3. Steelers need to tighten up on sloppy penalties
Football is a game where wins and losses cannot be precisely pin-pointed on a single (or even handful) of players, plays, etc. Simply put: There’s always something else you could have done to get a different outcome. However committing 13 penalties totaling 144 yards is a pretty huge elephant in the room.
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Penalties are part of the game. The occasional holding call or false start will happen. No penalty is wanted, yet when a minor penalty is called, it’s taken on the chin and the team moves on. What happens when all those little penalties add up?
It prevents an offense trying to establish a rhythm early in the game. On the Steelers first offensive drive of the game, two holding penalties drew Pittsburgh deep into their own territory, forcing them to a third-and-25 from their own 11 yard-line. The penalties continued to hold the offense back throughout the game, allowing the Browns defense to set the tempo and dictate play rather than the offense.
“We kicked our own butts today” said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in his press conference following the game.
As much as the offense can take blame for mistakes, the defense was just as guilty, if not more. Four of the thirteen penalties resulted in unnecessary roughness calls. To throw more salt in the wound, five of Cleveland’s first downs resulted from a penalty, including a controversial hit from Ryan Shazier after Deshone Kizer attempted to slide.
The jury is still out on whether Shazier will receive a possible fine or punishment from the league, yet the Steelers are aware of one thing for sure: Penalties in that volume and manner can cost you a football game, even with lower-tier teams like Pittsburgh flirted with today. As the season grows and competition gets tougher, the Steelers need to grasp the concept that they will not beat other teams if they beat themselves first.