Steelers News: Wheaton, Roethlisberger, Tomlin

The Steelers lost a seesaw game against the Seahawks that has put them in trouble in the AFC Wild Card race.

The Steelers travel home following the loss to the Seahawks to try to improve their AFC playoff standings against the Indianapolis Colts. While they shake the funk off and prepare for the Colts we’ll be busy looking for mentions of your Black & Gold so we’ve got you covered. Here’s your Steelers Morning Huddle for Monday, Nov. 30^th.

Big game for Wheaton

One of the bright spots of the Steelers loss against Seattle was watching Markus Wheaton absolutely go off on the Seahawks defense. With Richard Sherman closely shadowing Antonio Brown all over the field and Martavis Bryant having some key drops Ben Roethlisberger turned to Wheaton and Wheaton delivered.

More from Steelers News

• Mel Kiper Jr. makes predictable pick for Steelers in first NFL mock draft
• Steelers news: Brian Flores odds to land HC job, no projected compensatory picks, and more
• Why Jordan Addison to the Steelers is a good idea
• 4 reasons Steelers would have been embarrassed in the NFL playoffs
• The easiest cut the Pittsburgh Steelers will make in 2023

Bob Labriola explains that Wheaton’s performance of having the most reception yards ever by a receiver at CenturyLink Field was enough to land him with Steelers Digest Player of the Week honors. Wheaton had nine catches for 201 yards including a 69-yard touchdown, the most ever by a receiver in that stadium.

Overshadowed

Ben Roethlisberger’s 456 passing yards were overshadowed by his turnovers. In fact, the Seahawks converting 19 points off of Steelers turnovers were the difference in the game. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler says that there might be more to worry about when it comes to Roethlisberger. He left the game with a few minutes remaining to enter the locker room for an NFL concussion test.

That could have been the reason for why the Steelers didn’t attempt to go for it on fourth down in the red zone with three minutes remaining.

Decisions backfire

In Steeler Nation there aren’t just Monday Morning quarterbacks, there are coaches and general managers as well. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin made some curious decisions that will definitely be hot topics of discussion for the ensuing week.

The Trib’s Mark Kaboly illustrates how the fake field goal called by Tomlin early in the second quarter proved to be costly because it resulted in an interception by Landry Jones and the Seahawks scored a touchdown two plays later.

The next call that comes under fire is the decision to kick a field goal trailing 32-27 at a fourth and three with just over three minutes left on the clock. Roethlisberger was in the midst of the highest passing performance the Seahawks defense has ever given up but, on the other hand, the Steelers defense had just held the Seahawks offense to four three-and-outs prior to that possession.

Next: Steelers couldn't overcome mistakes against Seahawks

With Tomlin being known as being a gambler, going for the two-point conversions well more often than other teams and going for it on fourth down previously it’s going to be questioned why he wouldn’t go for it at that moment, unless of course, Roethlisberger was banged up as he never returned to the field after that possession.