During the game, Freiermuth suffered a hamstring injury, while Pickett faced a knee injury when being sacked by Jonathan Greenard on fourth down, resulting in a turnover on downs to the Texans (2-2).
The injuries to Freiermuth and Pickett hindered any chance of a comeback for the Steelers (2-2), who had started gaining momentum after a slow start.
In the first two quarters of the game, the Steelers played their worst half of football this season, getting outgained 271-53 and falling behind 16-0.
“Not a good day at the office for us. We didn’t execute our desired agenda,” stated Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, whose team allowed 139 yards rushing on 38 carries. “We didn’t stop a lot of the things that they desired to do, and that’s why we ended up with this outcome. They consistently ran the ball against us.”
The Texans began the game with a successful 69-yard drive, including eight runs or quarterback scrambles, resulting in a 2-yard touchdown pass from rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud to Nico Collins, giving them a 7-0 lead. Throughout the game, Collins posed a challenge for the Steelers, catching 7 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns. Stroud finished with a 16 of 30 completion rate, 306 yards, and two touchdowns, remaining unsacked.
“We need to start better. They had a great game plan,” commented Steelers cornerback Patrick Peterson. “We need to play better. We have to consistently evaluate ourselves and find ways to improve.”
“On the defensive side of the ball, we always aim to start out fast. We shouldn’t warm up to it. When a team does score, we need to analyze those first 15 plays that were successful because they’re bound to repeat them,” added Peterson.
The Steelers’ promising drive early on was disrupted as Pickett was sacked on a play-action pass and subsequently intercepted by Steven Nelson. The interception set up a field goal, extending the Texans’ lead to 10-0.
Following a Steelers punt, Stroud completed a 29-yard pass to Dalton Schultz, but the Texans couldn’t convert it into a touchdown. However, they added a field goal, pushing their lead to 13-0 early in the second quarter.
“We have these sporadic moments where we look good, but our efficiency is lacking,” expressed Steelers center Mason Cole. “We rely too much on big plays, and when we don’t get them, we struggle to convert on third downs. It’s simply inefficient and poor football.”
The Steelers’ defense came up with a fourth-down stop, but they were unable to capitalize on it as they fell short on a third-down catch. The Texans quickly got the ball back and managed to score a field goal, resulting in a 16-0 halftime lead.
In the second half, the Steelers focused on their running game, which paid off with a field goal, reducing Houston’s lead to 16-3. They continued to put pressure on the Texans and gained a 32-yard pass that brought them closer to scoring. However, the drive was stalled, and they settled for another field goal, cutting the deficit to 16-6.
Subsequently, the Texans sacked Pickett on a crucial fourth down and capitalized on it with a touchdown, extending their advantage to 23-6.
With 3:39 remaining, Stroud connected with Collins for a 52-yard touchdown, ending the scoring for the game.
Pickett completed 15 of 23 passes for 114 yards and an interception, while Harris rushed for 71 yards on 14 carries and had one reception for 32 yards.
Following another uneven performance, Coach Tomlin acknowledged that changes could be on the horizon despite the Steelers’ 2-2 record.
“Absolutely, we need to make some changes,” declared Tomlin. “The product we displayed today was ugly. We can’t keep doing the same things and expect different results. We’ll develop a plan for improvement.”
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