The Pittsburgh Steelers failed to buck the absence of Aaron Rodgers, who was nursing a wrist injury, as they lost to the Chicago Bears, 31-28, at Soldier Field on Sunday.
The Steelers could have solidified their spot atop the AFC North, but Mason Rudolph fell short in leading them to the end zone in their final drive.
They are now tied with the Baltimore Ravens for the No. 1 seat in the division with identical 6-5 records. The Ravens defeated the New York Jets, 23-10, at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday.
After their loss, TJ Watt didn't mince his words about their situation.
“We have a lot of things to fix and fix quickly,” said the 31-year-old linebacker, as quoted by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ray Fittipaldo.
The Steelers have now lost four of their last six assignments, which doesn't bode well with the playoffs on the horizon.
They had the advantage in almost every statistic against the Bears, but they still failed to close it out. The absence of the 41-year-old Rodgers certainly didn't help, as his experience and poise could have been utilized in the second half.
The 30-year-old Rudolph went 24-of-31 for 171 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He got sacked twice.
While Watt didn't mention anyone, he was clearly not pleased with how they have been playing lately. His postgame remark could light a fire under his teammates as they aim to get back on track.
They, however, will face another tough test when they take on the Buffalo Bills in Week 13.
