Postgame TikTok dance could be expensive for the Steelers

The Steelers did a post-game TikTok without masks that could really hurt the team.

[jwplayer UVHdnNNC-ThvAeFxT]

The Pittsburgh Steelers celebrated their 12th win of the season and the AFC North crown on Sunday evening. After a huge comeback win, the Steelers players were elated and couldn’t hold back their emotions in the locker room. This included a group TikTok dance in honor of the win as well as a way of supporting wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster who took some heat for his pregame dances earlier in the season.

But this move could end up costing the Steelers. Basically what happened is the Steelers players put out a video openly violating COVID-19 protocol. According to Pittsburgh news anchor Josh Rowntree, this is just like the situation that cost the New Orleans Saints $500,000 and a seventh-round pick earlier in the season.

[vertical-gallery id=484343]

[listicle id=484547]

Despite no sacks, Steelers LB Alex Highsmith has best NFL performance vs Colts

Steelers Wire looks at how Alex Highsmith has improved since taking over for Bud Dupree in the starting lineup.

[jwplayer UVHdnNNC-ThvAeFxT]

Pittsburgh Steelers rookie linebacker Alex Highsmith was put in an unenviable position this season when he had to replace Bud Dupree. When Dupree tore his ACL, Highsmith was thrust into a starting role and no player wants to be the guy who replaces the guy.

Being 100 percent honest, Highsmith’s play during his first three NFL starts were pretty much what you’d expect from a rookie who came into the league with some questions about his technique and level of competition.

But on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, Highsmith’s game took a big step forward. In going back and reviewing the game, it was nice to see Highsmith using a variety of pass-rush moves while at the same time having to contend with a team that worked hard to run the football. Against the Cincinnati Bengals, Highsmith made some costly misreads on run plays and looked lost at times.

Highsmith finished the game with seven total tackles and two quarterback hits. He hasn’t landed a sack since taking over the starting spot but you see him getting closer. Highsmith played with a great level of energy and while he may never be the player Dupree is, it was great to see his game take another step on Sunday.

[vertical-gallery id=484343]

[listicle id=484547]

JuJu Smith-Schuster’s mom said she received death threats over son’s dances

Some Steelers fans sunk to a new low last week with the mother of JuJu Smith-Schuster.

[jwplayer UVHdnNNC-ThvAeFxT]

Everyone in Steeler Nation rejoiced on Sunday when the Pittsburgh Steelers completed their comeback against the Indianapolis Colts to secure their 12th win of the season and another AFC North crown. After a long month of poor play, the Steelers rallied in the second half against the Colts and quiet at least some of the critics.

It was cause for celebration. And dancing. But there was some bad news brought to light on this exciting afternoon. The mother of Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster posted on social media how excited she was for her son and the team to get the win. Especially since during the week, she had gotten death threats from Steelers fans about the pregame TikTok dances Smith-Schuster had been doing.

There’s a lot to unpack here from her message but you did read that right. Steelers fans, maybe some of you reading this, sent death threats to the mother of a player for some 30-second dance videos the player does before the game. Let that sink in a minute.

There is nothing more troubling than when fandom turns dark like this. We all get how invested fans can be but to any reasonable person, this was seriously crossing the line.

[vertical-gallery id=484343]

[listicle id=484547]

5 observations from Steelers 28-24 comeback win over the Colts

The Steelers clinched the AFC North with a convincing come-from-behind win at Heinz Field against a complete Colts team.

The Pittsburgh Steelers clinched the AFC North with a convincing come-from-behind win at Heinz Field against a complete team in the Indianapolis Colts.

Here are five observations from the victory.

4 things we learned from the Steelers comeback win over the Colts

We learned more this week about the Steelers than we have in a month.

Just when everyone was ready to bury the Pittsburg Steelers and declare their season a sham, they go out and beat the Indianapolis Colts in dramatic fashion, coming back from 17 points down at halftime. There is only one week left before the playoffs and the Steelers are AFC North champs.

What did this week teach us? Here’s what we learned.

Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster admits the team had no energy in 1st half

The Steelers struggled with their energy in the first half but turned it around in the second half.

