Steelers fans left disappointed after playoff loss to Bills
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Pittsburgh Steelers fans packed bars and restaurants across the area to watch the team play on Monday against the Buffalo Bills.
Die-hard fans believed the team would pull off a playoff win, but fans went home disappointed after a 31-17 loss. At Tom's Watch Bar on the North Shore, the optimism turned to disappointment as the game went on.
"We beat ourselves," Mark Paat of Pittsburgh said. "Those early turnovers crushed us. If it wasn't for that, we would've had a real chance, but you can't turn the ball over in a playoff game. That's the end of the story."
"Too many turnovers. Coming into the game, it's next guy up. Too many injuries. T.J. Watt is out," Kyle Beck of Pittsburgh said.
"Heartbreaking," Steelers fan Kelsey Ford said. "We always come into it thinking it's going to be a nailbiter. We know that, but we always have hope."
Fans talked about the ups and downs of the season, including the firing of Matt Canada, the criticisms of Mike Tomlin and three different starting quarterbacks.
Despite the tumultuous season, fans believed in the resiliency of the Steelers.
"We got pretty far. A lot of people didn't expect us to do what we did," Jarvis Nixon of Pittsburgh said.
And what surprised many fans was how well quarterback Mason Rudolph played.
"Mason Rudolph brought us back," Nixon said. "You got to take your hat off to him."
"He is the reason we are here. So, I think he has a chance to make (Kenny) Pickett the backup," Paat said. "He earned being where he is right now."
Fans say they hope to see a lot more changes in the offseason.
KDKA's Megan Shinn stopped by the Denny's off of Freeport Road in Harmar to get the pulse of how fans were feeling.
"It's definitely not something I'm very happy about," said Charles Okonkwo. "I was a little disappointed watching it, kind of hoping they were gonna you know, get their momentum, but they were just never able to get it."