Steelers' season ends in heavy rain and with sea of mistakes

How appropriate that Pittsburgh Steelers' season ended on a soggy, ugly Sunday when y couldn’t move ball or stop Baltimore Ravens on offense.

Even if y beat Ravens, Steelers weren't going to postseason. Tennessee's win over Houston finalized that outcome. But to conclude season with a 28-10 loss to a team that rested seven starters was pretty tough to take.

“We didn't finish way we wanted to finish,” safety Minkah Fitzpatrick said. “re were a lot of things we could have done better.”

Before Steelers (8-8) get around to doling out blame for ir shortcomings, y will first look in mirror introspectively to determine exactly what went wrong during a three-game skid that cost m an invitation to postseason party.

“t going out and winning se last three is most definitely frustrating because we h a chance to make playoffs,” linebacker Mark Barron said. "It hurts, but it is what it is. It’s on us. We got to point finger back at ourselves because we just didn’t make plays.”

Sure, losing veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to injury early on me it tough on Pittsburgh. Steelers were 1-4 before using a 7-1 streak to get back into it, but final three weeks left m on outside looking in at playoffs for a second year in a row.

“I'm looking forward to Ben hopefully coming back healthy,” receiver Diontae Johnson said. “So it can get back to way it used to be.”

Coach Mike Tomlin h interest in dissecting season just a few minutes after it ended.

“We're t going to assess it too much to make bro statements. We will have time for that in days that follow,” he said.

Pittsburgh struggled in almost all phases of game. Steelers couldn’t generate any offense and failed to contain backup running back

re were paths to postseason even if Pittsburgh lost, but depending on or teams is never a good option. Sure eugh, Tennessee's win over Houston dashed Steelers' hopes.

Having alrey clinched top seed in AFC, Ravens rested quarterback Lamar Jackson and were without top running back Mark Ingram, who sat out with a calf injury. But Pittsburgh was unable to slow Baltimore ground game, which rolled up 223 yards, including 50 by backup QB Robert Griffin III, who was making his first start since 2016.

“We didn’t do a good eugh job today defensively at stopping run,” Barron said. “So I’m sure re’s some mistakes being me somewhere, because when you see people having success at run, somebody’s probably out of place.”

Aside from running back Benny Snell, who ran for 91 yards, Steelers h trouble sustaining any offense. ir

Hodges went 9 for 25 for 95 yards.

“Going home in January is t fun," he said. “This is my first year, so I am sure it hits older guys a lot different."

Asked to analyze problem with Steelers on offense, Hodges was succinct.

“Execution,” he said. “Got to be better. Execution. Turning ball over. Just little things, little things in game that will cost you.”

___

More AP NFL: