The Pittsburgh Steelers suffered their third consecutive loss on Wednesday, falling 29-10 to the Kansas City Chiefs. Frustrations reached a boiling point, particularly on the defensive side, where safety DeShon Elliott expressed his frustration about the team’s performance.
“First off, guys can’t be [freaking] wide open,” Elliott stated, according to Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “That’s the first thing. Just do your job. I felt like we communicated, but guys just weren’t doing their freaking job. It’s Week 18. We shouldn’t be having these problems in Week 18.
This is a Week 1 or Week 2 problem. I don’t know when we went down the line and became a whole different defense than what we had been, but we have to get back to who we are.”
Elliott was not the only one to criticize the Steelers’ performance in the loss. Alongside Elliott, Cam Heyward and head coach Mike Tomlin also voiced their dissatisfaction.
The defense has struggled during this tough stretch, allowing 27 points to the Philadelphia Eagles, 34 points to the Baltimore Ravens, and 29 points to the Chiefs on Christmas Day. Despite the setbacks, Pittsburgh has already clinched a playoff spot, so their position is secure regardless of the outcome in Week 18. However, it is clear that there are several issues that need addressing in the coming days.
Steelers lose grip on AFC North
A few weeks ago, the Steelers seemed to have a strong hold on the AFC North, with the division title looking all but certain. However, after three consecutive losses and the Ravens’ victory over the Houston Texans on Christmas Day, Baltimore now leads Pittsburgh by one game.
Now, the Steelers must defeat the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 18, a team that may be fighting for a playoff spot, and hope for a Ravens loss against the Cleveland Browns to have a chance at the division title. More likely, Pittsburgh will head into the Wild Card round on the road.
Following the loss to the Chiefs, the Steelers also need a win in Week 18 to improve their playoff seeding, even if the AFC North title is no longer within reach. Pittsburgh is vying for position with the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos in the Wild Card race. If the Steelers can secure the No. 5 seed, they would face a struggling Texans team in the first round of the playoffs.
