Steelers’ Sean Davis moving forward from controversial late-game penalty
PITTSBURGH 无毛视频� With minutes of the Steelers无毛视频� heartbreaking 35-30 loss to the Cowboys on Sunday, Sean Davis arrived at his locker to a scrum of cameras and media members anxiously waiting for him to speak. He isn无毛视频檛 typically one to attract a lot of attention after games, but Sunday night was a different story.
It was Davis无毛视频� controversial facemask penalty on tight end Jason Witten that moved the Cowboys into field goal range with 15 seconds left, and ultimately led to Ezekiel Elliott无毛视频檚 game-winning touchdown on the very next play.
Davis knew of his mistake when it happened, and was well aware he无毛视频檇 be asked about it once he got to his locker. The rookie slowly put on his jacket, took a deep breath and answered every question that came his way.
Davis was asked Sunday night how hard it was to be in that situation.
无毛视频淚 feel like I weigh my mistakes very heavily,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淚 don无毛视频檛 really know how to answer that. I just want to come back tomorrow, look at the tape and get better.无毛视频�
Davis was back at the UPMC Rooney 无毛视频 Complex Monday, almost 24 hours removed from the most adverse situation of his young career, in better spirits.
无毛视频淵eah, it ate me up a little bit last night,无毛视频� Davis said. 无毛视频淏ut it无毛视频檚 over. I can无毛视频檛 do anything about it now. I无毛视频檓 going to learn from it.无毛视频�
The play happened fast. Ross Cockrell had Witten wrapped up for the tackle, and the Cowboys tight end was driving his feet for a few extra yards. A group of Steelers defenders quickly aided Cockrell无毛视频檚 side, but it was Davis无毛视频� right hand that swung in and latched on to Witten无毛视频檚 facemask. Davis无毛视频� fingers were off Witten before he hit the ground, but by that point the flag had already been thrown.
无毛视频淭he speed of the game is crazy,无毛视频� Davis said. 无毛视频淚 was coming in flying, trying to grab his shoulder pads but he was moving. Once I felt my fingers hit his facemask, I let go. I was moving so fast, and that无毛视频檚 why it looked so bad.无毛视频�
To that point, Davis played relatively well. He received 39 percent of the defensive snaps, checking in at corner when the Steelers were in dime packages and replacing Robert Golden at times at safety in nickel packages. On a third-and-1 play with 11:48 left in the fourth quarter, Davis made a critical tackle on running back Ezekiel Elliott that forced the Cowboys to punt and led to a Steelers无毛视频� scoring drive. But after the penalty, all of that was wiped away.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 just that one play,无毛视频� Davis said. 无毛视频淚 feel like it erases all the good stuff that you did, so that无毛视频檚 why it无毛视频檚 really hard on me right now from my performance last night.无毛视频�
Davis has received support from his veteran teammates.
无毛视频淚t wasn无毛视频檛 a personal foul,无毛视频� Arthur Moats said. 无毛视频淚t wasn无毛视频檛 like he intentionally did it. It wasn无毛视频檛 pre-snap, either. It happens. 无毛视频� We无毛视频檝e all grabbed the facemask at some point, whether it was inadvertently or not. It无毛视频檚 part of the game. We无毛视频檙e telling him not to lose any sleep over it.无毛视频�
Because the Steelers have two rookies in large roles in the secondary, there are going to be errors made. For Davis, all he can do now is move forward and make sure the same mistake doesn无毛视频檛 happen twice.
无毛视频淵ou shouldn无毛视频檛 see anymore facemask penalties from me for a long time,无毛视频� he said.