The Pittsburgh Steelers were back on the field Saturday for the fifteenth time of the 2024 regular season when they traveled to play the Baltimore Ravens in Week 16 of regular season action. The Steelers were losers in the contest, but that doesn’t mean every player had a good or bad performance.

Players who play well can be considered ‘Winners’, while those who left a lot to be desired can be called ‘Losers’. It may sound harsh, but it is the crux of this exercise.

Let’s check in to see who fell on which side of the ledger after the latest game…

Winners

Minkah Fitzpatrick 
Stat Line: 6 tackles, 2 solo, 2 pass defenses, 1 INT

It’s been a while since Minkah was in the winners column for having a key takeaway, but he finally got that proverbial monkey off his back. There are times when a player is playing great football, but the ball just isn’t heading their way. Many have been down on Fitzpatrick during this stretch, but I think the main reason was how Mikah set a bar which is almost unable to be sustained. Nonetheless, the splash play returned for No. 39 in Week 16, and the hope is maybe this will equate in more in the near future.

Red-Zone Offense
Stat Line: 2-for-2

There was a time when the Steelers red-zone offense was putting up performances where they went 0-for however many attempts they had in a game, but that part of the offense seems to have improved. There might be some who read this and wonder how the Steelers finished with 100% red-zone completion with Russell Wilson’s fumble near the goal line. Remember that run started outside the red-zone and was why it didn’t register as a failed attempt. Nonetheless, it was good to see the Steelers score touchdowns, the next step is getting into the red-zone more often.

Calvin Austin III
Stat Line: 4 rec, 65 yards, 16.3 ave., 44 long, 5 targets

When Austin was drafted out of Memphis I thought he was nothing more than a gadget player. A player you’d see come on the field in specific situations and have very detailed options for what he can, and will, do. However, Austin has improved tremendously as a pro receiver and route runner this season. How much has he improved? He is turning into a real weapon which could be utilized when George Pickens returns to the lineup. Hopefully the Steelers continue to deploy him as a weapon to be utilized down the stretch, because they need another weapon in the passing game.

Losers

Russell Wilson
Stat Line: 22/33, 217 yards, 6.6 ave., 2 TD, 1 INT, 3 sacks for 19 yards, 92.6 Rating, 1 Fumble

I want to be precise here in my analysis, and I want to add Wilson made some very key plays in this game to keep the Steelers even remotely in the contest. However, I can’t excuse the bad plays which had a clear part in the outcome of the game. Let’s start with the fumble. Wilson is a veteran, and he has to understand the situation. I know he’s trying to score, and I don’t have a problem with him trying to score, but at some point he has to protect the football at all costs. If that means sliding, then slide. If it means putting two hands on the ball, do so. While there was a lot of football left, I felt as if the game turned on its head at that moment. The Steelers offense was moving the ball well, and the fumble derailed all momentum that he garnered on that drive. Then you get to the worst throw Wilson has made as a Steeler, the pass to MyCole Pruitt which was behind him and late. An easy pick-six which put the game out of reach, this right after Minkah Fitzpatrick’s interception of Lamar Jackson. I won’t bring up the throw to Calvin Austin III on 4th down being late, but these two turnovers were killers. Not all turnovers are created equal, and those two were back-breakers.

Run Defense
Stat Line: BAL: 220 yards, 5.8 yard ave.

Even with all the mistakes on the offensive side of the football, the most disappointing aspect of this game was the defense. Mainly their inability to stop the run. They allowed the Ravens to run the ball right down their throats, and Derrick Henry averaged 6.8 yards per carry on his way to 162 yards total in this game. The Steelers run fits were atrocious, and they looked as if they wanted no part in tackling Henry any time he touched the football. The Steelers pass rush was relatively non-existent, and the reason was they couldn’t stop the run. On this morning after the run defense should be the top priority for the Steelers moving forward.

Tackling
Stat Line: Another bad outing

As mentioned above, the Steelers looked as if they wanted absolutely nothing to do with tackling any of the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday. Derrick Henry was the main issue, but this is the second straight week the Steelers tackling woes have cost them in a big way. At this juncture of the season, you can’t just say we are going to throw the pads on and start tackling to the ground. No, you have to hope the professionals are able to start playing at a level which is conducive to success once again. The return of DeShon Elliott will be huge in this regard, but one player doesn’t negate an entire defense of bad tackling.

Costly Turnovers
Stat Line: 1 INT for TD, 1 Fumble Lost

I’ve already talked about the turnovers in this game, but what I can’t get out of my head are how these turnovers the Steelers are experiencing are coming at the absolute worst time.

The two turnovers vs. the Ravens were great examples, but so were the following:

• Wilson’s interception in the second half to Marlon Humphrey at Acrisure Stadium
• Cordarrelle Patterson’s fumble vs. the Browns
• Wilson’s fumble vs. the Browns in the snow
• Wilson’s pick-six vs. the Bengals in Cincinnati
• Najee Harris’s fumble vs. the Eagles

This is more than a fluke, this is a trend. The Steelers have to constantly walk a tight rope to victory every week, and shooting themselves in the foot repeatedly isn’t helping their cause.

The last time the Steelers went without a turnover? You would have to go back to Russell Wilson’s first start on Sunday Night Football vs. the New York Jets. It’s been that long since they’ve had a clean game.

Injuries
Stat Line: List keeps growing

Another game, more injuries to players who have significant roles on the team. The two in-game injuries, and both were unable to return, were:

• Joey Porter Jr. (knee)
• Ben Skowronek (hip)

During the game the Steelers announced the Porter injury as a calf, but later said it was a knee injury. After the game reporters were saying the injury to the knee caused discomfort in the calf. Regardless, the Steelers secondary can’t afford to lose many more pieces, especially on a short week.

Secondary Communication
Stat Line: Unpreparedness evident

During this game you could see the Steelers secondary running around like chickens with their heads cut off before the snap. This used to be commonplace in the Steelers secondary, but the unit had gotten their act together in 2024. With injuries to players like Donte Jackson, DeShon Elliott and an in-game injury to Joey Porter Jr., back-ups were called in to duty. It just seemed like those back-ups didn’t know what they were doing. Back-ups or not, it is telling when those individuals don’t know their responsibilities. Experience or not, these are the fundamentals which can cause major issues, which were evident Saturday as plenty of Ravens receivers were left wide open in key moments.

Missed Opportunities
Stat Line: 3 Forced Fumbles, 0 Recoveries

The Steelers recipe for success in 2024 has been really simple. Control the clock and take the ball away. Yes, it really is that simple. The difference in the game Saturday was the Ravens out-Steelered the Steelers. It was the Ravens who had the timely takeaways, and the Steelers weren’t able to capitalize on their chances. Three times the Steelers had the opportunity to take the ball away with fumble recoveries, but weren’t able to get the job done. The Steelers are a fragile team, and things have to go their way to claim victory. With the Chiefs coming to town on Wednesday, let’s hope they get back on the right track of these opportunities.

If you want a more detailed look at the above list, check out my “Let’s Ride” podcast in the player below where I outline each Winner and Loser, and MORE!