Running backs excel early, defense excels later, and the Steelers defeat Green Bay 23-19.
Pittsburgh (AP) — With 183 yards of rushing and two touchdowns from Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris combined, the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Green Bay Packers 23-19 on Sunday.
The Steelers (6-3) used a formula that they have become accustomed to to win their eighth straight game decided by eight points or less. A slight transgression. Just enough of everything else to get by, along with a timely turnover.
With three field goals from Chris Boswell and touchdown runs from their two backs, who are now virtually 1A and 1B, Pittsburgh gained momentum going into a crucial stretch.
With 3:20 left, Patrick Peterson stopped an extra point attempt and added a tipped pass that resulted in an interception by Keanu Neal in the end zone. With 59 seconds remaining, Green Bay regained possession of the ball and proceeded to drive deep into Pittsburgh territory. However, Damontae Kazee intercepted Jordan Love’s desperate pass to the end zone.
Before going out of bounds with the clock running out, Kazee returned it thirty yards. After being shoved by Zach Tom, a lineman for Green Bay, Kazee ran over Danny Smith, the coordinator of the Steelers special teams. There was a brief altercation until calmer heads won out.
Despite outgaining the Steelers 399-324, Love finished 21 of 40 for 289 yards and two touchdowns, but the Packers (3-6) could not duplicate their triumph over the Los Angeles Rams last week.
However, that is meaningless while facing Pittsburgh. Despite being outgained in every game this season, the Steelers have managed to maintain their playoff position as Thanksgiving draws near.
A field goal by Anders Carlson late in the third quarter gave Green Bay a 19–17 lead after they had been behind by 10 points earlier.
That’s usually when the Steelers react. Pittsburgh has a tendency to come back in close games. Donning the classic block numbers from the team’s renowned “Super Steelers,” Pittsburgh was able to tie the score twice by going within field goal range.
The Steelers’ unconventional strategy of seeing opponents lose games as much as Pittsburgh attempts to win them was carried out by the defense, which did the rest.
The first two quarters of the game were dominated by a score exchange between two teams that have had trouble producing much of anything this season, especially in the first half.
The Steelers led by double digits for just the second time this season after Boswell’s 42-yard field goal gave Pittsburgh a 17-7 lead. The Steelers scored on each of their first three possessions, with rookies Harris and Warren sprinting into the end zone for touchdowns.
It didn’t last long.
After Green Bay was averaging an NFL-worst 4.5 points per game in the first half, Love found room in a secondary that was without injured All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Green Bay scored 13. Love completed the half with two touchdown touchdowns, the most impressive of which was a 35-yard connection to Jayden Reed that pulled the Packers within 17–13.
