In typical Russell Wilson fashion, the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback stood at the podium after Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in full pads and with his game-worn jersey still on.
Week 15’s 27-13 loss to the Eagles was an especially difficult one to swallow for Mike Tomlin and Co. who will close out the season with an incredibly tough slate, facing the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs in the span of the next 10 days.
The game against the Eagles felt winnable, as Philly star running back Saquon Barkley was sidelined for much of the contest. However, Wilson couldn’t generate consistent rhythm on the offense, going 14-of-22 for 128 yards and a touchdown, and the Steelers went scoreless in the final two quarters.
After the painful loss, Wilson gave a harsh assessment of his team’s performance.
"They played way better than us tonight,” Wilson told reporters. “It was unacceptable how we played. I think we feel like we’ve got to be sharper."
Russell Wilson after Steelers' 27-13 loss to Eagles: "They played way better than us tonight. It was unacceptable how we played. I think we feel like we’ve got to be sharper."
— Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) December 16, 2024
Inefficient first and second downs a key issue. pic.twitter.com/vBb3E6kCTe
The Steelers are the first team since 2009 to have only two drives in the second half, according to ESPN’s Benjamin Solak. Pittsburgh ultimately didn’t make the most of its few good chances and saw its lead in the AFC North get slimmer with the high-flying Ravens right on its heels.
The Steelers (10-2) are among the unlucky AFC contenders with undesirable schedules over the final four weeks of the season.
“We’ll have to determine how great we can be,” continued Wilson. “There’s a lot more football left… I think any great team has to respond, you’re going to have adversity, you’re going to have ups and downs throughout the season, I’ve been on great teams before and sometimes you don’t win them all.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Russell Wilson Gave Harsh Assessment of Steelers After Tough Loss to Eagles.