The Steelers are 6-3 after their rushing game and ball-hawking defense led them to a 23-19 win over Green Bay yesterday, but their defense suffered another serious blow with the loss for the season of another inside linebacker.
Jaylen Warren rushed for 101 yards and Najee Harris ran for 82 to lead the Steelers’ rushing attack while Kenny Pickett completed 14 of 23 passes for 126 yards with no interceptions. The Steelers defense surrendered more yardage than their offense gained for the ninth time in nine games this season, but interceptions by Keanu Neal and Damontae Kazee on the last two Packers possessions sealed the win. Neal’s pick came off a tip by Patrick Peterson and Kazee’s, on the last play of the game, ended a frantic drive up the field from the Packers that gave them one last play from the Steelers’ 13 with three seconds left.
Coach Mike Tomlin likes players making big plays at big moments.
The Steelers will play two road games against AFC North rivals Cleveland and Cincinnati in the next two weeks. Kenny Pickett says they’ll get right to work on the Browns.
Defensive lineman Cam Heyward says the Steelers D can play better.
Outside linebacker TJ Watt appreciated the work of the Steelers’ offense, but says the defense needs to be better.
The Steelers lost inside linebacker Kwon Alexander for the season with what they termed a “serious Achilles injury” in the first quarter. That’s a week after losing fellow inside ‘backer Cole Holcomb for the season, and it turns a position of strength and depth into a much more questionable unit. Mark Robinson replaced Alexander and was in on three tackles, two of them solo stops.
Others who were hurt yesterday were Keanu Neal, who suffered a rib injury when he was tackled after his interception; tight end Connor Heyward, with a leg injury; wide receiver Diontae Johnson, with a thumb injury; and long snapper Christian Kuntz, who was hurt in the fourth quarter when a player fell on the back of his legs. Johnson and Kuntz did return to action but Neal was not on the field for the Packers’ final drive and Heyward did not return. Injured safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and defensive lineman Montravious Adams did not dress for the game.
NFL
The Browns trailed the first-place Ravens by 14 points midway through the fourth quarter, but beat Baltimore, 33-31. The Bengals staged a fourth-quarter comeback to tie the Texans, but Houston’s Matt Ammendola kicked a 38-yard field goal as time expired to beat Cincinnati, 30-27.
The Ravens top the AFC North at 7-3. The Steelers and Browns are both 6-3 and the Bengals are 5-4.
