Mike Tomlin Calls Out Special Teams Unit for Muffed Punt in Week 2 Loss

Special teams units are overlooked when the score is a blowout, but that part of the game can take center stage in a close NFL battle. That was what happened in the Pittsburgh Steelers' Week 2 loss to the New England Patriots, as a muffed punt ended up being costly for Pittsburgh. Head coach Mike Tomlin didn't hesitate to voice his displeasure.

Tomlin said the breakdown on the muffed punt included having just 10 players on the field for that play. Said players are expected to know who is supposed to be on the field in those situations. Part of being a "professional."
— Dale Lolley (@dlolley_pgh) September 19, 2022

Pittsburgh Steelers News

Two plays after cornerback Cameron Sutton dropped a sure interception, a punt ricocheted right off Gunner Olszewski's face mask and into the hands of the Patriots. New England then took advantage of the stellar field position and scored a touchdown to go up 17-6 in the third quarter, which ultimately made the difference in the 17-4 final score.

With the way Pittsburgh's offense was struggling, a two-possession lead at that point might as well have been a 50-point lead. Muffed punts happen, but it was why it happened that frustrated Tomlin. The Steelers only had 10 players on the field and it put them at a major disadvantage in coverage.

"We got a bunch of professional guys. We expect 11 professionals to be on the field and there are consequences when they aren't."
- Mike Tomlin on the special teams miscue

Patriots special teamer Brenden Schooler was left all alone and given a free release at the line of scrimmage. It allowed him to get right next to Olszewski as the punt was coming down and he was in perfect position to recover the ball. Successful NFL teams cannot make those kinds of mistakes.

Steelers vs Browns Week 3 Odds

The Steelers only have a few days to figure things out ahead of their Week 3 matchup against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football. Pittsburgh is currently 4.5-point road underdogs on FanDuel Sportsbook's NFL odds.

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