Running game still is struggling
Conner fumble leads to winning 49ers TD
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph wanted to absolve James Conner of any blame in the moments after the crushing 24-20 loss to the 49ers Sunday afternoon at Levi’s Stadium. He did what every quarterback should do in that situation. He had Conner’s back after he fumbled with 5:36 remaining in the game, a miscue that opened the door for the 49ers’ improbable comeback win.
“That never happens to James,” Rudolph said.
If only Rudolph’s words were true.
It happens to Conner way too often in critical situations.
His latest fumble led to the 49ers’ go-ahead touchdown with 1:20 remaining and was the biggest contributing factor in the Steelers falling to 0-3. It might not have been the only mistake the Steelers made, but Conner’s cough-up certainly came at the worst possible time.
Unfortunately for the Steelers, this is becoming somewhat of a habit for their starting running back. It was Conner’s fourth fumble since the start of the 2018 season and the third one contributed greatly to a Steelers loss or tie.
In November 2018, in a game at Denver, Conner fumbled late in the third quarter as the Steelers were driving deep in Broncos ter- ritory for the go-ahead score. The score was tied at 17-17 at the time. The Steelers lost, 24-17.
In the 2018 opener in Cleveland, a fourth-quarter fumble when the Steelers led, 21-7, opened the gates for the Browns to storm back with 14 unanswered points in the final few minutes to force a 21-21 tie.
The fumble against the 49ers was even worse than the others. It came after the Steelers forced their fifth turnover of the game deep in their territory. T.J. Watt recovered a fumble at the 14 to thwart another 49ers scoring threat just a minute earlier.
There was 6:49 left on the clock. They could have closed the game out with a touchdown, or at the very least, picked up a few first downs and punted the ball away. Instead, on the third play after the turnover, Conner coughed it up and gave the 49ers yet another chance to win the game.
“First of all, we’ve got to do a better job of taking care of the ball,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “We know that. Particularly in the state we’re in from a health standpoint. And we didn’t do it.”
Tomlin was speaking about both turnovers. Rudolph was intercepted on the first series of the third quarter. Both turnovers were converted into touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Steelers managed all of six points off the five turn- overs they forced. Ballgame.
“It’s frustrating,” said Conner, who gave reporters a series of one- and two-word answers at his postgame scrum.
Coming off a Pro Bowl season, Conner is off to a slow start to the 2019 season. He had 45 yards on 13 carries Sunday. He’s still 1 yard shy of 100 — after three games.
Tomlin benched receiver Donte Moncrief for the game Sunday after he dropped five passes in the first two games. His final drop last week against Seattle set up the Seahawks’ go-ahead touchdown.
Tomlin told Steelers.com Saturday, “If we’re talking to receivers about catching the ball, what are we talking about? That’s just a requirement of the job. It’s just like talking to a linebacker about tackling. It’s the essence of the position.”
Sort of like a running back hanging onto the ball?
Tomlin doesn’t seem inclined to bench Conner, though. He went back in the game when the Steelers tried to mount a final scoring drive after the 49ers scored. And it wasn’t like Tomlin or offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner was shying away from Conner throughout the game even though he wasn’t having much success against the 49ers defense.
Conner’s backup, Jaylen Samuels, didn’t have one touch the entire day. Fichtner talked all spring and summer about Samuels being a bigger part of the offense this season. It’s almost as if he’s disappeared from it.
It certainly doesn’t seem as if Conner is going to get the Moncrief treatment.
“He’s a pro,” offensive lineman David DeCastro said. “He’s an adult. I’ve had bad plays plenty of times in this league. He’ll take it on his shoulders and be ready for next week.”