Every football game hinges on a handful of critical plays that can dramatically alter its outcome. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, their loss to the Philadelphia Eagles was affected by such moments, leaving fans wondering what might have been.

Before I continue, let me make one thing clear: the Steelers deserved to lose this game. The Eagles DOMINATED. This is not an article arguing they “should have won.” Instead, let’s take a closer look at the pivotal plays that shaped the game and their impact.

Late in the first quarter, the Steelers were on the verge of establishing themselves. A special teams turnover set them up at the Eagles’ 4-yard line, poised to take the lead. Momentum was on their side—until chaos erupted in the back of the end zone.

An altercation resulted in personal foul penalties on Steelers players Darnell Washington and Calvin Austin III. While the flags against Pittsburgh seemed justified, the absence of a matching penalty on Philadelphia left Steelers fans, players, and coaches baffled. Head Coach Mike Tomlin, visibly frustrated, appeared to tell a referee, “Get the f*ck away from me,”* after receiving an unsatisfactory explanation.

Video evidence appeared to show multiple punches thrown by Eagles players. Referee Alan Eck, however, claimed, “No punches were observed on the field,” and further review from New York determined there was “no video evidence” to warrant penalties against Philadelphia.

This explanation puzzled many. With the game nationally televised as “America’s Game of the Week” and countless camera angles available, how could such a blatant infraction go unnoticed?

Had offsetting penalties been called, the Steelers would have retained a 2nd-and-3 at the 4-yard line—a prime scoring opportunity. Instead, the personal foul pushed Pittsburgh back to a 2nd-and-18 at the 19-yard line. They settled for a field goal, turning a potential 7-3 lead into a 3-3 tie.

The most significant moment of the game occurred in the third quarter during a promising Steelers drive. The possession began with a bang—a 31-yard flea-flicker completion to Calvin Austin III. A few plays later, Pittsburgh advanced to the Eagles’ 26-yard line, poised to cut into Philadelphia’s lead.

Disaster struck on 1st-and-10. The Steelers called a toss play to Najee Harris, one of the league’s most reliable running backs. Harris, however, he took his eyes off the ball and misjudged the toss, fumbling the ball directly into the Eagles’ hands. For a player known for his ball security, this unforced error was shocking.

To make matters worse, the play call itself drew criticism. Arthur Smith’s toss plays remind me too much of Matt Canada’s polarizing jet sweeps. These plays may work, but I hate to see them.

Had Harris secured the ball, Pittsburgh was in position to score, added to the missed personal foul call, potentially narrowing the gap or even taking the lead. Instead, the Eagles capitalized on the turnover, driving down the field for a touchdown to extend their lead to 27-13.

Late in the game, another crucial moment came during a Steelers punt. Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter blatantly struck Connor Heyward in the head, drawing a personal foul penalty. While officials correctly flagged Carter and ruled the foul occurred before the punt giving the Steelers a first down, replay assist overturned the refs on the field. Its insane to me that replay assist overturned a correct call showing the foul clearly occurred before the punt. This penalty should have resulted in an automatic first down for Pittsburgh, instead, the Eagles took over at their 3-yard line, and the Steelers offense never saw the field again.

For many Steelers fans, this game was a tough pill to swallow. The Eagles—arguably the best team in the NFL right now—controlled the game from start to finish. Yet, Pittsburgh had opportunities to make it competitive or even pull off an unlikely upset.

The missed offsetting personal fouls, Najee Harris’ fumble, and the mishandled Jalen Carter penalty all contributed to the Steelers’ inability to stay in the fight. These aren’t excuses, as Philadelphia was clearly the better team and deserved the win. Instead, these moments are reminders of how a few critical plays can tip the scales in football.

In the NFL, the margin for error is razor-thin—especially against top-tier teams. Mistakes, compounded by a few questionable calls, can drastically alter the course of a game. For the Steelers, these missed opportunities served as painful lessons in how fine the line between victory and defeat can be.

There’s no time for self-pity or overanalyzing this loss. A showdown against the Baltimore Ravens—with a chance to clinch the AFC North—is on the horizon. And there’s no better way to move past a defeat than by beating your fiercest rival to win the division.