty. HC Mike Tomlin reasoned that, at their 25-yard line, up by one, he was taking part in the sphere place recreation greater than anything. The tougher you possibly can make a possible area objective try, the higher.
However as soon as once more, the Browns struck on the Jameis-to-Jeudy connection, puncturing the Steelers’ balloon. A delay of recreation penalty on Beanie Bishop Jr. arrange 1st and objective, and the Browns took the lead two performs later. The Steelers had a shot to get it again, ending on the Browns’ 35-yard line, however they had been defeated.
“When it got here right down to the tip of the sport, they simply made extra performs than us,” Herbig mentioned of the Steelers’ collective effort. “They executed on a greater stage than us. They had been capable of put the ball in [for] touchdowns. We’ve simply received to try the movie and see what we are able to do to get higher.”
Herbig, beginning rather than the injured Alex Highsmith, did his half. He pressured a crucial fumble within the fourth quarter on a strip sack that received the Steelers again into the sport. It was his fourth sack of the season (3.5 if you wish to get technical), and third pressured fumble. Solely T.J. Watt on the Steelers has extra pressured fumbles, and Herbig trails solely Watt and Cameron Heyward for sacks.
However the reality stays that the protection was unable to protect two fourth-quarter comebacks by the offense now this season. The Steelers delight themselves in the beginning on their stout protection, and it is a crucial take a look at of simply that. Whereas they confronted unfavorable circumstances — a nasty punt gave the Browns the ball on the Steelers’ 45-yard line on the game-winning drive — their job is to make stops whatever the context. And their job doesn’t cease till the clock does and the final play is run.
