By Ray Porter Jr. for Urban Media Today
PHILADELPHIA, PA–When the Pittsburgh Steelers traveled to Philadelphia to face the Eagles, they knew they had to play as close to a perfect game as possible against a Super Bowl Contender who had won nine straight and was one of the best teams in the National Football Conference (NFC). They knew field goals wouldn’t be enough to beat them, and they also knew that they had to avoid turnovers.
Unfortunately, they were unable to avoid what they were aware of as they fell to the Eagles 27-13 at Lincoln Financial Field. It was also their 11th consecutive loss since the last time they beat them in Philadelphia in 1965.
“First, I’d like to compliment the Eagles on a hard-fought victory,” remarked Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “But as I just told the team in there tonight, we didn’t coach as well as we’d like. We didn’t play as well as we’d like. It’s just such a fine line at this level. It is.”
Eagles QB Jalen Hurts stole the show as he led the Eagles to 3 TDs (2 passing, on rush), and finished passing 25/32 for 290 yards. WR A.J. Brown caught 8 passes for 110 yards and a TD and fellow WR caught DeVonta Smith caught 11 passes for 109 yards and a TD. Star RB Saquan Barkley had 65 yards on 19 carries and missed most of the 2nd quarter due to injury.
“Again, we started slow, but you have to give some credit to those guys,” said Tomlin. “I wasn’t necessarily overly concerned about the start. The starts are not going to define us. But again, I think we largely look at the big picture as those fundamental things outlined.”
Meanwhile, the Steelers (10-4) did what they could against the 12-2 Eagles, although another first quarter of offensive struggles kept them from the endzone. The defense and special teams even recovered fumbles in the 2nd half, but the offense could only generate 3 points from K Chris Boswell as his first FG tied the game at 3. But after Hurts 2 TD passes gave the Eagles a 14-3 lead, it seemed like they were about to run away with it until Steelers QB Russell Wilson 14/22 128 yards, TD) got the Steelers into the endzone as he found TE Pat Freiermuth for a 9-yard TD, and then a 49-yard FG by Boswell closed the Eagles lead to 17-13.
“If you just look at that game, we had a penalty going in that forced us to settle for a field goal. We turned the ball over on the short field and got no points,” Tomlin said. “There were several possession downs on defense where we had opportunities to tackle ball carriers in the flat, and we missed those tackles. And that produced extended drives, and thus points.”
But that’s as close as it would get for the Steelers as RB Najee Harris’s costly fumble in the Red Zone ended a promising drive, giving the ball back to the Eagles, who essentially sealed the victory on Hurts 1-yard TD.
What also hurt the Steelers was their inability to run the football as they finished with a total of 56 yards. (compared to the Eagles 131 yards). Despite giving up 31 points, the defense was able to sack Hurts 3 times (2 by LB TJ Watt, 1 by LB Alex Highsmith) but it wasn’t enough to end his threat.
“You know, [the Eagles] did a nice job. They get in those six-man fronts and make you block individually. And one man wins a block, and it creates issues for you. I thought they did a nice job,” said Tomlin.
Despite the loss, the Steelers were able to clinch a playoff spot after losses to Miami and Indianapolis for their fourth playoff appearance in the last five seasons. They now must shake off their loss and prepare for an AFC North rematch against Baltimore (9-5) Saturday at MT & T Bank Stadium. A win would give them the AFC North Division, something they haven’t won since 2020.
“That’s life in our business. It’s not anything mystical. It’s very fundamental. We have to play disciplined. We have to secure the ball. We have to tackle. And we didn’t do some of those fundamental things well enough tonight to secure victory. Although it sucks, we learn, and we proceed and move forward,” Tomlin commented.
Notes-With his first-half FG, Boswell broke his own franchise record (37) for most field goals made in a season. QB Justin Fields (abdominal), Watt (low ankle) & CB Donte Jackson (back) left the game with injuries.
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