DK Metcalf drops a pass in the Steelers' 30-6 loss to the Texans on Monday night at Acrisure Stadium.
In a game that ends up with a final score of 30-6, not much goes right for the team on the losing end, as the Steelers were in Monday night's wild-card playoff against the Texans at Acrisure Stadium. However, there are plays that, even in the moment, can shift the tide, one way or the other.
Going into a game against the top-ranked defense in the NFL, getting off to a good start was paramount, especially since the Steelers had been outscored, 63-0, in the first quarter of their six previous playoff games. After each team punted on its first possession, the Steelers put together a promising drive that wound up with a Chris Boswell 32-yard field goal, giving the Steelers an early 3-0 lead.
The defense then created an opportunity to build on that, something this team hasn't done in the playoffs in over a decade. The Texans were looking to answer and had just crossed into Pittsburgh territory and opted to run a bit of trickery with a flea flicker. However, Jack Sawyer blew it up, stripping C.J. Stroud of the ball and Yahya Black catching it before it hit the ground. The defense provided splash and gave the offense the ball near midfield.
The Steelers tried a Jaylen Warren run on first down, but Houston's defense stiffened and allowed no gain. But on second down, DK Metcalf sprung free on a corner route toward the right sideline. Aaron Rodgers found him, fired a perfect pass and ...
While a nice, loud 'clang' would make a great soundbite for this play, this moment was best accompanied by the sound the 67,297 people on hand made — the groan felt by a crowd that was as lively as expected perfectly expressed how much this drop hurt. The Steelers would have had a new set of downs already in field-goal range. And maybe, since that would have been Metcalf's third catch of the night already, would have had that No. 1 defense on their heels enough to strike for a touchdown.
Now, we'll never know. The Steelers didn't convert on third-and-10, failing to get any points off the Steelers' first of three takeaways. Meanwhile, the Texans then answered with a 14-play, 92-yard drive that ate 7:01 off the clock and ended with a six-yard touchdown catch by Christian Kirk. So, instead of having a 6-0 or 10-0 lead, the Steelers found themselves behind, 7-3, looking for ways to generate offense in a game where every big play has to be completed.
"We just didn't make the most of any of the little opportunities," Rodgers said after the game. "Against a good defense like this, you're not going to get many opportunities, and when you get them, you've got to make the most of them."
To make matters worse, the Texans clamped down on Metcalf from that point on. They rolled coverage over to him while the Steelers were unable to get any other player involved in the passing game, either because they kept forcing passes to Jonnu Smith, who somehow wound up with two catches for minus-1 yard, or refused to get Pat Freiermuth involved until 11 minutes remained in regulation. Either way, in a game in which Metcalf was salivating to make an impact after missing the previous two due to a suspension, the biggest impact he made was, unfortunately, a fatal one.
The Houston defense is a tough one to crack, but it's not impossible. The Steelers had their chances early to really set a tone, putting them back on their heels a bit. But, that never happened. And, it's one of the reasons why the Texans are traveling next weekend to Foxborough, Mass., and the Steelers players are cleaning out their lockers Wednesday.
"I don't feel like we ever got the momentum on our side, honestly," Rodgers said. "We had a lot of chances. Defense played really good in the first half. They've got a good defense. But we had a lot of opportunities. A lot of opportunities. Didn't make the most out of hardly any of them."
THE ASYLUM
The Big Play: Metcalf's drop shifts momentum
JUSTIN K. ALLER / GETTY
DK Metcalf drops a pass in the Steelers' 30-6 loss to the Texans on Monday night at Acrisure Stadium.
In a game that ends up with a final score of 30-6, not much goes right for the team on the losing end, as the Steelers were in Monday night's wild-card playoff against the Texans at Acrisure Stadium. However, there are plays that, even in the moment, can shift the tide, one way or the other.
Going into a game against the top-ranked defense in the NFL, getting off to a good start was paramount, especially since the Steelers had been outscored, 63-0, in the first quarter of their six previous playoff games. After each team punted on its first possession, the Steelers put together a promising drive that wound up with a Chris Boswell 32-yard field goal, giving the Steelers an early 3-0 lead.
The defense then created an opportunity to build on that, something this team hasn't done in the playoffs in over a decade. The Texans were looking to answer and had just crossed into Pittsburgh territory and opted to run a bit of trickery with a flea flicker. However, Jack Sawyer blew it up, stripping C.J. Stroud of the ball and Yahya Black catching it before it hit the ground. The defense provided splash and gave the offense the ball near midfield.
The Steelers tried a Jaylen Warren run on first down, but Houston's defense stiffened and allowed no gain. But on second down, DK Metcalf sprung free on a corner route toward the right sideline. Aaron Rodgers found him, fired a perfect pass and ...
While a nice, loud 'clang' would make a great soundbite for this play, this moment was best accompanied by the sound the 67,297 people on hand made — the groan felt by a crowd that was as lively as expected perfectly expressed how much this drop hurt. The Steelers would have had a new set of downs already in field-goal range. And maybe, since that would have been Metcalf's third catch of the night already, would have had that No. 1 defense on their heels enough to strike for a touchdown.
Now, we'll never know. The Steelers didn't convert on third-and-10, failing to get any points off the Steelers' first of three takeaways. Meanwhile, the Texans then answered with a 14-play, 92-yard drive that ate 7:01 off the clock and ended with a six-yard touchdown catch by Christian Kirk. So, instead of having a 6-0 or 10-0 lead, the Steelers found themselves behind, 7-3, looking for ways to generate offense in a game where every big play has to be completed.
"We just didn't make the most of any of the little opportunities," Rodgers said after the game. "Against a good defense like this, you're not going to get many opportunities, and when you get them, you've got to make the most of them."
To make matters worse, the Texans clamped down on Metcalf from that point on. They rolled coverage over to him while the Steelers were unable to get any other player involved in the passing game, either because they kept forcing passes to Jonnu Smith, who somehow wound up with two catches for minus-1 yard, or refused to get Pat Freiermuth involved until 11 minutes remained in regulation. Either way, in a game in which Metcalf was salivating to make an impact after missing the previous two due to a suspension, the biggest impact he made was, unfortunately, a fatal one.
The Houston defense is a tough one to crack, but it's not impossible. The Steelers had their chances early to really set a tone, putting them back on their heels a bit. But, that never happened. And, it's one of the reasons why the Texans are traveling next weekend to Foxborough, Mass., and the Steelers players are cleaning out their lockers Wednesday.
"I don't feel like we ever got the momentum on our side, honestly," Rodgers said. "We had a lot of chances. Defense played really good in the first half. They've got a good defense. But we had a lot of opportunities. A lot of opportunities. Didn't make the most out of hardly any of them."
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