The Pittsburgh Steelers have a fanbase that is openly rebelling against their offensive coordinator and their former first-round quarterback. Despite these concerns, their record stands at 5-3, and games like Thursday’s are the reason behind their success.
The Steelers defeated the Tennessee Titans 20-16 in “Thursday Night Football” with an offensive performance that was just good enough. However, the Heinz Field crowd still expressed their disapproval through repeated booing. This victory marks the Steelers’ third win in the last four games and propels them to second place in the AFC North.
Kenny Pickett, who was questionable due to a rib injury, made several regrettable throws throughout the game. At one point, a frustrated Steelers coach batted down a pass thrown out of bounds. However, in a crucial moment, Pickett threw a stunning 32-yard pass to Diontae Johnson, bringing Pittsburgh close to the red zone.
The Steelers’ running game outperformed their passing game, as Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris combined for 157 rushing yards and a touchdown on 25 carries (6.3 yards per run). This included a 22-yard run by Harris that brought the Steelers to the Titans’ 1-yard line.
After four attempts, the Steelers finally scored a touchdown with a pass to Diontae Johnson, aided by an obvious pick play.
This touchdown was long-awaited for Johnson, whose previous score came in Week 16 of the 2021 season from a pass by Ben Roethlisberger.
Following an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the point-after attempt and a good return by Tyjae Spears, the Titans took possession on their own 48-yard line. However, they failed to secure a first down, and the drive ended with an incomplete pass to Treylon Burks, who remained down on the field and was later carted off to the hospital.
The Steelers couldn’t make much progress on their next drive, giving the Titans the ball with 1:44 left on the clock. Although the Titans’ drive was more successful, it concluded with an interception by Kwon Alexander in the end zone, marking the only turnover of the game.
Steelers Score Their First Opening-Drive Touchdown
The Steelers provided a reason for optimism at the beginning of the game by overcoming their persistent struggles this season.
One glaring statistic demonstrating the Steelers’ offensive struggles was their failure to score on opening drives this season. In fact, they had only gained a total of 38 yards on these drives in seven games, with two turnovers. These drives reflect a week’s worth of preparation, with limited opportunities for the defense to adjust, and the Steelers had been consistently ineffective in this area.
Surprisingly, the Steelers started the game with a 10-play, 78-yard drive that ended with a Najee Harris touchdown run:
Pickett contributed 62 passing yards to that drive and overall displayed solid performance. However, Steelers fans expressed their dissatisfaction with the offense after a three-and-out on the following drive.
The opening-drive touchdown and the performance of Diontae Johnson were two aspects that the Steelers had been lacking all season. However, they were only able to score two touchdowns throughout the entire game.
Will Levis Shows Promise Despite Loss
If there was a more impressive quarterback on the field on Thursday, it may have been the second-string quarterback rather than the second-year quarterback.
Titans rookie Will Levis didn’t reach the same levels of success as in his debut last week, but he demonstrated determination against a Steelers defense that consistently pressured him. Despite being sacked four times and facing numerous hurries, Levis showcased significant talent.
At this point, it may be in the Titans’ best interest to stick with Levis rather than reverting to Ryan Tannehill when the veteran returns from injury. With a 3-5 record, the team’s chances of making the playoffs this season are slim, and the offense appears to function better with the rookie at the helm.
