Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said it best after the Week 16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

“We didn’t do what we needed to do to secure victory today, and so I congratulate the Ravens on their performance and the victory,” Tomlin began his postgame press conference, explaining: “Really specifically, we didn’t control the run game. We never did. And when you don’t, man, you got to do some splash plays or win the turnover battle in a significant way and we didn’t do that either.”

“You got to control the run, the line of scrimmage,” Tomlin reiterated later. “The turnover game is always significant in matchups like this. But we failed in both areas and when you do that, you should expect to lose.”

Say what you want about Coach Tomlin, but he rarely minces words. The message is as direct and clear as possible after the punishing performance from Ravens running back Derrick Henry.

It reads something like: That can’t happen, and we’ve got to fix it — immediately.

Steelers’ Russell Wilson Critical of His Turnovers vs. Ravens

As Tomlin indicated, Wilson is tough on himself. That was evident when Wilson spoke to reporters immediately after the 17-point loss to the Ravens.

“I put that game on me in the sense of there are two great opportunities there,” he told the media.

“They made two plays on us that were significant plays. Unfortunately, I can’t let that happen.”

Wilson explained that he tried to cut back when he saw Ravens safety Ar’Darius Washington was closing in near the 5-yard line. Steelers fans on social media during the game criticized Wilson for not sliding. After the game, the quarterback explained that he was trying to score.

That was one of the best examples of Wilson perhaps trying to do too much. In retrospect, Tomlin admitted that he also wished Wilson would have slid.

Or, Wilson could have simply braced himself better for the hit to avoid fumbling.

Mike Tomlin’s Steelers Lose Margin for Error in AFC North Race

For much of the second half of the season, the Steelers have had a 2-game lead in the AFC North. But with Tomlin’s team losing its past two games, the Steelers are now in a first place tie with the Ravens at 10-5.

The Steelers could have clinched the division with a win on December 21. Although they failed to deliver, they can still win the AFC North. The Steelers must beat the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals to accomplish that feat.