Four games into the season, the Steelers are still having issues with center-quarterback exchanges. The one late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 27-24 loss to the Colts might have cost the Steelers the game.
On a 1st-and-10 play from the Steelers 42-yard line with 1:43 remaining, rookie center Zach Frazier’s snap bounced off quarterback Justin Fields when he was not looking and resulted in a 12-yard loss.
Frazier said he was in the middle of making a call when he felt a tap from guard Mason McCormick, signaling him to snap the ball. McCormick said he, Frazier and Fields all share in the blame.
Fields, however, took full ownership on the play.
“Yeah, it was my fault,” Fields said. “We were running the first leg kick, and Zach was [identifying] and stuff. I felt the [defensive backs] rotating and changing the back-end picture. So he was ID’ing stuff, telling the O-line where to go, I was just trying to get that final picture before the snap came. So, at the end of the day, it was on the first leg kick. So after I kicked my leg up, I’ve got to be ready for the ball, no matter when it's going to come or not. So, yeah, it’s on me.”
Fumbled exchanges have been an ongoing issue for Fields and his centers. Before Frazier ascended to the starting center job, there were issues with center Nate Herbig before he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury.
Fields threw for 312 yards and ran for 55 yards and two touchdowns, but the botched snap and his fumble after taking a 22-yard sack were two plays that factored heavily into the final outcome.
“I appreciate his fight, but he and we were a little bit sloppy at times, too sloppy to comfortably secure victory,” Tomlin said.
First Published: September 29, 2024, 11:13 p.m.
