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Learning from the loss:** The Steelers defense is used to putting lessons in how to go about stopping a potent offense on tape. It's something they have done throughout the years. Something they take pride in.
But what they put on tape Sunday in a 55-31 loss to the New England Patriots, it's not what this defense is all about.
"We got kicked in the mouth," said defensive end Cam Heyward on Monday. "We didn't get the job done, from the defensive line, to the linebackers, to the secondary. We didn't do a good job and I hope everybody learns from this. There is a lot to learn, a lot in the tape we can learn from.
"If anything that is how a defense should not play."
The 55 points the Patriots scored were the most an opponent has ever scored against the Steelers. The 610 yards allowed were the most ever given up in team history. Even after the offense tied the game at 24-24, the defense allowed 31 more points, 28 of those in the fourth quarter.
That is not what Steelers' defense is all about and the players know it.
"We let our offense down," said defensive end Ziggy Hood. "They put up big numbers in the game and we didn't do our job as a defense and help those guys out on the other side. When you don't fit well, or take your keys right or tackle well, you see what happens in a game like this.
"We let this game get out of hand and it was too late by the time the bell went off."
Hood said it's frustrating looking back at the week of preparation, because he felt like the team was ready for the task at hand.
"You have a good week of practice, you know the game plan, and you feel very good about the game plan," said Hood. "When you get in and don't execute as well as you thought you should, things can get real ugly and that is what makes the whole situation worse."
Doing too much: There are times when a player can't do enough to help their team, but there are also times when players have a tendency to do too much. That is something linebacker Stevenson Sylvester said they have to be cautious of. "
It's just things breaking down and people going away from their keys," said Sylvester, who stepped in at inside linebacker after Vince Williams suffered a concussion on Sunday. "We have certain things we have to do, and people trying to do too much, myself included. All we have to do is our job and everything will work out for itself. We have to get back to what we do."
Sylvester said it's not always easy to hold back, especially when the team is struggling, because you always want to try and do more to help.
"It's hard, especially on a team like this and the position we are in," said Sylvester. "Nobody wants to be in this position. Everyone wants to do as much as they can to help us get out of this position. Doing too much will definitely put you on the wrong side of it. We have to figure it out. We can't get this done without everybody. We can't do it individually. It's going to take a complete team effort to turn it around."
