The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Green Bay Packers 23-19 in a nail-biting game at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday. The Steelers overcame their passing struggles and relied on their running game and defense to secure their sixth win of the season.
Steelers Run the Ball Effectively
The Steelers had a balanced attack on the ground, with Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren combining for 149 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries. Harris scored the first touchdown of the game on a 4-yard run in the first quarter, capping off a 75-yard drive. Warren added another score in the second quarter on a 12-yard run, giving the Steelers a 14-7 lead.
The Steelers also used some trickery on their final drive, with wide receiver Diontae Johnson throwing a 28-yard pass to tight end Pat Freiermuth on a reverse play. The Steelers then ran out the clock with Harris and Warren, who picked up three first downs and forced the Packers to use all their timeouts.
Packers Struggle to Protect Love
The Packers had a tough time protecting their young quarterback Jordan Love, who was sacked five times and hit 11 times by the Steelers’ defense. Love completed 18 of 32 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw two interceptions and lost a fumble.
Love’s first interception came in the second quarter, when he tried to hit Romeo Doubs on a deep pass, but was picked off by safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. The Steelers capitalized on the turnover and scored a touchdown on their next possession. Love’s second interception came in the fourth quarter when he was pressured by linebacker T.J. Watt and threw a pass that was tipped by cornerback Joe Haden and caught by linebacker Devin Bush.
Love also fumbled the ball in the third quarter, when he was strip-sacked by Watt, who recovered the ball and returned it to the Packers’ 12-yard line. The Steelers settled for a field goal by Chris Boswell, who made three of his four attempts in the game.
Packers Show Resilience and Creativity
Despite their offensive woes, the Packers showed some resilience and creativity in the game. They scored their first touchdown on their opening drive, with Love hitting Doubs on an 8-yard pass in the corner of the end zone. Doubs finished the game with six catches for 78 yards and a touchdown.
The Packers also scored on a trick play in the third quarter, with running back Aaron Jones throwing a 13-yard touchdown pass to Love on a halfback option play. Jones also ran for 67 yards on 15 carries and caught four passes for 36 yards.
The Packers had a chance to take the lead in the fourth quarter when they drove to the Steelers’ 21-yard line with less than six minutes left in the game. However, they had to settle for a field goal by Anders Carlson, who made four of his five attempts in the game. The Packers never got the ball back, as the Steelers ran out the clock on their final drive.
