The Steelers Lost a Game…finally!

Updated: August 13, 2025

The Steelers lastly lost a football game Monday night, and it seemed like some sort of cosmic guideline of deep space snapped back into order. Like traffic on the 405, Starbucks spelling your name incorrect, or Taylor Swift controling year-end playlists, some things simply make good sense– and among those things is that this Pittsburgh group is no longer the last unbeaten group in the NFL. While the Steelers still sit atop the AFC, the NFL standings look more right with a one in Pittsburgh's loss column.

Throughout the 2020 season, the Steelers showcased a remarkable level of play that propelled them to an unprecedented 11-0 start. This feat was underscored by key victories against formidable opponents such as the Baltimore Ravens and the Cleveland Browns, both of which highlighted the team's tenacity and skill. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was a major influence during this stretch, throwing for multiple touchdowns and establishing a strong commanding presence on the field. Their defense, led by T.J. Watt with his relentless pursuit and sack record, kept the pressure on opposing teams, contributing to their strong standings.

All season long, as the Steelers sneaked closer and closer to an unblemished 19-0 record and a possibility to make history, it ended up being a growing number of clear that this group was getting, well, quite fortunate. Prior to Monday, they ‘d gone 6-0 in one-score games, which represented over half of the group's wins. They ‘d played the third-easiest schedule in the league according to Pro Football Reference's strength of schedule metric. FiveThirtyEight's ELO rankings pinned the Steelers as the second-worst 11-0 group in NFL history, out of 18 groups:

The last little my code consists of an example of what you can do with the FiveThirtyEight information, that includes both variations of their elo rankings and beginning QBs in each game from 1950 to present.FiveThirtyEight ranks the 2020 Steelers as 17th out of 18 groups that began 11-0-0 pic.twitter.com/EicRgA6DEV

The streak lastly concerned an end versus the Washington Football Team, a 4-7 team beginning third-string quarterback Alex Smith (who suffered a gnarly gash to his left leg in the 2nd quarter). The Football Team left to a sluggish start, however a handful of effective second-half drives– integrated with a sputtering Steelers offense– permitted Washington to subdue Pittsburgh, 23-17. The loss, which came at Heinz Field, stings for Pittsburgh. However it likewise permits us to stop comparing the Steelers to unbeaten groups of the past, and begin considering how Pittsburgh compares to other Super Bowl competitors this year.

The Washington Football Team implemented a defense that capitalized on physicality and forced errors. Notably, their defensive front was exceptional, using their strengths to confront the Steelers' offensive line directly. Chase Young, the no. 2 draft pick, led the effort with standout plays that included tipping passes and breaking through to disrupt Pittsburgh's flow. Not only did this strategy help contain the Steelers to just 21 rushing yards, but it also allowed Washington to capitalize on key momentum shifts.

Make no error, the Steelers are a great football group. Entering the week, they ranked 2nd in Football Outsiders's DVOA, and 3rd in Pro Football Focus's power rankings. Pittsburgh has the league's finest defense: It ranks initially in DVOA, initially in points per game permitted, initially in takeaways, and initially in passing backyards enabled. T.J. Watt leads the league in sacks and is a front-runner for Defensive Player of the Year. Their receivers group is amongst the very best in the league sometimes, the offending line is excellent when healthy, and the protective secondary is a suppressing system. On the whole, this is among the most fleshed-out lineups in football. No group wishes to take a trip to Pittsburgh this winter season.

However in this game, the majority of the important things that have actually normally gone right for the Steelers didn't. Though Pittsburgh opened to a 14-0 lead, they appeared to run out of gas as the game went on. The group was coming off a reduced week owing to the Ravens' COVID-19 break out that postponed Week 12's game up until Wednesday. Pittsburgh likewise was missing out on running back James Conner, cornerback Steven Nelson, and center Maurkice Pouncey due to different disorders. Linebacker Robert Spillane, and corner Joe Haden left the game due to injury.

Still, the Steelers were anticipated to deal with a Washington group that comes from the worst department in football and had not won in Pittsburgh given that George H.W. Bush's presidency. Pittsburgh's 14-point lead appeared to verify that they ‘d finish a group that does not even have a name:

This is the Steelers 2nd loss when leading by 14+ points at any point consisting of championship game, because preparing Ben Roethlisberger in 2004. They had actually been 109-1-1 because scenario going into play. pic.twitter.com/vpMygIrVLA

The Steelers have long been known for their impressive ability to hold leads, a hallmark of their franchise strength since drafting Ben Roethlisberger. With a record of 109-1-1 when ahead by 14 points since 2004, this remarkable consistency places them among the elite in NFL history. When analyzing other teams, few can match this level of performance, underscoring Pittsburgh's historic prowess in maintaining leads during tense late-game scenarios.

However the Football Team argued, revealing flashes of long-lasting capacity. Washington has actually pumped resources into its front 4– consisting of utilizing the no. 2 choice in the 2020 draft on pass rush Chase Young– and it displayed in this contest. The Football Team held the Steelers backfield to simply 21 hurrying backyards on 13 brings. Roethlisberger hung back to pass 51 times, and the outcomes were unimpressive: The Steelers punted on 5 drives and were stopped short on 4th down on another 2. And while the Washington pass rush did not sack Roethlisberger in the game, they tipped numerous passes, and it was that capability to interfere with the pocket that produced the turnover that all however put the game away for the Football Team:

HOW ABOUT THIS DEFENSE!.?.!@budlight!.?.!|#BudLightCelly pic.twitter.com/3tGfafwhDx– Washington Football Team(@WashingtonNFL)December 8, 2020 The Steelers, on the other hand, made a lot of errors. They&were packed on the objective line in the 2nd quarter, dropped numerous prospective conclusions, were outscored 20-3 in the 2nd half, and lost the turnover fight for simply the 2nd time all season. It was a damaged protection that caused Washington connecting the game: Alex Smith discovers Logan Thomas to connect it up in the 4th quarter versus the unbeaten Steelers.(by means of @NFL) pic.twitter.com/zhNl3NL1Dj– #RingerNFL( @ringernfl )December 8, 2020 The Steelers even stay atop the AFC in spite of the loss, holding a tiebreaker over the Chiefs for the no. 1 area thanks to Pittsburgh's loss pertaining to an out-of-conference challenger. Pittsburgh still has a clear course to the conference's front runner, and the postseason bye week that chooses it. That bye would be important for Pittsburgh, considered that the group had its bye week went up to Week 4 throughout the Titans'coronavirus break out.

Despite the setback against Washington, the Steelers were left well-positioned in the AFC standings. Their tiebreaker advantage over the Kansas City Chiefs provided them a strategic cushion, preserving their spot at the top of the conference. This loss, mostly seen as a wake-up call, also prompted evaluations of how Pittsburgh could re-strategize for the postseason. The potential for a postseason bye was within reach, emphasizing just how significant each game would be in determining playoff seedings and momentum.

The Steelers are still Super Bowl competitors, they're simply no longer competitors to go 19-0. And taking a look at their history of close efficiencies, they never ever actually were.