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Postgame Takes

Tomlin: 'A disappointing game to say the least'

In the trenches: Coach Mike Tomlin didn't hold back following the Steelers 36-28 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday Night Football.

He wasn't happy, in particular with the way the Steelers got beat in the trenches on both sides of the ball.

"A disappointing game to say the least," said Tomlin. "Just to be blunt man, we're getting handled up front on both sides of the ball and that makes it difficult. It makes it difficult to do what we desire to do. It makes it difficult to maintain balance. It makes it difficult to dictate to our opponents.

"There's going to be tough sledding for us until we until we get better in that area. We're not good in that area. We were J.V. again in that area tonight and I'm talking up front. And I'm talking about up front on both sides. We lost the battle on the line of scrimmage and that's football. We make no excuse. It is what it is. We got to be better than we were.

"We were getting beat in the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. I'm not going to make it more complex than what it is. Football is a complex yet simple game. You got to whip blocks, you got to make tackles, you got to sustain blocks. You got to make sure your pile is falling in the right direction."

No stone unturned: When Tomlin said that they've got to be better than they were tonight, he was clear that he won't be shy about finding ways to do it. 

"We'll turn over every stone to do that," said Tomlin. "We got a long week coming up between this and our next one. We'll make good use of that time and assess not only what we're doing, but who we're doing it with.

"We will not be bashful about turning the stones over."

Effort: The Steelers found themselves extremely thin at outside linebacker after both T.J. Watt (groin) and Alex Highsmith (quad) left the game with injuries.

It was Taco Charlton and Derrek Tuszka, two players who weren't on the opening day roster, that stepped in.

"I just appreciate the efforts," said Tomlin. "Those guys are new to us and hadn't played a lot and they quickly became every down players. So, I appreciate the efforts.

"But efforts don't get the job done. We didn't put enough pressure on the quarterback."

Game action photos from the Steelers' Week 14 game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium

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