For about 15 minutes, the Steelers actually outplayed the Patriots and got back into what was a two-score lead for New England.
Then, as has happened plenty of times already in 2013, the Steelers were unable to make a play, or two, to make a difference, and the result was a 55-31 loss to the Patriots.
The loss puts the Steelers at 2-6 on the season, a rather stunning mark halfway into a season that many felt they would at least be at or near .500.
They gave up over 600 yards on defense and the 55 points are the most allowed in team history.
They are looking at by far their worst season under Mike Tomlin, and it’s hard to think that if the team doesn’t make vast improvements over the last eight weeks of the season that more sweeping changes won’t be coming.
The defense played well for about a quarter, getting one big turnover and one big three-and-out of Tom Brady, but otherwise they were owned most of the day.
New England put up a season high in yards, and Brady was dominant as he always seems to be against the Steelers, throwing for 432 yards on 23-for-33 passing.
He was bad last week against the Dolphins in a win, but was razor sharp against his old foe. He put up a 151.8 QB rating, and was great when he had to be most.
The Steelers were down 24-10 at half as Rob Gronkowski dominated the first half with a bunch of catches and a score.
The third quarter belonged to the Steelers, as a turnover caused by Troy Polamalu resulted in a touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger hit Jerricho Cotchery for a 20-yard score to make it 24-17.
Then a three-and-out allowed the Steelers to get another drive going, and it was a repeat as Ben hit Cotchery with an 8-yard score to make it 24 all.
The game though went right back to the Pats, as they were able to march down the field and get a Stephen Gostkowski 32-yard field goal with 3:32 left in the third to make it 27-24.
The Steelers offense never got going after that, and the Steelers defense melted with Brady hitting passes and putting up two more scores, the first a pass to Aaron Dobson from 17 yards out to make it 34-24.
Then another drive got the Pats a final seven as Stevan Ridley scored from five yards out to make it 41-24.
Roethlisberger was 28-for-48 for 400 yards with four TD’s and two picks.
The game got out of hand late, as a Dobson 81-yard score and a short TD run by LeGarrette Blount put the Pats at the record 55 points.
13 Comments
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Jeff-SterlingMASS
November 3, 2013 at 9:09 pm
This is BEYOND ridiculous!! The Rooney’s must take control right now! Why wait till the end of the season to start making changes. The season is over so please start the re-vamping of things NOW!!
Andy
November 3, 2013 at 9:19 pm
Agree totally with you! Enough is enough …
Mike
November 3, 2013 at 9:21 pm
Clean house get rid of as many players as possible in already tired of turning the games on knowing they will find a way to shit the bed.. Maybe cowher can come back and build a team since tomlin and Colbert don’t know how
Chris
November 3, 2013 at 9:24 pm
Looks like the defense quit….. Major problems
David Greer
November 3, 2013 at 10:06 pm
Been saying this for 3 years now. since they lost to Green Bay in the Super Bowl.Tomlin’s Cavalier style of coaching was going to catch up to him and it has. Dick LeBeau Needs to retire period. anyone that takes Willam Gay back on his defense is going Senile. The head brass has their heads stuck up their asses and this was event when the madw Hines Retire and started what they thought was rebuilding. We have ot of shape and undisiplined players on both sides of the ball and we pay them way too much and are in salary cap hell again.I have been a fan since I was 6 years old born and raised in Pittsburgh and I’m 62 now.So I have seen the bad and the Good but this is one of the worst situation in the last 40 years that I can think of and I like the majority of Steeler Nation am Fed up.If I stilllived in Pittsburgh I would start a campaign with Rallies at the Stadium to get the fans tp protest and Wake the Rooneys up.If we hit them in the Wallet they will get the message.Bleeding Black and Gold till I die.
Lazaro
November 3, 2013 at 9:39 pm
Never in my life as a steelers fan, though that will live this kind of shame on a team that is totallly bad prepare. Today, Philadelphia’s new QB scored 7 TD to the raiders, the same team that beat us last week. I do agree with some posts, measures should be taken inmediately, there have been two bad seasons already and including preseason games, ante last ones of the last ones we are 2-14 which is the worst record in franchise history.
This is a real nightmare, regards from a costarican steeler fan
Dan
November 3, 2013 at 9:54 pm
Positives:
1) Bell – Still far too early to form a definitive opinion, but I think this kid is going to work out. Needs to be a bit more decisive when hitting the hole, but definitely can get some yards after contact and has pretty soft hands. Would love to see what he could do with an O-line that is actually consistent.
2) Ben – Beyond his turnovers, he looked really crisp. But, the turnovers played a huge role in this lose, as did an overthrow to a wide open Miller on a crucial 3rd down. Overall though, cant blame this lose on him.
