Falcons Let Bijan Robinson’s Brilliant Performance Go to Waste in Loss
In Week 13, Falcons’ star running back Bijan Robinson delivered another elite performance — 193 total yards and a touchdown — yet once again, his efforts weren’t enough to lift the team to victory. The loss to the Jets exposed deeper issues: special teams breakdowns, failed 3rd‑down conversions, and systemic dysfunction that even a standout individual outing couldn’t mask.
After the loss, veteran tight end Kyle Pitts didn’t mince words:
“Bijan gave us everything — you see the yards, you see the effort. But we didn’t do our jobs everywhere else. That hurts.”
Pitts’ sentiment captured the locker room’s feeling: pride in effort, regret at execution, and a growing sense that something in the system is broken.
Rookie pass‑rusher James Pearce Jr., coming off his fourth straight game with a sack, gave his own take:
“We can’t keep doing this — playing great individually but losing because we can’t clean up the little things. It’s on all of us, not just one guy. If we want wins, we gotta lock in — all three phases.”
Pearce’s words echoed the frustration many in the locker room feel: a demand for accountability, and a warning that singular performances won’t carry the team much longer.
The irony of the situation is stark. With players like Robinson, Pitts, and Pearce delivering when they’re on the field — the Falcons have little excuse for missing wins. Instead, breakdowns in special teams, poor 3rd‑down offense and inconsistent coaching decisions continue to overshadow flashes of brilliance.
If Atlanta wants to salvage this season — or rebuild trust with fans — they’ll need more than just standout individual games. They need cohesion, discipline, and execution across all three phases of the game. As Pitts put it:
Jack Sawyer Calls Out Steelers Fans Over 'Fire Tomlin' Chant
The Pittsburgh Steelers are reeling once again following another embarrassing loss. The season is quickly slipping out of the Steelers' hands, and the fanbase has responded with vitriol toward the roster and head coach Mike Tomlin. Things reached a fever pitch during their Week 13 loss, as the fanbase hurled "Fire Tomlin!" chants down on the team.
Following the loss, the Steelers players quickly came to their coach's defense. Leaders like Aaron Rodgers and T.J. Watt spoke about accountability in the locker room and defended Tomlin's coaching abilities and command of the team.
Even rookie linebacker Jack Sawyer took issue with the fans' jeering and blaming of Tomlin. Speaking postgame, he said the players are the ones to blame for not performing, and the coach shouldn't be scapegoated. He even went so far as to describe the calls for Tomlin as "BS."
“Yeah, you’re frustrated because that’s BS when people are saying that, but we’re not playing up to our standard," Sawyer said. "We need to take ownership as players and go out there and play a lot better."
Who is to Blame?
While the Steelers' locker room might not think Tomlin is the problem, that opinion isn't shared outside of that room. The fact of the matter is that this team was built entirely in Tomlin's image and making. The defensive moves to acquire Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay were supposed to fix their secondary. It didn't.
They brought in Tomlin's hand-picked starting quarterback in a washed up version of Aaron Rodgers. They swapped out a problematic figure in George Pickens for DK Metcalf at wide receiver. It's led to their offense being just as pedestrian as it has been since Ben Roethlisberger retired.
Hate the Sin, Love the Sinner
Yes, the players have failed and need to be better. Watt has gone from elite to just good. Alex Highsmith can't stay on the field. Metcalf's dropped passes issue has resurfaced with a vengeance in 2025. Ramsey has taken a step back. The running backs, Jaylen Warren and Kenny Gainwell, are doing their best with nothing to work with. There's plenty of blame worth lobbing on the players in the room.
But, ultimately, the buck stops with the head coach. If the entire roster is underperforming, who else is left to blame? Jack Sawyer might think it's "BS" to suggest firing Tomlin, but with nowhere left to turn, it's quickly becoming the Steelers' only option.
