The Pittsburgh Steelers had a great chance to win their division, but they might have just blown it. They suffered a disappointing 13–6 loss to the Cleveland Browns, a team that had only won three games all year. Reflecting on the game, Pittsburgh’s quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, talked about the final moments of the loss. The game ended after he threw back-to-back straight incompletions to receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the end zone. But what came as a surprise was his comment.

“That was definitely interference [on fourth down],” Rodgers said during the post-game press conference. “I’ll have to look at the film on the second and third down.”

Even though the two players were clearly not on the same page, Rodgers didn’t blame himself or his teammate. Instead, he blamed the referees for a missed penalty on the final play. What exactly went down there?

The final moments completely changed the Steelers’ outlook on the AFC North standings as the game ended on a controversial note when Aaron Rodgers expected a pass interference penalty on the final play of the fourth quarter. Valdes-Scantling ran his route with Browns’ Denzel Ward tight in coverage. But before Valdes-Scantling could catch the pass, Ward prevented it. It fell as an incomplete pass and sealed the win for the Browns. 

Had the flag been thrown, the Steelers would have had the ball at the one-yard line with a chance to score and win. But because the referees didn’t make the call, Rodgers publicly criticized them after the game, a move that almost certainly guarantees that he will face a fine from the league.

It is also interesting to note that as the play took place, Jim Nantz and Tony Romo of the CBS crew also didn’t question the no-call. In fact, Romo even said, “It’s there all day. Ward wins the matchup.”

And that’s something Ward welcomes. After all, he has previously complained about how teams avoid targeting the receiver he is defending. There is data to back that up.

• As per PFF tracking data, Ward has witnessed fewer than five targets in seven games this year.
• In Week 10 against the New York Jets and Week 7 against the Miami Dolphins, he had just one target.
• Though tracking data is not immediately available for the Week 17 contest, Ward mentioned he didn’t get any targets before the final drive of the game.

In the end, the game was a struggle for both offenses, as neither team could find a rhythm. Rodgers had a quiet day, completing 21 of his 39 passes for 168 yards without any touchdowns or turnovers.

Heading into Week 17, Pittsburgh needed just one win in its final two games, against the Browns or the Baltimore Ravens, or a Ravens loss to clinch the AFC North title and a playoff berth. After a Week 16 win over the Lions and a Ravens loss, the Steelers were firmly in control of their destiny and positioned for the No. 4 seed, with a chance to host their first home playoff game since 2020.

That opportunity is now gone, and Pittsburgh must beat Baltimore in Week 18… or face elimination. But irrespective of the team’s current standing, head coach Mike Tomlin has something to say about their Week 17 performance.

The head coach doesn’t believe the team played poorly

The Pittsburgh Steelers just suffered a heartbreaking loss. They had a great chance to win their division and make the playoffs, but they lost 13–6 to the Cleveland Browns. Even though their defense played well, Aaron Rodgers and the offense couldn’t score a touchdown. What should have been an easy win has now turned into a desperate situation for the team.

Despite the disappointing outcome, coach Mike Tomlin maintained in his post-game press conference that his team didn’t play one of their worst games of the season.

“I don’t think we played poorly; we just didn’t make enough plays. I thought they played well. I thought the game was kind of unfolding in a way you would anticipate, but we never made that signature play that kind of got us over the hump. That generally is the deciding factor in games like this, and we generally make them. We didn’t make them today.”

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Pittsburgh struggled because it failed to capitalize on the Browns’ mistakes. Despite several opportunities, the Steelers’ offense was stuck in neutral for most of the game, managing only two field goals through the first three quarters. Even after intercepting Sanders twice, Pittsburgh couldn’t turn those turnovers into any points.

The Browns’ top-ranked pass defense completely shut down Aaron Rodgers. He struggled to move the ball, finishing with a low 168 passing yards, and nearly a third of that came during a final, frantic drive. To make matters worse, the Steelers’ running game was totally smothered by Cleveland’s defense.

With just over two minutes left and trailing by four, Rodgers had one last chance to pull off the kind of comeback he was hired for. However, playing without his star receiver, DK Metcalf, Rodgers looked uneasy. He failed to complete a single pass on the final possession, throwing four incompletions to end the game and hand the ball back to the Browns.

Now, everything comes down to the Steelers’ last game against the Baltimore Ravens. It is a “win or go home” contest. If the Steelers win, they take the division title; if they lose, their season is over. The Ravens are one of the best teams in the league and are playing very well right now. The Steelers will have to keep their best football to survive.