Najee Harris Fumble Was Turning Point in Steelers’ Loss to Eagles: ‘I Took My Eyes Off of It’
PHILADELPHIA — Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris’ fumble in the third quarter was the turning point in his team’s 27-13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I took my eyes off of it. I was looking at the hole rather than secure in the football and fumbled it,” Harris said after the game.
The Eagles capitalized off the turnover and went on a 13-play, 74-yard drive that took 6:33 off the clock and ended the Steelers’ chances when Jalen Hurts used the Eagles’ signature tush push quarterback sneak to go up two touchdowns.
The Steelers rushed for only 56 yards on 17 carries (3.3 average) against Philadelphia. Harris mustered just 14 yards on six carries (2.3 average). To say the least, it was a dreadful night for the Alabama product.
Prior to Steelers’ 11-play, 70-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter, the Steelers were 0 for 5 on third down. The Steelers went 3 of 3 on the drive on third down, which included Pat Freiermuth’s 9-yard touchdown reception from Russell Wilson.
“We were able to get a first down, I think we had like five (straight) three-and-outs. Can’t win many games doing that. Freiermuth said when asked about what changed on the second-quarter touchdown drive.
Freiermuth thought it was all about a lack of execution.
“We just didn’t execute,” he said when asked about the Steelers struggles in the run game department. “We just shot ourselves in the foot too many times tonight. They really didn’t do anything special against us. We just didn’t execute for some reason, early on especially. We’ll get it fix and go into Baltimore.”
Harris had fumbled just five times in his career entering Sunday and had only lost three of them. The last one he lost was in 2203.
