Chase Claypool can laugh at himself after his mental blunder for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Chase Claypool and the Pittsburgh Steelers can breathe a sigh of relief after getting to 8-0.
Pittsburgh almost embarrassed itself vs. the Dallas Cowboys. The Steelers trailed at halftime to fourth-stringer quarterback Garrett Gilbert. Though they were able to eke out a 24-19 win over “America’s Team”, Claypool was nearly the goat for giving Dallas a chance to get back in it. Claypool quickly tweeted out a very important realization in his rookie year: “I’m never sliding again”.
I’m never sliding again.
— Chase Claypool (@ChaseClaypool) November 9, 2020
Pittsburgh was this close to suffering its first loss of the season
The play Claypool would have been scrutinized for was a designed run on a third-and-5 on the Dallas 19-yard line. Claypool opted to slide on the run before being downed by Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch. Dallas was fortunate to force a fourth-and-1 deep in their territory. Steelers running back James Conner was tackled for a four-yard loss on a turnover on downs.
A field goal try would have made it an eight-point game for the Steelers, but once again, this was not their best game. Dallas nearly scored a game-winning touchdown on the final play. An incomplete pass from Gilbert to rookie wide receiver CeeDee Lamb from the Steelers’ 23-yard line was Pittsburgh’s saving grace. Claypool should be thanking his lucky stars about his mental lapse.
Sliding is only preferred in football if a guy plays the position of quarterback, and that is it.