The Pittsburgh Steelers made a pivotal play that positioned them for a 43-yard field goal by Chris Boswell in the second quarter, giving them a 10-7 lead.
Continuing their defensive dominance, the Steelers forced a quick three-and-out by the Las Vegas Raiders. On their subsequent possession, the Steelers drove to the Raiders’ 24-yard line but had to settle for another Boswell field goal, extending their lead to 13-7 before halftime.
The Raiders managed to move the ball to midfield, but once again, T.J. Watt proved formidable and sacked Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo on third down. This play forced the Raiders to punt, ending the half.
It’s worth noting that before this game, Garoppolo hadn’t been sacked in the Raiders’ previous two games. However, the Steelers successfully sacked him four times in this matchup, with Watt leading the charge and accumulating a total of six sacks, making it the most by a Steelers player in team history through three games.
The second half began with the Steelers forcing another three-and-out from the Raiders. However, Las Vegas punter A.J. Cole made an impressive punt that pinned the Steelers at their own 9-yard line.
Despite the unfavorable field position, the Steelers found a way to gain momentum. Quarterback Kenny Pickett connected with wide receiver Pickens for a 32-yard gain on a crucial third-and-5 play. This allowed the Steelers to reach midfield and set up a 57-yard field goal by Boswell, increasing their lead to 16-7 early in the third quarter.
Watt continued to wreak havoc on the Raiders’ offense. He forced an errant pass from Garoppolo, resulting in an interception by Patrick Peterson. Peterson intercepted the ball and landed out of bounds at the Pittsburgh 19-yard line.
Buoyed by the turnover, the Steelers capitalized on the opportunity. They orchestrated an 81-yard drive, showcasing impressive plays such as a 17-yard gain by Pickens, a 16-yard screen pass to Jaylen Warren, and a 17-yard run by Najee Harris. Pickett then completed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Freiermuth, extending the Steelers’ lead to 23-7 in the third quarter.
With the clock ticking, the Raiders shifted to a hurry-up offense. They managed to drive 80 yards and scored a 2-yard touchdown pass from Garoppolo to Adams. Adams proved to be a standout player, catching 15 passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns on 19 targets.
The Raiders successfully converted a two-point conversion pass to Meyers, reducing the Steelers’ lead to 23-15. The Steelers attempted to run down the clock, but Pickett’s pass to Freiermuth on third down was broken up by Nate Hobbs. As a result, the Raiders gained possession at their own 48-yard line.
The Raiders failed to convert on fourth down, allowing them to kick a field goal. However, a personal foul penalty against DeMarvin Leal gave the Raiders another opportunity, this time at the Pittsburgh 14-yard line. Despite the advantageous field position, the Raiders couldn’t convert and settled for another field goal, cutting the deficit to 23-18 with 2:22 remaining in the game.
Linebacker Alex Highsmith commented on their defensive mindset, stating, “You’ve just got to hold them. That was the mindset. We knew we were probably going to go out again. But we needed to hold them. We weren’t perfect by any means, but we took steps.”
The Steelers managed to pick up a critical first down and forced the Raiders to use all three timeouts. With only 12 seconds left on the clock, the Steelers punted the ball back to Las Vegas. However, Pittsburgh’s James Wallace intercepted Garoppolo for the second time, sealing the victory for the Steelers.
“Taking the ball away and setting up the offense to score points is our job,” Wallace emphasized. “We want to put them on short fields as much as we can. When we’re able to do that, it’s good.”
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