Trying to win one in a row, again

Nov 21, 2020 at 08:15 AM

Mike Prisuta

Steelers.com

They've scored at least 24 points in a franchise-record nine consecutive games, have registered at least one sack in an NFL record-approaching 66 games in a row and at 9-0 have set a franchise standard for consecutive wins to start a season.

They're also the NFL's lone remaining undefeated team, but the Steelers aren't talking about any of that as they get ready to head to Jacksonville.

"Man, we only have conversations about winning, honestly," strong safety Terrell Edmunds maintained. "We're just focused on trying to win, focused on getting better, focused on what we messed up on last game that we can fix up before this next game."

Week after week after week, the mindset has been to win the next one and to get better.

Not to win another one in succession.

"The goal isn't to go undefeated, right?" quarterback Ben Roethlisberger offered. "The goal is to win a Super Bowl. We're just going one week at a time. We're not worried about anything other than this week."

The Jaguars (1-8) will be trying to win a game for winning's sake, among other reasons.

Jacksonville opened with a 27-20 victory over Indianapolis and followed that up with a 33-30 near miss at Tennessee.

Unfortunately for the Jaguars, the three-point loss to the Titans was the first setback in what has become an eight-game losing streak.

That makes Sunday's confrontation at Jacksonville's TIAA Bank Field one between two teams headed in distinctly different directions.

But both still travel in the same circles and populate the same weight class.

"There's no SEC vs. the MAC or anything like that in the National Football League," defensive coordinator Keith Butler offered. "You're gonna play against good teams every week, it doesn't matter what their record is."

Added head coach Mike Tomlin: "We are not a Big Ten team playing an MAC opponent. Every time we step into a stadium we are playing professionals, players and coaches, and we have a ridiculous level of respect for that.

"That's a group that is trying to kick our butt, a professional group, a capable group, and we are preparing with that understanding."

The Jaguars lead the all-time series, 14-12, including 2-0 in the postseason (playoff games at the conclusion of the 2007 and 2017 seasons).

That has the Steelers' attention, Roethlisberger's in particular.

But what the Steelers are after more than anything is doing what's necessary to put a complete game together.

"Any team can beat you at any time," wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster said. "It's the NFL, everyone has great players, a great team.

"For us, we just have to start off fast on offense, we can't play behind. There's been multiple times, multiple games where we've come from behind. We know we can do that, we know that's possible but let's have a game where we're not giving our Steeler Nation fans a heart attack.

"Let's have a game where we can go in and actually lead, offensive, defensive side of the ball, and take control."

1 / 54

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (39) practices at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex preparing for a Week 11 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Caitlyn Epes / Pittsburgh Steelers)