Running back Le’Veon Bell rushed for a career-high 204 yards on 33 carries and the Pittsburgh Steelers overcame a 24-13 deficit to beat the Tennessee Titans 27-24 Monday night at LP Field in Nashville.
Bell is now the 4th different player in franchise history to eclipse 200 rushing yards in a game and the first to do so since 2006.
Bell, who had 15 carries for 72 yards in the first half, sliced up the Titans blitz-heavy defense in the second half with power-o runs behind a motivated offensive line looking to give offensive line coach Mike Munchak a win against the team that fired him as their head coach after the 2013 season.
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was sacked five times in the game but finished 21-of-32 passing for 207 yards and a touchdown to wide receiver Antonio Brown.
Brown caught nine passes for 91 yards in the win and tight end Heath Miller chipped in five catches for 71 yards.
The Steelers led 10-0 after cornerback William Gay retuned an interception for a touchdown with 10:37 left in the first quarter but the Titans did not fold as they answered with a five play scoring drive that culminated with a nine-yard run by rookie running back Bishop Sankey.
After Roethlisberger was picked off in the end zone by Titans cornerback Jason McCourty with 52 seconds left in the first half, rookie quarterback Zach Mettenberger hit former Steelers wide receiver Nate Washington with an 80-yard touchdown pass after he beat Gay with a double move.
After Mettenberger connected with tight end Chase Coffman on a four-yard touchdown pass with 3:48 left in the third quarter, the Steelers offense finally came to life as they rode Bell’s legs the rest of the way.
The Steelers final offensive possession of the game chewed up the remaining 6:58 of time and they came away with their seventh win of the season.
The 7-4 Steelers will now be off next week for their bye and they will next host the New Orleans Saints next Sunday.
