Pittsburgh Review

The Pittsburgh Steelers faced a challenging Christmas Day game, resulting in a 29-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. This defeat marks the third consecutive loss for the Steelers, who were once leading the AFC North with a promising record of 10-3. Now at 10-6, their recent performances have not met expectations.

Coach Mike Tomlin expressed his disappointment after the game, stating, "You know, that sucked, to be blunt. Not the type of ball we want to play." The issues plaguing the team include turnovers and an inability to capitalize on defensive opportunities. These problems have persisted through recent games against Philadelphia and Baltimore.

The Steelers' defensive prowess has waned during this losing streak. Previously ranked high in takeaways and turnover ratios, they now struggle to maintain these statistics consistently. Their sack total dropped from three to none over three games, and their turnover ratio fell from plus-one to minus-two.

Missed opportunities further complicated their situation. Against both Baltimore and Kansas City, potential turnovers slipped away from them at crucial moments. For instance, Alex Highsmith's strip-sack against Lamar Jackson resulted in no gain as the ball was recovered by the opposing team.

A key moment in the game against Kansas City came early when Russell Wilson lost control of the ball under pressure, leading to favorable field position for Patrick Mahomes and ultimately a touchdown for Kansas City. Despite efforts by players like George Pickens and Jaylen Warren later in the game, penalties nullified any momentum they gained.

Tomlin acknowledged that changes are necessary: "We've got to own that...We're not going to continue to do the same things and hope for a different result."

With extra days before their next game, Tomlin emphasized evaluating what needs adjustment within the team's strategy moving forward.