[jwplayer UVHdnNNC-ThvAeFxT]

It’s been a long month for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Three straight losses and backing into the playoffs after winning 11 straight will do that to a team. And on Sunday, when the Steelers came out against the Indianapolis Colts, it looked to be a repeat of the past three games.

The team came out in the first half with zero energy and this wasn’t a detail missed by wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. He admitted as much when he spoke to the media after the game.

According to Smith-Schuster, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and center Maurkice Pouncey addressed the team at halftime and you saw a completely different team come out in the second half.

Smith-Schuster himself had a huge second half. After a slow start, Smith-Schuster finished with nine catches for 96 yards and a receiving touchdown.

[vertical-gallery id=484343]

[listicle id=484540]

Ben Roethlisberger stays mum about wanting to rest next week

The Steelers quarterback isn’t ready to talk about if he wants to play next week or not.

[jwplayer UVHdnNNC-ThvAeFxT]

At this point, no matter what happens next week, the Pittsburgh Steelers will go into the AFC playoffs as no worse than the No. 3 seed. The team wrapped up another AFC North crown on Sunday with their 28-24 win over the Indianapolis Colts, snapping a three-game losing streak.

With this comes some decisions the Steelers coaches will have to make ahead of next week’s game with the Cleveland Browns. Pittsburgh does have the option to rest their key starters, giving them a sort of bye week before they would host a first-round playoff game.

But Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger isn’t talking about his preference. He was asked what he’d prefer in the post-game press conference but he dodged the question completely and said he wants to focus on celebrating this win tonight.

Before we hear it from the team, I want to hear it from the fans. Should the Steelers play their starters next week or should the team rest guys like Roethlisberger heading into the playoffs.

[vertical-gallery id=484343]

[listicle id=484540]

Steelers storm back in 2nd half for the win and AFC North title

Pittsburgh had a huge second-half rally to beat the Colts and win the AFC North.

[jwplayer UVHdnNNC-ThvAeFxT]

Sometimes you just have to will it into existence. After falling behind 24-7 at halftime, the Pittsburgh Steelers stormed back on the arm of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to beat the Indianapolis Colts 28-24 to break their four-game losing streak and win the AFC North.

The two halves could not have gone more differently for Pittsburgh. Roethlisberger looked lost, the offensive line couldn’t get any traction and the defense was barely hanging on for dear life.

But in the second half, the Steelers turned it up on both sides of the football and literally willed their way to a win The Steelers defense put the clamps on the Colts run game and continued to turn up the pressure on Colts quarterback Philip Rivers. Pittsburgh picked off Rivers ones and sacked him five times including two from linebacker T.J. Watt.

Roethlisberger started slow but finished with 349 yards passing and three touchdowns to no interceptions. The offense caught fire in the second and we have to believe this was Roethlisberger taking control of the plays.

Now the Steeler can be no worse than third in the AFC playoffs with one game against a Cleveland Browns team still fighting just to make the playoffs.

[vertical-gallery id=484343]

[listicle id=484540]

Steelers vs Colts: 4 takeaways from the first half

The first half was ugly for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The late-season collapse of the Pittsburgh Steelers continues at home against the Indianapolis Colts this week. The Steelers trail the Colts 21-7 and halftime and unless they can sort out some serious problems at halftime are on the verge of their fourth-straight loss.

Here are our painful takeaways from the first half.

Steelers vs Colts inactives: No surprises among Steelers inactives

The Steelers are going to be short-handed on defense again this weekend.

[jwplayer UVHdnNNC-ThvAeFxT]

The Pittsburgh Steelers announced their inactives for this week’s game against the Indianapolis Colts. The Steelers will be without kicker Chris Boswell for the second game this season and the linebacking group is once again short-handed.

Inside linebacker Marcus Allen and outside linebacker Ola Adeniyi are both inactive for this week’s game along with quarterback Joshua Dobbs, running back Anthony McFarland and defensive end Isaiah Buggs.

On the other side of the football, the Colts will be without both starting tackles.

[vertical-gallery id=484343]

[listicle id=484515]