Mike Tomlin hinted at changes after the Pittsburgh Steelers failed to recover from an awful first half in their 36-28 Thursday Night Football defeat to the Minnesota Vikings.

The Steelers fell to 6-6-1 in Minneapolis, just unable to rally after going scoreless through two quarters and trailing 29-0 in the third.

There had been 1,616 previous occasions of a team falling behind by 29 points or more in the NFL, but Pittsburgh became the first of those to then have the chance to win the game.

Ben Roethlisberger led the Steelers back down the field on the final drive but ran out of time at the Vikings' 12-yard line.

Head coach Tomlin appeared to initiate the improvement with some ruthless calls, benching receiver Chase Claypool and inside linebacker Joe Schobert.

And he warned more changes could follow after the Vikings were allowed 176 rushing yards in the first half – a season high for any team before halftime.

Only twice since 1991 – 182 for the Oakland Raiders in 2013 and 179 for the Baltimore Ravens in 2020 – have the Steelers given up more rushing yards in the first two quarters of a game.

Criticism was not reserved for the defensive line alone, though, as Roethlisberger was sacked four times before halftime.

"We were 'JV' again tonight, and I'm talking up front on both sides," Tomlin said. "We've got to be better than we were. We'll turn over every stone to do that.

"We've got a long week coming up between this and our next one. We'll make good use of that time and assess not only what we're doing, but who we're doing it with."

He added: "I'd be remiss – I'd be doing that group a disservice – if I didn't look at all options."

Outside linebacker T.J. Watt, who leads the league with 16.0 sacks, sustained a groin injury in the second quarter, while Alex Highsmith went down with a knee complaint.

But the Steelers afforded themselves no excuses, as defensive end Cameron Heyward said: "The first half was horrendous.

"Guys weren't filling. We weren't getting off blocks. We weren't tackling. You name it – we did it wrong."

Dalvin Cook, just back from a torn labrum and dislocated shoulder, was the man to profit, with 205 rushing yards – one shy of his career high – and two touchdowns.

Both his scores came in that first half – only the second time Cook has had two rushing TDs heading into halftime – along with 153 yards. This was just Cook's second 100-yard first half.

"I'm just happy to be back, happy we got the win," he said. "My coaches know once I tell them I'm good, I'm good.

"There ain't no holding me back, just turn me loose. I just appreciate them for believing in me and just trusting in who I am."