Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave sacks Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) during the first half of an NFL football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave sacks Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) during the first half of an NFL football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Things are bad in Steelers country, as the Black and Gold enter their off week at a dismal 2-6 after Sunday’s 35-13 pounding by their cross-state rival, the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Steelers have two weeks of practice to get things right and make one last desperate run at salvaging the 2022 season. But first, they’ll need to figure out what went on Sunday at Lincoln Financial
The only thing slowing down A.J. Brown on Sunday was the Philadelphia traffic. The Eagles receiver caught six passes for 156 yards, including three way-too-easy touchdowns as the Eagles raced out to an early two-score lead and never looked back.
Chase Claypool threw his first career touchdown pass and Derek Watt made his first career touchdown reception as the Steelers dialed up some trickeration to get a first-quarter touchdown.
Kenny Pickett said the players, not the coaches, need to take the responsibility for the six offensive penalties that plagued the Steelers offense on Sunday afternoon. Pickett attributed some of those penalties to players not knowing what they were supposed to be doing and said he thinks the offense needs to study the playbook more.
Cam Heyward said “there is dysfunction” on the Steelers star-studded defense and said that jobs should be on the line if results don’t improve. “Either you learn and are accountable or you’re not going to play.”
The Steelers suffered one additional injury on Sunday, as cornerback James Pierre went down with a foot injury late in the game. Pierre had replaced Ahkello Witherspoon in the starting lineup after Witherspoon was beaten for Brown’s final two touchdowns.
The Steelers secondary had been on a good run, mostly shutting down Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill over the last two weeks before Brown torched them. “There were some lapses,” safety Minkah Fitzpatrick said in perhaps the understatement of the year.
Hunter Homistek: The Steelers should send the Eagles a gift basket for letting them make necessary changes, including firing Matt Canada.
The Steelers made inactive guard Kendrick Green, inside linebacker Mark Robinson and quarterback Mason Rudolph, in addition to their four injured players.
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Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’veon Bell went the distance but lost by unanimous decision in his professional boxing debut to former UFC fighter Uriah Hall.
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STEELERS SCHEDULE
The Steelers will report to UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side for treatment and film study. — Alan Saunders, Nick Farabaugh