3rd) Offensive play calling: For probably only the 2nd time this season (so whether this is much of a positive is arguable), the play calling on offense actually looked fairly good. This makes me wonder though: why the inconsistencies in play calling on O? I am not a huge Haley fan, and truly would love to understand his thought process. Just baffling…but, nonetheless, he didnt do too bad today
Beyond that, not much else positive about this game, which leads me to the:
Negatives:
1) Defense – Good lord where to start!? Just plain pitiful, all you can really say. As much as I love him, I truly feel LeBeau needs to step down and a new outlook needs to be added to this defense. Butler is a tremendous coach, and has waited in the wings long enough. The zone 3-4, hell, zone defense period, is so easily exploitable in todays NFL. I swear, if I see a defender 10 yards off his man on a 3rd and short one more time I will lose it!
2) O-line: Though they did do a bit better later in the game (and are dealing with injuries, as always), this O-line is a joke. These guys are all monsters and definitely habe talent,yet they get pushed around by almost ebery single D-line in the NFL. Baffling, truly is…
Really, everything else about this game was a negative. What this team may need is a top 5 pick, somethingwe havent had in a loooooong time. However, with the recent whiffs in the draft, who knows if that will do us any good? Nonetheless, I will support the Steelers no matter how bad they are or continue to be. It is time to rebuild, and this coming draft and offseason will be an integral piece to that process. No matter hoe bad they may be, the following is always true: Here we go Steelers here we go!
Patrick
November 3, 2013 at 9:57 pm
Gotta do something. You might say “thats not how the steelers do things.” But has any of this been the way they do things? Unique circumstances call for unique measures. There’s no way you can just let this go. I love Troy to death and always will for everything he has done. But he looks like he doesnt know whats going on out there and he’s more than a step slow…. Ryan has put his life into building this team but it’s time he moves on, our defensive line and linebackers are fine they put tons of pressure on one of the better O lines in the league. Our offensive line coach needs to go and we gotta find some guys that can protect Ben, Velasco was a FA with no one after him and is the best healthy guy we have right now. We need a tall reciever that can run, since when do you get by with guys that are 5′ 10″ in the NFL? Antonio is awesome but he wont win any jump balls or get body position over anybody. It’s not a terminal illness but it is one that requires treatment.
Will M.
November 3, 2013 at 10:31 pm
Sick of hearing excuses. This team is a joke and I don’t think ANYONE’S job should be safe. Love the Steelers but can’t watch this junk much longer.
Ron
November 4, 2013 at 12:38 am
The problem is the salary cap issue has not been addressed. And Tomlin will won’t be fired. Why didn’t they make some trades at the dead line? They have a few players they coukd of traded and stock piled picks for next year.
This coach stinks! Period!!! Lebeau needs to retire. Boow fhe team up and start over again
Dave B.
November 4, 2013 at 7:10 am
The Steelers are in a freefall that is going to take years to fix . Not one off season , but literally two or three years . The bottom line with his team is , they lack players and they lack talent . With the exception of Roethlisberger , Pouncey , Decastro , Bell and Antonio Brown the offense needs rebuilt . On defense , I dont know that theres one single player thats worth keeping with the exception of maybe , Cameron Heyword and rookie Jarvis Jones and possibly Woodley . These are problems that will not be fixed over night , its going to take years . This team has to start being active in free agency and stop whiffing on high draft picks . In regards to coaching , both Lebeau and Haley are gone , period . Haleys offense will not work in todays NFL and Lebeau has been figured out by opposing offenses . Finally , Tomlin has to get this ship righted and the Rooneys wont put up with this after 2014 . Bottom line , hes got one year to show marked improvement or hes as good as gone . Be patient Steeler fans , this ones going to take some time .
j. carrington
November 4, 2013 at 8:38 am
First let me start by saying this coaching staff was forced on tomlin. But he should get blame for the draft. 3-4 defense is a thing of the past. You have linebackers on slot recievers who cant even cover tight ends. You have to play man up and need SPEED. Troy looks like he has NO football I.Q. Clark is too slow to cover anybody. Our 4th best d-lineman is Better then our 4th best linebacker. Duhh. Go 4-3. Man up safties over top. Our corners tackle well just slow as all hell. Both coordinators GOTTA go. Let Tomlin pick his OWN staff n give hime 2yrs. Dont get fixed then hes next.
Mario
November 4, 2013 at 9:12 am
The Steelers have finally hit the bottom. Now team are setting NFL and team records against us. Until we get a new head coach this team cannot be fixed. It will take a long time after Tomlin is gone to fix the mess he has created!