Smith-Schuster takes blame: ‘Let everyone down’
Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster continued to take the blame Monday for a costly loss by the Pittsburgh Steelers, saying on Twitter that he “let everyone down” after a fourth-quarter fumble.
In arguably its gutsiest performance of the year, Pittsburgh fails to overcome mistakes and controversy in a loss that has its playoff hopes on edge.
After two questionable pass-interference calls against him negated fourth-down stops in Pittsburgh’s loss to New Orleans, Steelers CB Joe Haden spoke to the difficulty of playing defense in an “offensive game.”
After the New Orleans Saints scored the go-ahead touchdown for a 31-28 lead with 1:25 remaining, the Steelers were driving into field-goal range when Smith-Schuster fumbled at the New Orleans 34.
“It’s tough to go out like that,” Smith-Schuster said after the game. “I got tackled, I fumbled, game over. I was just trying to get down. They made a good play.”
Smith-Schuster, 22, continued to be critical of himself Monday, even after a game in which he had 11 catches for 115 yards — becoming the youngest NFL player ever to reach 100 receptions in a season, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
When I’m at my lowest, I’m not going to hide. I’m sorry. That loss was on me. I let everyone down, it won’t happen again. pic.twitter.com/amLOGJxino
With the loss, the Steelers dropped out of first place in the AFC North for the first time since October. To win the division title, Pittsburgh (8-6-1) needs to beat Cincinnati next Sunday and have Baltimore (9-6) lose at home to Cleveland.
If that doesn’t happen, the Steelers would need the unlikely scenario of an Indianapolis-Tennessee tie to earn a wild card.
“All we have is a chance,” Cam Heyward said. “We just have to go play Cincinnati this week and get a win. You never know what can happen.”
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and The Associated Press contributed to this report.