I feel like Halloween could’ve been a week early… or maybe a full moon was lingering somewhere.

It’s another weekly edition of the WTF Moments in the NFL, and it all started with a 6 am kickoff (Pacific time, where I live) with the Rams and Giants in London, England.

The Rams and the Giants both had 3 turnover in the first 10 minutes of the game.

Tie Game

Let’s stay with the NFC, and the Sunday night game. (Some of you opted for the Walking Dead season premiere; I get that now!)

Seattle and Arizona were locked at 3-3 going into overtime. Both teams scored a field goal, which did not end the game since the other team gets a possession in the event of a non-touchdown on the first OT drive. The score was locked at 6-6, and the Cardinals could have ended the game first with another field goal attempt.

Cardinals kicker Chandler Catanzaro missed it.

The Seahawks get the ball back, drive to the 9 yard line, and position themselves for the appropriate spot for their kicker, on the 10. Out comes Seattle kicker Stephen Hauschka to attempt a 28 yard field goal with 11 seconds left, to win the game.

Hauschka pulls it. A miss.

WTF.

A tie in OT, the lowest scoring NFL overtime game in history.

WTF?!

(Defensive Player of the game? The Field Goal Post)

Now Hiring

Next we move to the Browns visiting the Bengals. You probably know Cincinnati won without even looking at the score, but what you may not have known, is that the Browns have now used 6 quarterbacks this season.

Yes: 6 QB’s.

This season.

WTF!

We are only in Week 7. That’s almost one per week, and doesn’t even factor in the Wildcat direct snaps.

Think Hue Jackson truly knew what he was getting into coming to Cleveland? He should have!

QB Carousel bests Baltimore

Next is the Ravens at Jets. The AFC North rival of the Steelers went to the New Jersey (not New York, another WTF) this weekend, and were embarrassed.

First they were embarassed by newly named starter QB Geno Smith, as Ryan Fitzpatrick was finally benched after his terrible start to the season.

Then Fitzpatrick returned, after Geno got hurt in the game. (Reportedly it’s a torn ACL, per ESPN.)

Enter Fitzpatrick, who has one of his better games this season, posting a 115.2 QB rating, and beating Baltimore 24-16.

Joe Flacco continues to show he was not worth the $100 million contract he was awarded a couple of seasons ago, posting a 54.0 rating after throwing 2 interceptions.

WTF and WTF!

Pittsburgh’s Defense

Let’ss get to the Steelers game, with backup QB Landry Jones at the helm, going against the well-rested 4-game vacationed Tom Brady, who’s back to destroying teams as he does.

The Steelers were the underdogs by 7.5, to as much as 9 points, at home.

Questions and misguided comments loomed all week on the timetable for Ben Roethlisberger to return after his knee injury and minor surgery he had on 10/17. The team PR department tried to ease Steelers Nation into a false sense of security that Landry’s “Don’t panic” offense could get it done.

Well, they forgot to tell our defense.

First, neither team had a defense to be proud of, except the INT by Patriots CB Butler in the endzone: a 7-point swing.

The defense allowed Brady to rush (yes run) for two 1st downs in the game, and he only had 7 incomplete passes all afternoon.

WTF?

No matter who is at QB (and Landry did a respectable job) that kind of no-effort defense is not going to win games.

Then a holding penalty, that clearly was not holding upon second review, after a 2nd TD reception by Darrius Heyward-Bey was called back?

(You know what to say.)

Even with Antonio Brown having over 100 yards receiving, and Le’Veon Bell gaining over 100 scrimmage yards, the Steelers could not capitalize on the NE turnovers.

WTF?

More Field Goals

Another WTF moment went to Coach Tomlin. I am a big fan and supporter of Coach T, so this is hard to say, but when he chose to bring in K Chris Boswell for a 54-yard field goal, when he missed one earlier (and instead of going for it on 4th and 3) it boggled my mind.

At the end of the game, with just under a minute left, in the game, down 11 points, the coaches don’t use a timeout. Landry was trying to hurry the offense, getting guys lined up; there was some confusion on the field, the clock continues to tick, tick, and even the CBS crew didn’t get it.

WTF are we saving timeouts for?

That was the biggest WTF moment of the Steelers game.

Can you hold this cup?

Redskins coach caught peeing on sideline: Washington Redskins assistant coach Ben Kotwica was caught relievin… https://t.co/NxyNcMPB7d

— The Sports Zone™ (@TheSportsZone__) October 24, 2016

When you gotta go, you gotta go.

It’s an open secret that players and sideline personnel use the potty without leaving the field, but in this day and age of smartphones, you would think this coach may have been a little more cautious! Ben Kotwica’s “Little Ben” was all over social media within minutes.

Next time, maybe hide behind a bench, or a player? Take a knee?

Final Thoughts

The Steelers need to watch, rewatch, and watch yet again, the game they had against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Not only offensively, but more importantly defensively.

The pressure put on Alex Smith forced him to make some bad throws, and with a little help from the weather as well, it was an almost perfect game defensively.

We need to get back to that.

What also needs to be considered is in that game we had our “next man up” guys, Jordan Dangerfield, B.J. Finney, etc. playing, and they are hungry to make the team as starters.

You could see it in their play.

Maybe it’s time to make them examples, instead of replacements, and get them back on the field.

Our starting defense is not getting it done without our defensive captain Cam Heyward, who’s out with injury. It’s time to get serious, or with almost half the season behind us, first place in the AFC North will slip away quickly.

It is clear Ben will be back sooner rather than later, so focus on our defense, our pass rush (or lack there of) and get to the QB.

I’m tired of this “bend don’t break mentality”. We are not pretzels. This is a win or go home league.

Time to win.

Time to win on the road.

Time for the coaching staff to realize it.

Play with a sense of urgency now and there will be no panic button later.

Now we head into a bye. It is anticipated that our injured players will be back week 9 at Baltimore.

Let’s hope the next WTF article is about how this anticipated game will a 30 point Pittsburgh offensive blowout, and we are asking ourselves “why couldn’t this team show up for Philly, Miami, and New England?”

WTF?