The Pittsburgh Steelers ran all over the Carolina Panthers Sunday night on their way to a 37-19 win as running backs Le’Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount both topped the century mark.
Bell and Blount combined to rush for 265 yards on 31 carries in the Steelers win. The last time the Steelers had two running backs both top 100 yards in a game was 1986 when Earnest Jackson and Walter Abercrombie combined to rush for 241 yards in a 30-9 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Bell’s 81-yard run in the third quarter Sunday night against the Panthers was the first 80-plus yard run by a Steelers player during the regular season since Willie Parker ran 80 yards in a 2005 win against the Cleveland Browns.
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was 22-of-30 for 196 yards passing and two touchdowns Sunday night against the Panthers with both of scoring throws going to wide receiver Antonio Brown.
Brown finished the game with ten catches for 90 yards and the two scores in the win and extended his streak of catching at least five passes for 50 yards to 19 games in the process.
While the Steelers defense wasn’t great early on in the game Sunday night, they came alive in the second half once the team had a lead. They sacked Panthers quarterback Cam Newton three times in the game and recorded their first turnover of the season when linebacker Jarvis Jones strip-sacked Newton early in the third quarter. Fellow linebacker Jason Worilds recovered the loose football at the Panthers 17-yard-line.
The Steelers special teams also chipped in with a turnover in the game as well, as backup safety Robert Golden pounced on a loose football in the Panthers end zone for a touchdown after it was never fully controlled by Panthers wide receiver Philly Brown following a booming punt by Steelers punter Brad Wing.
Steelers backup safety Shamarko Thomas was credited with the forced fumble on the play and it gave Pittsburgh a comfortable 30-13 lead with 11 minutes left in regulation.
The win moves the Steelers to 2-1 on the season and they will now get ready to host the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers next Sunday at Heinz Field.
