The Pittsburgh Steelers suffered their third straight loss as they were blown out at home by the Kansas City Chiefs. The game was close going into halftime, but the Chiefs blew out the Steelers in the second half. The offense for Pittsburgh struggled for most of the game, and the defense couldn't seem to get the Chiefs offense off of the field. Pittsburgh lost the game 29-10 in what was their third consecutive loss of double digits.
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Steelers' Mike Tomlin ahead of a 2024 home game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Three straight losses can be extremely frustrating, especially during a critical point of the season. December is when teams usually get hot as the playoffs are right around the corner, but that is not the case in Pittsburgh. The Steelers collapsed in December of the 2023 season, and the same exact thing is happening in 2024. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick was supposed to meet with the media after the game at his locker, but the veteran defender gave one stern comment before refusing to speak to the media.
"I’m not talking today," Fitzpatrick said. "There’s nothing to talk about."
The defense for the Steelers has struggled during the team's three-game losing streak. During the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles the unit gave up a drive that lasted over 10 minutes to allow Philadelphia to end the game. Against the Baltimore Ravens the group had multiple lapses in coverage that led to touchdowns for Baltimore, and the same thing happened when the Steelers hosted the Chiefs on Wednesday.
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Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick celebrates after a late-game interception against the Los Angeles Rams on November 10, 2019.
Pittsburgh's secondary has been a big issue over the team's losing streak. The group has been banged up at times, but opposing wide receiver are often seen running wide open. The group gave up 320 yards through the air during the loss on Wednesday to go along with three touchdowns. They were playing one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game in Patrick Mahomes, but the defense hasn't looked like it will be able to compete in the playoffs.
Head Coach Mike Tomlin seemed to take some ownership for the loss after the game. He almost trashed his own game plan, stating that the Steelers found themselves playing a lot of zone, which is not a recipe for success when playing Mahomes and the Chiefs. Mahomes was able to easily dissect the defense throughout the entire game, and the Super Bowl-winning quarterback seemed to be able to do whatever he wanted.
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Steelers' Minkah Fitzpatrick during the last day of OTAs in 2024.
Steelers' Fitzpatrick Has Been Under Fire During The 2024 Season
Fitzpatrick is typically known as one of the best safeties in the NFL, but he hasn't been talked about in that manor since before the 2023 season. The defender struggled with injuries in 2023, and his lack of splash plays in 2024 has some members of the fan base questioning how good Fitzpatrick actually is. He had his first interception in over two seasons in Week 16 against the Ravens, but aside from that, Fitzpatrick has had a relatively quiet 2024 season.
There is a lot that the safety does that doesn't show up in the box score. He is a daunting force in the defensive backfield that opposing quarterbacks usually try to avoid, and he is a big reason the Steelers don't give up many big plays. The safety refusing to address the media after a three-game losing skid, where the defense has looked atrocious, isn't necessarily a good look.
What do you think about Fitzpatrick's behavior after the loss? Let us know in the comments below!
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