The Pittsburgh Steelers had a crushing 29-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at yesterday's Christmas game, making it the team's third defeat as the playoffs loom. Star defensive tackle Cam Heyward was blunt: "I own that."
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Heyward was self-critical in the post-game interviews, while also describing a losing streak as the problem of any player who didn't "own" it for themselves.
"The last three weeks, we've played like s***," Heyward said. "Simple as that. I own that; every player's got [to] own that in here. Man, just can't squander opportunities, whether it's turnovers, whether it's getting off the field, whether it's scoring touchdowns. It's a multitude of things, and it has reared its big head.
The DT got even more into the nature of a team's loss, saying, "When 10 guys do their job and one guy doesn't, we are screwed."
Cam Heyward: “When 10 guys do their job and one guy doesn’t, we are screwed."
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) December 25, 2024Heyward was not the only Steeler fuming after the loss, which will massively affect the team's playoff chances (more on that in a moment).
"First off, guys can't be f------ wide open," Safety DeShon Elliott. "That's the first thing. Just do your job, you know? I thought we communicated. Guys just weren't doing their freaking job. So, get back to the drawing board. It's Week 18. Shouldn't be having these problems in Week 18. This is a Week 1, Week 2 problem. I don't know where we went down the line, started becoming a whole different defense than what we were, but we've got to get back to who we are."
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The Steelers' loss, coupled with the Ravens' victory over the Texans, has caused a shift in the AFC standings. Baltimore has now overtaken Pittsburgh, securing the No. 3 seed, while the Steelers have fallen to No. 5. Houston remains at No. 4 after clinching the AFC South, despite its recent struggles.
However, Pittsburgh still has a chance to win the AFC North if they can secure a victory next week, coupled with a Ravens loss.
Despite that chance of victory, the Steelers are in the midst of a troubling stretch. Their three consecutive losses — all to playoff-bound teams — mark a significant slump for the franchise.
This is the first time since 1988 that Pittsburgh has dropped three straight games by 14 or more points.
In those defeats, the Steelers' defense has been a major issue. They allowed 29 points to the Kansas City Chiefs, 34 points to the Baltimore Ravens, and 27 points to the Philadelphia Eagles in the past three weeks.
With both offensive and defensive struggles, the Steelers find themselves in a difficult position as they strive to close out the season.
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