The way the Pittsburgh Steelers won their Week 13 game against the Atlanta Falcons was a testament to not only a team of talented football players, but also a team of smart players. The Steelers away he was able to secure a 19-16 win when Minka Fitzpatrick intercepted a pass thrown by Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota. End zone for a defensive touchdown.
But the game was over and Fitzpatrick, who knew the offense only needed to kneel in a winning formation, opted to go out of bounds instead of putting the game on ice and ensuring the Falcons never touched the ball again. Did.
According to the book, it was a smart situational play by Fitzpatrick, but ultimately sparked the ire of fantasy football owners and bettors who felt cheated out of a Steelers touchdown. On his weekly show, NFL coach Mike Tomlin openly lamented the impact both fantasy football and gambling have on the NFL.
“It’s silly to be talking about anything other than winning, whether it was the Steelers’ defense and lost fantasy points, or the over-and-under gambling aspect,” Tomlin said. It’s a silly story, but I’m often saddened by the distractions that can be part of enjoying watching men compete at the highest level in the game we all love, above and below the line with fantasy teams. It’s really a pity..”
Tomlin went on to praise Fitzpatrick’s situational awareness and selflessness, saying that rather than being disrespected by those who were upset by the needless lack of touchdowns and the impact up and down the game, such In a feature, he said he should be a “champion.”
Tomlin has much more to offer this weekend than outside distractions. A 5-8 season with one loss means Tomlin will have his first losing season as a Steelers head coach. Keeping up with Tomlin’s spotless record is no easy task, as he’ll be playing against a red-hot Carolina Panthers team without starting quarterback Kenny Pickett.