The Steelers take a 14-7 lead into halftime, with their offense and defense both contributing half. Mason Rudolph connected with James Washington for a tough three-yard catch on second and goal, and Minkah Fitzpatrick recovered a strip sack by Javon Hargrave for a scoop-and-score, but the Rams also returned a bad snap by Maurkice Pouncey for a score early in the game.
After a rollout pass for a first down to start the half, Jared Goff was incomplete looking for Cooker Kupp. Mark Barron dropped Todd Gurley for no gain, but off a quick snap on third and 10, Goff found his man for a first down. From the 50, Goff threw a chuck ball down the field, picked off by Joe Haden for his first interception of the year.
Tony Brooks-James got the carry for a pickup of eight. Jaylen Samuels picked up three for the first down. Rudolph threw to the flat for McDonald, but he had to jump for it, and by then the defense rallied to the ball for a loss of one. Pass interference saved the drive when Jalen Ramsey was flagged for pass interference against JuJu Smith-Schuster. After an eight-yard completion, Samuels got first-down yardage off the right edge, but Nick Vannett was flagged for holding. Now second and 12, Samuels lost a yard on the draw, setting up third and 13. Rudolph missed the mark on a pass to the flat to Samuels.
After a nine-yard run, Mike Hilton rushed on the blitz to force an early pass that was dropped for a loss. Goff checked out, Blake Bortles in. Bortles on a keeper, stopped short of the sticks. They ran a fake punt, Johnny Hekker threw the ball directly to Trey Edmunds, an interception.
Now at the 31, Brooks-James broke off a 17-yard run that was brought back by a hold on Villanueva. Rudolph was sacked by Clay Matthews on first and 17. On second down, a handoff to…Vance McDonald. Now third and long, McDonald dropped the ball to get in field goal range, a big miss off of the turnover. Very disappointing. Berry’s punt was fair caught at the 12.
Goff back in, Gurley ripped off a 22-yard run to start the drive. Woods got a pass in front of Terrell Edmunds to the 37. Now inside the 30 after a tight end reception, second and one, Malcolm Brown rushed for about five. After the conversion, the Rams were flagged for an illegal shift on a first-down run. Brown was stuffed at the line. Everett broke a pair of tackles on a reception to set up third and four. At the 17, Goff looked to Everett again, making a fantastic snag just near the line, but Cameron Sutton was flagged for pass interference anyway. Sutton was in coverage on Everett.
Now at the 14, Gurley got to the right side and fumbled the ball forward out of bounds. Haden forced the fumble. Second and four inside the 10, Bush chased Gurley out of bounds for a loss on a pitch left. Now third and eight, Goff looked for Kupp short of the sticks, Fitzpatrick stripping the ball out to force an incompletion. Zeurlein came back on for a 30-yard field goal, making it 14-10, the Rams’ first offensive points with 11 seconds left in the third quarter.
Brooks-James lined up to return the kick. It was returnable, about two yards deep in the end zone, but he took a knee.
Samuels had to double-catch a short pass on their first play on the response drive. Rudolph looked for Diontae Johnson high and incomplete, setting up third and seven. He was wide of Washington for an incompletion to force a punt. Downed at just the 30 by Adeniyi.
On second and eight, a hold on the center against Heyward. Second and 18, Hargrave and company with the run stop. Now third and 18, Woods came up with a 16-yard catch, forcing a punt. Switzer tackled at the five. Donald and Matthews sacked him for a safety, making it 14-12. The tackle at the 31 for the safety kick.
Haden came up with another big pass breakup on the first play from the line. Dupree and Hargrave combined for the run stop to force an early third and long. Steven Nelson came up with the tackle to force a punt. Johnson fielded the punt on a bounce with a short return.
Brooks-James was thrown down for a loss by Donald. On second and 13, a pass high for Washington was caught for 12. Samuels got the carry on third and a foot, and he was held inches short. Rudolph rolled off to his right and had Edmunds and Vannett open, finding Edmunds to convert.
After a nine-yard gain by McDonald, Edmunds lost four on second and a foot. Now third and four, Rudolph found Washington again for the big conversion into Rams territory. Samuels was tripped tripped up after two yards at the 33. He had a hole but only got five to set up a third and short. On third and two, another conversion to Washington.
Edmunds was dropped for a loss on the following play. Smith-Schuster made a tough catch in traffic to make it third and two. Rudolph’s pass was batted right from his hand, forcing a fourth down. Chris Boswell was good on the field goal, after a false start on his first attempt.
After a kick return to the 34, Everett started the drive with a first-down reception. He was held to a short gain of five. Everett again down to the Steelers’ 40 at the two-minute warning.
Reynolds for 11, tackled by Bush to the 30. Goff threw the ball out of bounds on the following play. Nelson forced an incompletion from Everett to set up third and 10. Heyward batted the pass at the line. Fourth and 10, a deep shot with Edmunds and Haden in coverage was broken up, off of Edmunds’ arm.
Three short carries for barely any gain results in a Steelers punt, the Rams getting the ball back with 1:10 at the time of the snap, with no time left. The short punt went off of Burns’ head, down at the Rams’ 40.
Watt got to Goff for the strip sack, but the Rams recovered, a loss of eight. After a completion for 11, it’s third and seven. Pass interference on Mike Hilton, who broke up the pass, gave the Rams a first down at the 47.
Following a false start, Haden got a tip on the ball, Fitzpatrick picked it off, and the Steelers won, going to 5-4 on the season, riding a four-game winning streak, and with a Colts loss, putting them in position to have a playoff seed.
