The Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1) nearly completed a Week 4 comeback against the Indianapolis Colts (2-2) after being down 17-0 early in the second quarter.
The Steelers were ultimately unsuccessful as they fell to the Colts 27-24, but it proved to be difficult due to some untimely penalties, most notably an unnecessary roughness call on safety Minkah Fitzpatrick late in the fourth quarter.
The penalty gave Indianapolis a first down, which led to it scoring in a one-possession game. If Pittsburgh were able to get the stop, it would have had a chance to complete the comeback.
That’s not how things played out, however, and Fitzpatrick was fuming after the loss.
“I thought we were playing football,” Fitzpatrick said, via Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I don’t know what we playing at this point. Very different game than what I grew up playing and what I grew up loving. Can’t hit nobody hard. Can’t be violent. So I don’t know what to say anymore.”
Fitzpatrick wasn’t the only one feeling that way, either. His teammate and fellow safety DeShon Elliott came to his defense after the game, too.
“That was bull—-,” Elliott said, via 93.7 The Fan. “I don’t care. That was B.S. That was not okay because that was legal. He did nothing malicious. He didn’t even hit him in the head. He led with his shoulder. If anything, he let up.”
Criticism for the refs didn’t stop in the Steelers’ locker room.
Color commentator Adam Archuleta disagreed with the call as well, noting Fitzpatrick did his best to reduce his blow to rookie wide receiver Adonai Mitchell while running at full speed.
“To me, Fitzpatrick is pulling off,” Archuleta said. “He doesn’t go attack him and he doesn’t hit him helmet to helmet with forceful contact. He’s running full speed. He’s running 20 miles per hour.”
The refs may have made some questionable calls on Sunday, but Pittsburgh only has itself to blame for being in that situation.
The Steelers are the eighth-most penalized team in the league (28). They must do their best to play cleaner football when they host the Dallas Cowboys (2-2) in Week 5 on “Sunday Night Football.”
