Airing of Grievances: Steelers' loss in Green Bay highlights Holy Trinity of fan complaints: play calling, refs, QB

There was plenty to vent about in the wake of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 27-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

Most of the gripes involved the holy trinity of Steelers fan agitation.

• Blame the refs.

• Blame the quarterback.

• Blame the play calling.

In the case of Sunday’s result, all of those complaints were valid. So, let’s get right to this week’s “Airing of Grievances.”

10-point swing: At the end of the first half, Minkah Fitzpatrick blocked a field goal and brought it back for touchdown. It would have given the Steelers a 17-14 lead, but the play was nullified by an offsides call.

It was a bad call.

Even when the play was slowed down to a nanosecond, it doesn’t appear Joe Haden was offsides on the left edge of the rush.

Former NFL official and CBS officiating commentator Gene Steratore seems to think this was a clean play, too.

Certain infractions are easier to see from the field-level, but from the angles that I've seen of the field goal in #PITvsGB:

Unless the @Steelers were lined up in the neutral zone, the players move simultaneously with the snap which would mean no foul. pic.twitter.com/EBOvmtiPuB

— Gene Steratore (@GeneSteratore) October 3, 2021

That was a huge moment in the game because, as we learned Week 1 in Buffalo, the Steelers’ best offense is blocking a kick and returning it for a touchdown.

Officials in those situations have to be 100% sure of that call before throwing a flag, and there’s no way that official could’ve been 100% sure.

When Packers kicker Mason Crosby got a second chance, he nailed a 26-yard field goal to give the Packers a 17-10 lead going into the break.

Fourth-down fiascos: There had been a week’s worth of second guessing over why the Steelers ran a failed dump-down to Najee Harris on a fourth-down play in a crucial situation against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Remember? It was the now infamous, “we fired all of our bullets” play.

Well, they must’ve run out of ammunition again Sunday at Lambeau Field. On a fourth-and-4 from the Green Bay 32 late in the third quarter and down 27-10, the Steelers swung the ball out to the right flat and Harris was hit for a 1-yard loss.

On the ensuing series, the Steelers didn’t have a chance to screw up a fourth-down attempt because Diontae Johnson was flagged for a false start. So they punted.

Then, on the next drive, the Steelers again threw short of the sticks hoping for a catch and run. But JuJu Smith-Schuster was tackled short of the line to gain.

What … are … they … thinking? “If at first you don’t succeed, fail, fail again?”

Smith-Schuster seemed less than pleased on the sidelines.

When you realize you’re gonna have to fight a Paul brother to stay relevant. pic.twitter.com/m04urmZVoy

— Randy Slack (@rslack37) October 3, 2021

After the game, coach Mike Tomlin didn’t offer much of an explanation.

“When we go for it on fourth, obviously, it is our intention to get the line of gain. We weren’t able to do that on several occasions,” Tomlin said.

Maybe Green Bay was running a “picket fence” defense like the Bengals.

Minkah missed: On the Packers second drive, quarterback Aaron Rodgers tried to squeeze a pass into Randall Cobb over the middle of the field. Cobb was well-covered, and Rodgers overthrew him.

Fitzpatrick was there but couldn’t secure an interception. Cobb’s outstretched hand may have slightly grazed the ball to change its flight at the last minute, but an All-Pro like Fitzpatrick needs to make that play.

Instead, the ball fell for a harmless incompletion. The Green Bay drive continued, and Rodgers capitalized with a short touchdown run to tie the score at 7-7.

Once a turnover machine, Fitzpatrick hasn’t had an interception (counting the playoff loss to the Cleveland Browns) in 11 games.

Again, though, his blocked field goal should’ve counted, and he led the team with eight tackles.

Muddled up the middle: Many in Pittsburgh have complained about the Steelers’ failure to use the middle of the field on offense this season.

Part of the reason why probably is because Ben Roethlisberger sees so much pressure from defensive linemen pushing his blockers back into the pocket.

That was the case in the second quarter when Green Bay’s Kingsley Keke shoved Steelers right guard Trai Turner straight back into Roethlisberger’s face. Kingsley stripped the ball from Roethlisberger.

#PACKERS BALL! @BucketsAll_Day gets to Roethlisberger & @KCBoutThatLife recovers the fumble.#PITvsGB | #GoPackGo

CBS pic.twitter.com/H8lufVhlKJ

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) October 3, 2021

Kenny Clark recovered the fumble for Green Bay, and the Packers converted the turnover into their second touchdown. The Steelers now have five giveaways over the past three games.

By the way, maybe that turnover never happens if Roethlisberger doesn’t miss a wide-open Smith-Schuster on a second-and-6 on the previous play.

Arm goes awry: After that first drive touchdown, Roethlisberger was inaccurate in the first half, missing numerous open receivers.

He failed to hit an open Smith-Schuster three times — or maybe only twice depending on your point of view. James Washington and Diontae Johnson also were missed on open targets before half time.

On a second-down play in the third quarter, Roethlisberger and Smith-Schuster misfired again when the receiver appeared to be open on a play that might have gone for an 80-yard score.

That could’ve been a miscommunication between the two, more so than an errant throw. The same may be the case on an out-and-up to Diontae Johnson on a second-down play in the third quarter in which Johnson worked himself open and leapt for a high throw, but it was too tall for his outstretched arms.

Roethlisberger was off target on a short pass to Najee Harris as well after T.J. Watt’s late third-quarter fumble recovery.

Third-down disappointment: The Packers were successful on five of their first six third-down conversions in the first half. Overall, they were 9 of 15, but 7 of 10 before the game became a fait accompli.

Many of those conversions went to Randall Cobb, who had five catches on six targets for 69 yards and two touchdowns. The Steelers largely contained star receiver Davante Adams (six catches, 64 yards), but Cobb’s contributions were difference-making.

Rodgers was only pressured twice in the first half. His third quarter touchdown to Cobb was the 420th of his career, tying him for 6th all-time with Pitt legend Dan Marino.

“Watt” was up with T.J.?: In his first game back from that groin injury he suffered in the first half against the Las Vegas Raiders, T.J. Watt was a ghost in the first half. He had just one tackle.

He also looked slow trying to catch Aaron Rodgers on his touchdown scramble.

.@AaronRodgers12 with the wheels!

TOUCHDOWN! #PITvsGB | #GoPackGo

CBS pic.twitter.com/2PCwZQDDXM

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) October 3, 2021

In the second half, Watt was slightly more visible, getting two extraordinarily generous sacks. One was on a play that was initially ruled a trip. The other was a touch up when Rodgers slid in front of him following a wild scramble when the game was well in hand for the Packers.

He also had a fumble recovery thanks to good play by Chris Wormley.

Our ball @Chris_Wormley43 | @_TJWatt | : CBS pic.twitter.com/Q4aTeC0o4r

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 3, 2021

It was hardly an impactful homecoming for Watt, though.

“We need more detail in our play,” Tomlin said of his defense. “The detail will provide the splash that we need for the significant plays.”

The Steelers defense allowed 23 first downs, 131 yards rushing and 367 yards overall. The Packers held onto the ball for 34 minutes, 41 seconds.