PITTSBURGH STEELERS

3 PLAYERS THAT STOOD OUT IN HEARTBREAKING LOSS TO SAINTS

Steeler Nation hasn’t felt this kind of a letdown in a while. After a valiant effort, the Steelers fall just short of upsetting the Saints in New Orleans.

This one is going to hurt for a while. Of course, it could all be forgotten if Baker Mayfield and the Browns play spoiler against the Ravens next week, helping the Steelers make the playoffs anyway. But without that, and a victory against the Bengals at Heinz Field, the Steelers will not be qualifying for a chance to make a run at that elusive seventh Lombardi Trophy.

The Steelers had a very legitimate chance of winning this game. After a Saints opening drive touchdown to kick off the second half, taking a 24-14 lead, the Steelers answered with two touchdown drives of their own and forced the Saints to punt on their next two possessions. With a 28-24 lead, the Steelers were driving again. Any points would have been great, but a touchdown might have put the game on ice.

Then that horrendous 3rd-and-2 play. With the ball at the New Orleans 32-yard line, just on the fringe of Chris Boswell range, the Steelers decided to go away from their hot-handed quarterback and double-headed monster at wide receiver in favor of a power run call with Steven Ridley. Ridley fumbled the ball and the Saints recovered.

Now, the Saints had their field goal attempt blocked on the following possession, but this is where the game seemed to take a turn for the worst from Pittsburgh’s perspective. The offense couldn’t do anything after the blocked field goal, and special teams failed to convert a fake punt with Roosevelt Nix up the middle. The Saints were able to drive and take the lead with a touchdown.

Then marched out Big Ben and that offense that had ripped apart the New Orleans defense all game long. The Steelers got close to Boswell’s range again, only for JuJu Smith-Schuster to fumble away the ball, clinching the loss.

It was a heartbreaking loss for the Steelers and it could mean the end of the Steelers’ playoff chances. The Ravens still have to beat the Browns, but with this game so close to being a win, it’s a hard pill to swallow.

HERE ARE THREE REASONS THIS GAME WAS SO CLOSE TO BEING A STEELERS’ VICTORY.

BEN ROETHLISBERGER

If the Steelers would have been able to pull this one out, this would have been a victory high up on Big Ben’s list. He was simply sensational.

After a week in which Saints’ defensive end Cam Jordan made comments of how Big Ben isn’t a surefire Hall-of-Famer or not even a top-five quarterback of this generation, Ben sure showed him a thing or two to prove that a bit wrong.

Ben threw for 380 yards and three touchdowns, completing 33-of-50 passes. This game goes beyond numbers. His ability to improvise and read-and-react to defense pre-snap was on full display. He made some of his best throws of the season, constantly throwing between two defenders and throwing on the run.

This was a hall-of-fame type of performance if there ever was one. The biggest knock on Ben is his tendency to turn the ball over. He didn’t do that Sunday. He was efficient while also throwing some risky balls. And in the biggest games, the truly great quarterbacks make those throws.

It’s really a shame this didn’t turn into a win. Ben’s performance deserved a win.

ANTONIO BROWN

Antonio Brown was kept pretty quiet in the first half of this game. However, the second half was a different story.

Brown exploded in the second half, finding the separation he had been trying to find it seems like all season. And as the half rolled along, the more and more Big Ben and Antonio Brown were able to connect.

Brown ended up with 14 catches for 185 yards and two touchdowns, which was by far his best game of the season. He nearly also made the catch of the year going to the back corner of the end zone where Ben placed the pass perfectly over tight coverage and Brown reached out and caught it with one hand, but couldn’t land a second foot in bounds.

When Brown is feeling it the way he was in this game, it goes to show that he can help take over a game. And for a good stretch of this game, it was all about A.B.

JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER

The Steelers’ double-headed monster at receiver was on full display in New Orleans. Antonio Brown went off and JuJu was just a solid.

After injuring his groin during the week at practice, JuJu went into the game less than 100%. It showed. After just about every play, JuJu was pretty slow to get up. Despite not being 100%, JuJu was still a dangerous weapon for Big Ben to throw to.

JuJu finished with 11 catches for 115 yards. His ability to go downfield was taken away, but he was still more than reliable in the short passing game.

The worst possible thing that could happen to JuJu happened. He was very much a part of the drive that could have tied or won the game for the Steelers, but JuJu was unable to secure the football going to the ground while be tackled by two defenders. It was obviously the most costly fumble because it ended the Steelers’ chance to do anything.

Despite the fumble, the Steelers wouldn’t have been able to do what they did offensively without JuJu. James Washington nor Ryan Switzer would have been able to do what JuJu did throughout the game. JuJu, along with Antonio Brown, torched the Saints’ defense. And JuJu has been the Steelers’ most consistent receiver this season. I don’t think anyone expected him to fumble there.