On that drive, running back Alexander Mattison carried the ball four times for 23 yards and added a 19-yard reception. Mattison was responsible for half of the first 70-yard touchdown drive. However, on the Raiders' second drive, Mattison was on the sideline.

Running back Ameer Abdullah started the second drive and the Raiders' offense immediately ended with a three-pointer. Mattison said he felt good after the first ride. There was no reason to take him out of the game.

“I felt good, I felt great,” Mattison said. “I mean, we were able to go down there and put points on the board.” We talked about that. We were efficient. So we just have to make sure we try to stay in that pocket and keep that feeling.

“NO. It's just been a long 10-game ride. It's just one of those things: we have a good rotation and a great backcourt to provide variety. Whoever is in this game, we have full confidence in them , that he gets his job done, is explosive and makes plays.

“That was the case, it just didn't work out when you look at the bigger picture over four quarters. Offense, defense, special teams, we just have to play better complementary football, eliminate the turnovers and get back to Raiders football.”

While Mattison handled the situation respectably, it made little sense to take him out of the game on the second drive after the first drive was so successful. The proof lies in the fact that the Raiders wouldn't score again for two full quarters. With the Raiders' momentum as fleeting as it has been, it would have made much more sense to give Mattison at least the second drive to build continuity.

The Raiders fumbled three times on their next two possessions after substituting Mattison and fumbled four plays on the third drive after substituting him. The momentum of the first trip was gone and it wouldn't come back, but the questionable decisions would.

Late in the second quarter, with the Raiders trailing by just one point, rookie running back Dylan Laube entered the game. The Raiders opted to give the rookie his first career carry and shorten it by one point in their own territory, with the team missing its top two receivers. Laube would fumble the ball, the Steelers would recover it and score a touchdown six plays later after the Steelers' offense could only make field goals against the Raiders' defense unless they started their drive on a short field.

Football is about centimeters. A wrong decision can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Getsy made several poor decisions that directly and indirectly led to negative results for the Raiders on Sunday.

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