The focus shifted quickly in the immediate aftermath of Ravens 26, Steelers 14, away from all that hasn't happened during what has become a frustrating, 1-2-1 start and toward the time remaining to make amends.
"We're only a quarter of a way through the season," quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. "Long way to go."
Time enough, defensive end Cam Heyward insisted, for the Steelers to bounce back from winning one time in their first four tries, from going 0-2 in their first two games at Heinz Field and from posting an 0-1-1 mark through the first two of six AFC North Division games.
"We have games in front of us and plenty of games to play," Heyward maintained. "If we have to win the rest of the division games, so be it.
"We play these guys (the Ravens) again, we see Cincinnati twice and we have another shot at Cleveland. I'm not going to overlook any game, but it starts next week and it starts tomorrow."
And it starts, Heyward stressed, with honest evaluation regarding where corrections need to be made.
"Peeling everything back and seeing where we're falling short," he continued. "Not covering up and saying, 'Oh, it was somebody else's fault.' It's a group effort.
"Is it the scheme we're playing? Do we not have the guys out there to do it? I don't think so. I just think we have to execute better. There are plays to be made, we're just not making them."
BEN'S LAMENT: Wide receiver Antonio Brown finished with five catches for 62 yards, including a 26-yard touchdown. But he was targeted 11 times, including on three consecutive third downs in the second half that resulted in two incompletions and an interception.
The Ravens kicked field goals after each of those third-down misses by the Steelers and Baltimore's 17-14 lead became a 26-14 advantage.
"I don't think I'm on the same page with anybody right now because I'm not playing well enough," Roethlisberger acknowledged.
Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster had four receptions for 60 yards but was likewise targeted 11 times.
The Steelers went 0-for-6 on third downs in the second half on Sunday night, when they had the ball for just 8:29, and 2-for-12 converting third downs overall.
"I need to play better," Roethlisberger said. "Just a bad day at the office. We've all had 'em, I had one (Sunday night).
"I promise I'll be back to play better."
DWINDLING NUMBERS: The Steelers took the field without safety Morgan Burnett (groin) and "nickel" cornerback Mike Hilton (elbow).
They lost safety Nat Berhe, who had been the "dime" (sixth defensive back) to a pectoral injury in the second half.
At that juncture cornerback Coty Sensabaugh, who had been alternating with cornerback Artie Burns, became the "nickel" and cornerback Cam Sutton, who had been the "nickel," became the "dime."
"It's definitely next man up," cornerback Joe Haden said. "We have Coty. We have Cam. They didn't practice at some of the positions but they're great football players and they can figure it out.
"It was a little tough but it's no excuse."
BOUNCE BACK: Kicker Chris Boswell had missed three of four field goal attempts and two of 11 extra points over the first three games, but special teams coordinator Danny Smith anticipated better against the Ravens based on a technical/mechanical adjustment the Steelers had identified.
Boswell delivered a 3-for-3 night (field goals of 34 and 39 yards and a PAT).
"We've been working quite a bit these last couple of weeks trying to find, not really an answer but just trying to feel good about it," Boswell said.
"We think we came up with something and we applied it to the week and had a really good week coming into the game. Wish I'd kicked a little more but I still did my job."
HE SAID IT: "We just gotta execute on third down. We gotta make our plays. The Ravens did that, they executed, held the ball, that's it." _ Smith-Schuster
