5 things we learned vs. Cowboys: Blown 4th-quarter lead flipped script on Steelers

Five things we learned from Cowboys 20, Steelers 17:

1. Flip the script

For better or worse, there is some intentionality to the construction and mindset of the Pittsburgh Steelers. They are built with a formula in mind of keeping games close and then winning them late. And for whatever the flaws or criticisms of that philosophy, it quite frankly has worked very well in recent years.

Until Sunday.

The Dallas Cowboys’ touchdown with 20 seconds to play in regulation overcame a four-point deficit. That’s the first time in more than two years the Steelers blew a fourth-quarter lead. The most recent time that’d happened was Kenny Pickett’s debut Oct, 2, 2022 — the New York Jets scored 14 points in the final 8 minutes to beat the Steelers, 24-20.

Over the Steelers’ 34 regular-season games since, a team won that had trailed at some point during the fourth quarter seven times. And on all seven occasions, that team was the Steelers.

Over that span, the Steelers had also won two other games when the score had been tied at some point in the fourth quarter, and two other times when facing a deficit in the third quarter.

The Steelers, though, had never blown any game in which it held a second-half lead over the past two calendar years. They had only once lost a game in which it was even so much as tied at some point during the fourth quarter (last year at Cleveland).

Donte Jackson on his perspective of the winning TD pic.twitter.com/nilvfLexpt

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) October 7, 2024

2. Queen of spades

In signing Patrick Queen to the biggest contract they’ve ever given to an external unrestricted free agent, the Steelers made quite the splash.

But where is the “splash?”

While Queen on Sunday tied for second on the team in tackles with a season-high nine, that’s to be expected from an every-down inside linebacker. The rest of Queen’s official stat line was blank.

That has been largely the trend five games into Queen’s Steelers tenure.

Over 305 defensive snaps played over 20 quarters and 51 opponent possessions, Queen has zero sacks, zero forced fumbles, zero fumble recoveries and zero interceptions. He has one tackle for loss, one QB hit and two passes defended.

Queen hasn’t been awful by any means. But for $41 million, the Steelers surely expect more.

3. Dink and dunk?

Justin Fields did not complete a pass all game that was thrown more than 12 yards downfield, according to charting by NFL Next Gen Stats. Connor Heyward’s third-quarter touchdown was one of only two passes thrown that deep that Fields completed. He was 0 for 7 on passes farther than 12 yards past the line of scrimmage.

Is it telling that the only pass that Kyle Allen threw was 13 yards downfield? His completion to Pat Freiermuth that ultimately gained 19 yards came early during the third quarter when Fields was briefly being evaluated for a concussion.

Only four of the weekend’s other 25 NFL starting quarterbacks had average completed passes shorter down the field than Fields (3.8). Fields’ minus-6.6 differential between his average depth of his completed passes compared to that of his intended pass (10.4 yards downfield) was the second-worst of the weekend (minus-6.6 yards).

Unpleasant truth about your fading football team. https://t.co/m08DIDhiBe

— Mark Madden (@MarkMaddenX) October 7, 2024

4. Too much

The Steelers allowed 445 yards in defeat. That’s the third-most for an opponent over the Steelers’ past 42 regular-season games dating back to December 2021. Factoring in the 358 yards that the Indianapolis Colts amassed in beating the Steelers last week, that’s 803 yards against the Steelers’ defense in a two-game span. Since Week 7 in 2022, the only times the Steelers permitted that much yardage over a two-game span were during the first month of last season.

The final score of the Colts’ game was 27-24. If the Steelers allow 20 or more points to the Las Vegas Raiders this coming Sunday it will mark only the third time over the past three calendar years that the Steelers allowed 20-plus points in three consecutive games.

Cam Heyward on the loss

“You look back on this game, you’re kicking yourself… it came down to one play.” pic.twitter.com/bZo4On6rvr

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) October 7, 2024

5. Snap decisions

It has been much-discussed that George Pickens ranked third among wide receivers in snap counts on offense Sunday. He had 34 (or 59% of the Steelers’ 58 plays), while Van Jefferson had 47 and Calvin Austin III played 44. Additionally at receiver, Scotty Miller played 13 and in his Steelers debut Brandon Johnson played five snaps.

With no Jaylen Warren or Cordarrelle Patterson because of injury, Najee Harris played 74% of the offensive snaps — his highest share since a November 2022 game against Cincinnati. In an illustration of how Harris’ usage has evolved, in only three of 17 games as a rookie in 2021 did Harris play fewer than 75% of the Steelers’ snaps.