The Steelers’ 17-0 loss to the Jets on Friday was the kind of night that leaves a mark, even in August. Pittsburgh didn’t just get shut out - it watched backup quarterback Will Howard take a step backward after a promising start to the preseason.
Howard finished 10 of 15 for 74 yards, but the two interceptions told the real story. Both turnovers killed drives that had a chance to become something more, and Howard didn’t duck from it afterward.
Speaking to reporters, he put the performance on himself and made it clear the standard wasn’t met. “We can't let this trip us up going forward.
We have to continue to make strides. And we didn't really make any strides tonight,” he said, according to ESPN reporter Brooke Pryor.
Pryor also posted another Howard comment on X: “Performance wasn't up to par. ... Just the little details. ... It's a shame because those were both good drives.”
Howard said the Steelers were moving the ball well before the interceptions changed the tone. “I felt like we were moving the ball really well.
One of the first things we talk about is protecting the football. Got to be better and learn from it.”
Head coach Mike McCarthy said after the game that Pittsburgh had still taken a step forward, even with the ugly final score. But he also pointed to the gap between this week and the preseason opener, saying, “If I'm looking for one clean way to explain the production of going down from eight days ago to today, the details and the execution wasn't as high.”
For Howard, the takeaway was simple: the talent showed in spots, but the turnovers erased it. The good news for Pittsburgh is that he sounded like a quarterback who understands exactly where it went wrong.
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