Patriots Prevail

The worst thing that happened to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday was that they lost, 27-24, to the New England Patriots, their longtime tormentors, the object of their obsession, the team they continue to chase.

A controversial play that was overturned upon review wiped away a would-be Steelers touchdown in the final seconds of the game. The reversal eventually led to a game-ending interception that sealed New England’s 27-24 victory Sunday.

“That last call was (expletive),” Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster said. “I think he scored, and that was it. They overturned it and that’s what it is. We’ve got to live by it. We’ll come back.”

With 34 seconds left in the game, the Steelers faced a first-and-goal from the 10-yard line. Quarterback Ben Roethlisbeger snapped the ball and fired a pass to tight end Jesse James, who caught it near the end zone and extended his arms to cross the plane.

The play was ruled a touchdown and briefly gave Pittsburgh a three-point lead. After a replay review, however, referee Tony Corrente announced the decision to erase the score.

“That’s the key here, he is going to the ground,” NFL vice president of officiating Al Riveron said in a video explanation that was posted to the NFL Football Operations official Twitter account. “By rule, to complete the process of the catch, he must survive the ground, and by that we mean he must maintain control of the football.”

Indeed, when James spread his arms out to cross the plane, the ball bobbled as it hit the ground before he regained control.

“I felt good about it,” James said after the game. “But it’s the National Football League. They reviewed it for a reason. Someone thought it wasn’t a touchdown and that’s what they came up with.”

Said Tomlin: “It’s really irrelevant how I feel about it. It’s not going to change the outcome of the game. I’m not going to cry over spilt milk and all of that crap and talk about replay. I ain’t doing it.”

As deflating as the overturn was, Pittsburgh still had a chance to win.

On the team’s final offensive play, Roethlisberger rushed the offense to the line of scrimmage and faked a spike before attempting a pass intended for receiver Eli Rogers. Patriots safety Eric Rowe deflected the pass, popping the ball up in the air, and fellow safety Duron Harmon nestled the ball – and the victory – in his hands.

Roethlisberger said he originally wanted to spike the ball, stop the clock and give Pittsburgh a chance to tie the game on a field goal, but that offensive coordinator Todd Haley relayed the call for the fake spike in his headset.

“Maybe that’s on me,” Roethlisberger said. “Maybe I should have clocked it. I don’t’ know. We’re not going to look back and second-guess anything or anybody. We lost the game and I threw a pick at the end of the game to lose it.”

It’s challenging to look at this as anything but a missed opportunity for Pittsburgh.

The Steelers converted 10 of 16 third-down attempts. They outgained New England 413-360. They ran the ball effectively, pressured Patriots quarterback Tom Brady constantly and even forced him into an interception, marking his first against the Steelers in more than 12 years.

Late in the game, a New England field goal cut Pittsburgh’s lead to five points. With only 3:56 left on the clock, all the Steelers had to do was move the ball and bleed the clock.

Their following drive was a three-and-out and drained just 1:50 off the clock. It allowed the Patriots to score the go-ahead touchdown.

As damaging as the loss was to Pittsburgh’s playoff seeding, the most concerning cost may be to the health of star wide receiver Antonio Brown, who was taken to a hospital for further evaluation of a calf injury to his left leg that forced him out of the game. According to multiple reports, Brown suffered a partially torn calf but is expected to return by the playoffs.

The Steelers have now lost their last five against New England. With the defeat, the Steelers ceded control of the No. 1 seed to the Patriots, who now sit in the driver’s seat in the push for home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

Pittsburgh and New England, though, have looked like the top two teams in the AFC, which gave many disheartened Steelers a glimmer of hope. These two teams may just meet again in the playoffs.

“We’ll see them again,” receiver Eli Rogers said, “and the outcome will be different.”