The Pittsburgh Steelers had some difficulties getting their offense going, but entered the second half with a 10-6 lead thanks to a one-yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger to third tight end Michael Palmer. The defense held its own outside of field goal drives to start and end the half against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
On first down, Lawrence Timmons tripped up Dennard Robinson for no gain. Blake Bortles found Mike Brown on second down at the first down marker.
Robinson got up the middle for six yards, but Bortles fumbled the snap on the next play, tagged down by Timmons for a six-yard loss. Now third and 10, the pass was well short of the first down, with Mike Mitchell right there to tackle the catch, and the Jaguars punted.
Roethlisberger threw the ball away on first down with nothing open and too close to his own end zone. On second down, Le’Veon Bell picked up about one yard. For third and nine, Ben found Lance Moore down the field for the first down, but we was penalized after the play for spiking the ball.
After the 26-yard gain, Markus Wheaton made his first catch of the day for another first down. Bell found some room on first down for eight yards up the middle. After one more yard, the Steelers faced a third and one. Roethlisberger faked the handoff to LeGarrette Blount and then tossed it to him to move the chains.
Roethlisberger found Antonio Brown, but Kelvin Beachum was flagged for holding on the next play. On first and 20 from midfield, Bell picked up about five yards off the right side. Roethlisberger rushed his throw to Heath Miller after feeling the pressure behind him, setting up a third and 15. The pass to Brown could not be caught inbounds, but it was broken up anyway. The punt was fair caught inside the 15.
Storm Johnson found a wide open space on first down for 20 yards. Cam Thomas just barely tripped him up on the next play after six yards. On second and four from the 40, Toby Gerhart took the screen pass for 20 more yards across midfield.
Cortez Allen was penalized for holding, but he gave up the 15-yard reception anyway. From the 25-yard line, Bortles found his tight end for five yards. On second down, Arthur Moats made the tackle from behind after two yards. On third and three, Bortles could not get the ball to Allen Robinson, settling for another field goal, but cutting the lead to 10-9.
Dri Archer returned the ensuing kickoff, barely reaching the 10-yard line. He also got the pitch on first down, but was stopped after just one yard. On second and nine, Roethlisberger faked the play action to Bell before throwing it to him for seven yards, setting up third and two. Roethlisberger looked down the field for Brown, who went up for the impressive catch to midfield.
Bell found space for five yards on first down. Roethlisberger pump faked three times before hitting Justin Brown for 11 yards at the end of the third quarter.
Ben found Justin Brown again for nine yards to the 26. On second and one, Blount cut back and pounded his way for five plus yards to the 20.
Roethlisberger looked to Justin Brown again for six yards. Bell caught a one-yard pass to set up third and three. And of course Roethlisberger was sacked and fumbled, with the Jaguars recovering the ball.
Pre-snap, James Harrison shifted from rush to coverage. His receiver was targeted in the backfield and he rushed in to make the tackle for a two-yard loss. On second down, Brice McCain jumped the route and picked off the pass and returned it for the pick six.
Sean Spence missed the tackle on first down, allowing a 12-yard reception. Johnson picked up a few yards on first down. William Gay got in front of the pass on second down. On third and eight, Lawrence Timmons kept the receiver in front of the first down line to force a punt on fourth and one.
Taking over from the 18, Roethlisberger scrambled for about one yard, if that, on the first play. On second down, Bell could only find space for about a yard. On third and nine, Bell took the play action before getting the pass and bursting forth for the first down.
Bell ran up the gut for another five yards on first down. After another four yards, Bell went over 100 total yards for the game. Blount came in on third down, but the handoff went to the fullback Will Johnson. The officials signaled fourth down without measuring, but Mike Tomlin challenged the spot. The ruling on the field stood, but you can’t fault the challenge.
The Jaguars returner muffed the handle on a 52-yard punt, but was able to recover and return it 10 yards.
Allen tackled the catch on first down for six yards. On second and four, Johnson was dropped for a short loss by Polamalu and others. On third and five, Brett Keisel came in unblocked, getting in Bortles’ face and forcing the incomplete pass for a punt.
Starting at the 36, Bell lost a yard on first down. Bell took the draw for nine yards on second down to set up a third and short. Five wide on third down, Bell motioned into the backfield, and Roethlisberger had Miller wide open for the conversion.
Blount gained one yard, forcing the Jaguars to use their final timeout with 3:03 to go. Bell came up a yard shy on the reception on second down. Blount came close to the first down at the two-minute warning.
Brown caught his fifth pass of the game, extending his streak, for 16 yards, ending the game as the Steelers advanced to 3-2 on the season, with the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens on the precipice of losses on their own. The Cincinnati Bengals play tonight.
