Steelers Overcome Passing Struggles to Beat Packers
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers started fast, scoring on their first three possessions to build a two-score lead over the Green Bay Packers. They muddled through a slow second half but got just enough from their offense to support a stifling effort from the defense in the second half and improve to 6-3 with a 23-19 win over the Green Bay Packers at Acrisure Stadium.
The Packers won the coin toss and deferred, bringing the Steelers offense onto the field to open the game. They moved efficiently on their opening possession. Over the nine-play march, they gained yards on eight plays and at least five yards on seven of them. Najee Harris capped the possession with a four-yard touchdown run to put the home team up 7-0 after five minutes of play.
The Packers didn't take long to respond, as Jordan Love sliced through the Steelers defense by completing five of six passes for 60 yards, including an eight-yard touchdown pass to Romeo Doubs.
Back to even with Green Bay at seven, the Steelers offense came back onto the field for their next possession and they picked up right where they left off. A free kick out-of-bounds penalty gave them good starting field position at their own 40-yard line and they took full advantage. Warren accounted for 31 of the 60 yards gained on that drive, most of which came on his 16-yard touchdown run that put the Steelers ahead 14-7 with 14:12 to go until halftime.
The Steelers defense responded with their first stop of the afternoon, a three-and-out punctuated by a pass breakup against Christian Watson on third down. Calvin Austin set the offense up with a 14-yard return to put them on their own 46-yard line. But the Steelers stalled deep in Green Bay territory after Pickett took a sack and seven-yard loss. Chris Boswell converted a 42-yard field goal to extend the lead to 17-7 with 8:12 to go until halftime.
The Packers got some help as they tried to mount a response when Joey Porter Jr. was flagged for holding on the first play of the drive. A 40-yard rush along the sideline for A.J. Dillon put Green Bay within scoring range and Love overcame a sack from T.J. Watt and Keeanu Benton with a beautifully thrown 36-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Reed. But Patrick Petersen blocked the ensuing extra point try and the Steelers maintained a 17-13 lead at the 4:21 mark of the second quarter.
The Steelers were forced to punt for the first time at the end of their next possession bt they forced a three-and-out to get the ball back, albeit at their own nine-yard line, with 2:35 left to play in the first half.
Pickett hit Diontae Johnson and George Pickens for first downs on consecutive plays but that's all the Steelers could muster out of a two-minute drill and they had to settle for a 17-13 lead at halftime.
The Packers opened the second half with a 49-yard kickoff return from Keisan Nixon to get their next possession started. Green Bay took their time marching down for a short field goal, running 11 plays and converting both a third and fourth down before Anders Carlson knocked a 31-yard attempt through to make it 17-16 at the 9:11 mark of the third quarter.
And after a strong first half, the Steelers offense went cold again. A holding penalty on Mason Cole set them back 10 yards and they couldn't dig themselves out of that hole. Pickett threw well short of the sticks on third and long and the Steelers punted again.
Two big plays - a 20-yard reception from Doubs and a 36-yard catch from Luke Musgrave - put the Packers in range for a 28-yard field goal from Carlson. He hit it and Green Bay took a 19-17 lead at the 3:07 mark of the third quarter.
The Steelers responded with a field goal of their own from 49 yards out off of Boswell's foot, but it felt like they left points on the field despite taking a 20-19 lead. After hitting on a 28-yard pass to Pickens to get over midfield, Pickett got rid of the ball quickly on a check down to Warren instead of looking for single-covered Johnson or Pickens who were streaking towards the endzone on third down.
Both sides traded punts for three straight possessions as the game moved to the fourth quarter.
The Steelers broke that trend behind more strong running from Harris and Warren, who combined to pick up 43 yards on five touches but Pickett couldn't hit on any pass plays inside the redzone. Boswell attempted another short field goal and extended the lead to 23-19 with 5:17 left in regulation.
Love continued to make big plays with his arm. He hit Musgrave and Dontayvion Wicks for 60 combined yards on two passes to put the Packers offense on the 14-yard line. But Love's arm, which built the promising drive, also stopped it dead in its tracks. Aiming for Christian Watson in the endzone, he instead hit Patrick Petersen's hand. An interception fell to Keeanu Neal and the Steelers escaped with the ball at their own 24-yard line with 3:20 to play in regulation.
The Steelers took to the ground to burn what little remained on the clock. They ran five straight times and, facing a third and nine from their own 40-yard line, completed a big play - a 28-yard pass from Pickett to Pickens. But it was called back after an offensive pass interference call on Austin. The Steelers had to pun the ball back to Green Bay with 1:09 left to play, still leading 23-19.
The Packers took over at their own 19-yard line and immediately hit on a 49-yard pass to Reed. They tackled Aaron Jones in bounds on the next throw and Love stopped the clock with 22 seconds left by running out of bounds at the 27-yard line. Love had to switch the ball to his left hand and heave a throw away on third down and two with Alex Highsmith dragging him down. Dillon picked up a first down at the 16-yard line before Love spiked the ball with three seconds left.
But Damontae Kazee finished off the win with an interception of Love on the goal line. But as the game clock expired, Packers offensive lineman Zach Tom hit Kazee out of bounds and sparked a ball on the Steelers sideline.
It didn't matter though - the Steelers escaped with the win regardless of the penalty at the end of the game and improved to 6-3 on the year.
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