It was a second straight game against a two-win last place team, and a second straight loss for the reeling Steelers, who fell behind New England 21-3 in the first half and could not recover, losing 21-18 on Thursday Night Football.
Both teams started backup quarterbacks, but while the Steelers’ Mitch Trubisky finished with a passer rating of 74.7, the Patriots’ Bailey Zappe’s rating was 115.2.
Subbing for Kenny Pickett, Trubisky was 21-of-35 for 190 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Zappe was 19-of-28 for 240 yards and three touchdowns with an interception, but while the Patriots scored off the Steelers’ turnover, the Steelers were stopped on fourth-and-two from the New England 8, wasting Mykal Walker’s pick that was returned to the 16.
Diontae Johnson caught a touchdown pass for the Steelers and Trubisky scored on a one-yard plunge, following that up with a two-point conversion toss to Johnson. Chris Boswell added a 56-yard Steelers’ field goal.
Coach Mike Tomlin says the game was easy to analyze.
A determined Tomlin says the Steelers will turn their two-game losing streak around.
Trubisky says the Pats played a rugged, deceptive defensive game.
Trubisky doesn’t blame the fans for booing the woeful offense last night.
Defensive lineman Cam Heyward was angry at the Steelers’ defensive effort.
Linebacker Mykal Walker says the Steelers need to rally around each other.
The injury report was not hopeful last night. Outside rusher Alex Highsmith left the game in the first half with a neck injury. Fellow linebacker TJ Watt also appeared to suffer a neck injury on the first defensive snap of the game, but he was back on the field shortly afterward and played the rest of the game.
The 7-6 Steelers will play at Indianapolis next Sunday. The Colts are 7-5 and play the Bengals this Sunday. No matter what the outcome of that game, it won’t be good for the Steelers. Either the Colts will pass them in the AFC Wild Card race or the Bengals will tie them in the AFC Central race.
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