From the Newsroom: Steelers vs. Cowboys

Return to work: On a night when linebacker TJ Watt recorded his 100th career sack, with a total of a sack and a half in the game, there was something much more meaningful and important that he wished had happened.

Watt became the second-fastest player to reach 100 career sacks, in 109 career games. Only Hall of Famer Reggie White did it faster, reaching the 100 sack mark in 96 games. Watt is also one of only three players to reach 100 career sacks before the age of 30.

But a victory would have meant much more to him.

“As I’ve always said, especially this year, it’s not about individual accolades,” Watt said. “It’s all about wanting to win. We didn’t do enough to get there.”

In the loss to the Cowboys, the Steelers gave up two long touchdowns, one of 16 plays and 90 yards and the other of 15 plays and 70 yards to end the game.

The defense also allowed the Cowboys to convert 9 of 15 third down attempts, something Watt knows is not a recipe for success.

“They obviously executed well and made plays in moments where plays needed to be made, and we couldn’t get off the field,” Watt said. “There was a point where they were able to get the ball to us, and that’s kind of what led to those long drives.

“I think there were (15) and 16 game practices, something like that. Obviously when the numbers are limited, that’s just a long time to be on the field. A nod to those guys -there.

“They had a great game plan and they executed it better than us.”

Tomlin said the defense wasn’t “connected enough” when it came to communication early in the game, and Watt said that was something they needed to work on.

“I’m sure we’ll come up with a plan after we watch the film,” Watt said. “Obviously when the home environment is this noisy it always creates a challenge for defenses. But we can’t make excuses.

“We just need to move forward and come up with a better product.”

While Watt would have loved to see one of his teammates come away with Elandon Roberts’ forced fumble in the final seconds, the one that Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott recovered, he knows the game wasn’t summarized in a single game.

“These games in the NFL are so close,” Watt said. “It might be a piece here or there, but obviously there’s a collection of works, a whole body of work that we’re going to have to go back and look at.

“It didn’t come down to one play tonight.”

And, sitting at 3-2 after the loss, Watt said there was only one thing to do.

“We just have to get back to work,” Watt said.