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Jeremy Fowler, senior NFL national reporter 7y

Injured Cam Heyward: Steelers' defense has to 'have some pride'

NFL

PITTSBURGH -- Cam Heyward had seen enough.

From his locker Monday, the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end and co-captain was critical of his team's defense after giving up a combined 362 rushing yards to Miami and New England and letting Rob Gronkowski get loose at a critical moment in Sunday's 27-16 loss to the Patriots at home.

The Steelers enter the bye week with back-to-back losses -- the only two games Heyward has missed in his six-year career -- thanks in part to a reeling defense that allowed a six-play, 75-yard touchdown drive early in the fourth quarter.

"We had momentum going [into that drive]," Heyward said. "It was 20-16, and we let them get that. And it was like we just quit. I don't mean to say that lightly, but I just felt like we had so many opportunities out there."

Gronkowski's double fake in the open field freed him up for a 37-yard gain, and LeGarrette Blount followed with a 5-yard touchdown run. Blount ran all over Pittsburgh, with 127 yards and two scores.

Heyward clarified that he didn't sense an effort problem, but rather urgency and situational football awareness were issues. New England's defense was tired, Heyward said, so forcing a stop would have been timely.

The Gronkowski play felt "like the wind was pushed out of us" and the defense should have made more of a stand, Heyward said.

Of the 362 rushing yards, Heyward said, "That's never been allowed here in two weeks. That's just piss-poor [tackling] technique. You have to have some pride when you're out there."

Linebacker Ryan Shazier told reporters Sunday the Steelers' run defense was "garbage," to which Heyward said Shazier was being kind.

Three of the Steelers' former first-round picks on defense -- Heyward, Shazier and Bud Dupree -- have missed games this year because of injury. That doesn't excuse a letdown when players go out, Heyward said.

The Steelers have a league-low eight sacks on the year and are among the NFL's lowest in interceptions with three. Once famous for the "Blitzburgh" label, the Steelers have blitzed a dropback passer seven times the past two weeks, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill went 6-of-7 for 101 yards against those blitzes.

Defensive end Stephon Tuitt said the team's struggles in stopping the run are affecting its ability to blitz more.

The Steelers face the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9, possibly without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who's nursing a knee injury.

"This bye week is very important for us," Tuitt said. "Regroup, restart, and do it again."

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