PHILADELPHIA — Once the singing of "Fly Eagles, Fly" had concluded, as his players sat silently thumbing through their phones in an adjacent locker room, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin tried his best to caution against overreaction following a 27-13 loss in Philadelphia on Sunday.

"It's a loss," Tomlin said. "I mean, let's not get dramatic."

A fair point. However, it's not exactly dramatic to consider the many tentacles of a loss — poor coaching decisions, the defense's inability to get off the field, the offense not doing nearly enough with the chances it got, Najee Harris' fumble, on and on.

Same deal with how the many storylines packed into this one like row houses in South Philly will play out over the balance of the season, starting with Saturday's rematch with the Ravens in Baltimore.

For the Steelers to grant Tomlin's wish and de-emphasize the impact of Sunday's loss, several things must happen. Those storylines also have bigger implications, as the Steelers view themselves beyond the remaining balance of the 2024 season.

Here's what I mean:

— The wide receiver situation isn't a great look for general manager Omar Khan.

Overall, I think Khan has done a solid job building this team. On balance, Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, Patrick Queen, DeShon Elliott, Donte Jackson, Troy Fautanu, Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick and Payton Wilson have been solid additions to the Steelers. They're also 10 and friggin' four.

The trouble spot has been wide receiver.

The Steelers have been chasing a WR2 since trading Diontae Johnson to Carolina, reportedly getting close with Brandon Aiyuk before he decided to stay in San Francisco and pursuing other options to various degrees up until a trade for Mike Williams.

Despite Tomlin's comments last week, a roster shortcoming remains, with fair questions circling about the performance and/or usage of who's here. And considering George Pickens is unlikely to return Saturday, the Steelers need more from this group than they received against the Eagles.

"It does hurt us that [Pickens] is out," Broderick Jones said. "But at the moment, he's not available. So, we have to figure out how to win without him."

— There's a lot riding on Najee Harris' finish.

You don't have to look far to see how the running back market has changed — Saquon Barkley at Lincoln Financial Field, Derrick Henry soon at M&T Stadium.

Neither got quarterback or star receiver money, but you'd think teams can see the value in paying quality backs.

Will Harris be considered one of those this offseason? He will if he runs like he did earlier this season during three consecutive 100-yard efforts, or two weeks ago in Cincinnati (75 yards, touchdowns).

It was a different story with Sunday's outcome (six carries, 14 yards, fumble) or seven other games where he was held under 3.5 yards per carry.

I don't know how this will go. But it should prove plenty about Harris' value to the Steelers and how the rest of the NFL views him.

— Let's also not forget the quarterback component here.

Pickens' value has skyrocketed. Steelers receivers struggle to get open without him, with his downfield, playmaking prowess obvious. It's only fair to wonder: How much of that has been aiding Wilson?

Nothing the 36-year-old did before Sunday gave me pause when it comes to a possible offseason extension. His passer rating in seven starts prior to the Eagles game: 103.9. But in a game where you'd expect your veteran to create an edge with his ability to read defenses, that did not happen.

"There were some positives, but not enough of them," Wilson said. "And so, we have to look at the film and see what we can do better. There's a lot more there."

— Wilson obviously isn't wrong. He's also not alone.

Sunday was potentially offensive coordinator Arthur Smith's worst game from a play-calling perspective this season. Then again, the Steelers ran so few plays (just 41, averaging just 4.0 yards) that it must've been tough to get in a rhythm.

Shouldn't matter.

Along with where Wilson plays next season, Smith's future will be tied to how the Steelers finish — a head coaching candidate if they win, the Matt Canada treatment if the Steelers falter.

— The last concerning component to come out of the Eagles loss involves T.J. Watt's left ankle.

Successfully navigating injuries to Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig has been a defining part of the Steelers' season to this point, but this is different. Much different.

If Watt misses time, we'll hear how the Steelers are 1-10 without him, how they allow about a touchdown more per game while watching their sack and turnover totals essentially decrease by half.

The loss of Watt could mean, at least based on previous numbers, another one-and-done trip to the postseason, a doomsday scenario the Steelers are trying to avoid.

"We'll see. Fingers crossed," Cam Heyward said. "Hopefully he recovers fast. If he's not able to go, I'd like to think we're well-equipped to get these guys right, go into the lion's den and face the Baltimore Ravens."

Then the Chiefs and the Bengals — who won Sunday and appropriately seem to have nine playoff lives — looming for a Week 18 contest that could actually matter for the visiting team.

Bottom line, there are decent reasons for drama here. One NFL loss changes so much. The balance of the season will inevitably affect the futures of so many directly tied to the outcomes.

"The great thing is, we've got the right character guys," Wilson said. "I believe in who we have because of their temperament, character and work ethic.

"We know we have a big week coming up. We have to respond."

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