Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin seemed just as confused as the fans when Russell Wilson threw an interception against the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Day.
“Certainly my preference would be for Russ not to throw the ball to Moose there.” Tomlin said on Steelers.com’s Mike Tomlin Show.
For those who don’t remember, let me remind you of some unpleasant memories. The Steelers, who led 13-0 at the end of the first quarter, finally began to regain momentum on offense. A long 41-yard pass to George Pickens turned the field over, and Jalen Warren immediately cut deeper after a 22-yard run. Warren would eventually find the end zone, only to be penalized and sent back. Shortly after, the aforementioned play occurred where Wilson threw an easy interception to Chiefs safety Justin Reid while targeting Pat Freiermuth.
After the game, the play was controversial, with Wilson stating that he expected Pickens to run a different route, which would lure Reed out. Nevertheless, it seems like that’s not what actually happened, but what Tomlin wanted Wilson to realize.
Tomlin also took time to acknowledge that Reid made a good play by splitting the two receivers on the ball.
“You have to assess their safety to some degree,” Tomlin said. “He did a great job showing half-field coverage on the weak side and showing up where he needed to be, 2-on-1, to make a timely interception.”
In the interview, Tomlin talked about the turnover battle and how the team prides itself on creating turnovers to create more possession chances. Recently, he has been losing in replacement matches and has lost three in a row.
“We have created losses by not taking care of the ball…It’s a validation of what we’ve always known, but sometimes individually and collectively, why we do business a certain way. Sometimes we need a tangible reminder of the building blocks.”
If the Steelers are going to get back on track, they’ll cut down on the turnovers they can’t afford, like Wilson’s interception against the Chiefs, and start capitalizing on their own turnovers instead.
