3 Takeaways from Steelers' Week 13 Loss vs. Cardinals

The Pittsburgh Steelers headed into Week 13 looking to build on last week's win over the Cincinnati Bengals and remain atop the AFC's wild-card race. Instead, they watched several players—including quarterback Kenny Pickett, linebacker Elandon Roberts and pass-rusher T.J. Watt—exit with injuries in a decisive 24-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

It was a sloppy game, twice interrupted by weather delays, that may have sapped Pittsburgh's momentum entering December. The good news is that Watt, at least, appears to be OK.

"I'm good," Watt said after the game, per Steelers Depot.

The bad? Just about everything else. Here are our three biggest takeaways from the Steelers' Week 13 loss to the Cardinals.

Pickett's Injury Throws a Wrench into Pittsburgh's Playoff Plans

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Kenny Pickett

Pickett suffered the ankle injury late in the first half and was ruled out when the two teams returned from the weather delay.

This forced Pittsburgh to turn to backup Mitchell Trubisky, and mistakes ensued. With Trubisky under center, the Steelers failed to score in the red zone just before Arizona's 99-yard touchdown drive to end the first half. The journeyman then fumbled on a promising second-half drive, leading to another Cardinals scoring opportunity.

Arizona capitalized with a James Conner touchdown and took a fairly commanding 14-point lead.

It'll likely be the Trubisky show for the new few weeks. According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pickett will undergo a surgical procedure on Monday and is expect to miss 2-4 weeks.

This creates two problems for Pittsburgh's wild-card hopes. For one, the offense simply isn't as efficient with Trubisky under center. Secondly, it puts a stop to the incremental progress Pickett and the offense have made under the new coaching setup.

The Steelers are set to host the New England Patriots on Thursday night, so the possibility of Pickett missing at least a game is very real.

The Struggle to Find Points Continues

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Steelers QB Mitch Trubisky and WR Diontae Johnson

The Steelers eventually got into the end zone when Trubisky found Diontae Johnson for a two-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, that score came far too late to truly mean anything.

For the second straight week, the Pittsburgh offense has done a decent job of racking up yards but a poor job of turning yards into points.

Last week marked Pittsburgh's first game following the firing of offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Mike Sullivan was named as the new playcaller, and the offense immediately topped 400 yards for the first time since 2020.

However, Pittsburgh scored only 16 points against the Bengals. On Sunday, the offense tallied 317 yards but a mere 10 points. This came against a Cardinals defense that entered the week ranked 31st in points allowed.

While Canada certainly appeared to be part of the problem, it's clear that he wasn't the only issue. The Steelers have to find answers, especially in the red zone, if they hope to remain in the playoff race.

That challenge becomes more difficult with Pickett sidelined.

This Loss Wasn't All on the Offense

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Steelers LBs T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith

While few probably expected Pittsburgh to lose to the two-win Cardinals, it wasn't a massive shock given the way the game unfolded. Pickett's injury and two lengthy delays made it difficult for the Steelers offense to establish a rhythm. The concerning part of the loss is that Pittsburgh's vaunted defense also struggled.

Yes, injuries played an issue there too, but it was alarming to see Arizona impose its will on the Steelers. The Cardinals only had 282 yards of offense, but they ran for 150 and converted a whopping 10 of 17 third-down attempts.

Pittsburgh struggled to contain the elusive Kyler Murray, and it couldn't find an answer for former Steeler James Connor—who finished with 105 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries. Tight end Trey McBride (eight catches, 89 yards, 1 TD) also gave the defense issues.

Fortunately, the Steelers defense will have a chance to return to form against the offensively-inconsistent Patriots on Thursday. Unfortunately, it will face some stiffer challenges when it battles the Indianapolis Colts, Seattle Seahawks and Baltimore Ravens over the final four weeks.