Deion Sanders may have been right, just with the wrong team.
The Steelers ignored pleas from the Delmarva Daily Times and Steelers Wire to sign embattled running back Ray Rice after DeAngelo Williams twisted his ankle in the regular-season finale.
Steelers Media Calls On Team To Sign Ray Rice
The Steelers put their playoff hopes in the hands of second-year running back Fitzgerald Toussaint, and he suffered a costly fumble that led to at least an 11-point swing Sunday in Pittsburgh's 23-16 loss to the Broncos in the AFC Division Round playoffs.
The Steelers had a 13-12 lead with 10 minutes left in the game and had driven into Broncos territory when Toussaint lost the football at the 31-yard line on a hit from Denver's Brandon Roby. Broncos defensive end DeMarcus Ware recovered the fumble at the Denver 35, and Peyton Manning led the Broncos on a go-ahead, 65-yard touchdown drive that put them ahead for good, 20-13, with three minutes left.
Deion Sanders: Patriots Made Mistake Not Signing Ray Rice
"I've got to protect the ball," Toussaint said in a voice that was barely a whisper, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "There's no excuse for that.
"It's very tough. I hate losing. Definitely, I hate fumbling the football. Especially when it's in a position like that. ... They made a great play. You've got to give them credit. But in my position, I put it on me."
Toussaint may not have been in that position had the Steelers signed the veteran Rice, who is begging for redemption after missing the last two seasons because of his domestic violence incident that was caught on camera and displayed for all to see.
Sanders, the Hall of Fame defensive back, said last week he thought the defending champion Patriots made a mistake by not signing Rice, but the Steelers could've had a back that has carried the ball in the Super Bowl and is used to the pressure.
Or at the very least, he could've been on the Steelers' sideline to remind Toussaint about ball control.
Instead the scarred Steelers running back , who finished the day with 11 carries for 39 yards and one touchdown in place of Williams (and primary starter LeVeon Bell), will have a long offseason to try to forgive himself.
Toussaint isn't the only Steeler to blame for Sunday's loss, but try telling him that.
His fumble might not have had to happen had the Steelers gambled on Rice. Compared to Greg Hardy -- not to mention other NFL players who have run afoul of the law -- Rice has apologized, vowed to become and advocate for domestic violence victims and used his situation to educate others.
It could've been a win-win for the Steelers and Rice. Now, it's just a lose-lose.
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