Once again the Steelers offense is slow to start in the first half. The defense held up pretty well allowing only 3 field goals and at times being given terrible field position.
The Las Vegas Raiders will start with the ball in the second half. Hopefully TJ Watt is able to return, but groin injuries are tricky and the Steelers may play it safe in a long 17 game season, especially since they have Alex Highsmith and Melvin Ingram.
Robert Spillane in coverage on Darren Waller. Complete, but just short of the first down. Robert Spillane into the backfield for a tackle for loss on 2nd. The Raiders complete to convert on 3rd.
Chris Wormley batted the ball at the line of scrimmage on 1st. Kenyan Drake for about 2 yards on 3nd. 3rd and long here for the Raiders.
Carr tried to hit Kenyan Drake just beyond the sticks on the sideline, but it fell incomplete. They punt and the Steelers will take over on their own 13 yard line.
Ben Roethlisberger went deep to Chase Claypool and just barely missed again. Man, if they could connect on some of these it would be a whole different ball game.
Ben to Pat Freiermuth for 14 yards and a first down.
The sequence ends with the Steelers punting. Another good punt for Pressley Harvin III. The punt went to the 9 yard line and was returned to the 18 yard line.
Hunter Renfrow with an awesome catch there to convert on 3rd.
Henry Ruggs III for a huge reception to put the Raiders inside the 10 yard line. Foster Moreau for the touchdown. Derek Carr looks very injured. He got up, and now magically looks fine… Not sure what that was about. 16-7 Raiders.
Nathan Peterman would be coming in if Carr was in fact injured.
Najee Harris on 1st down for about 4 yards. The Steelers aren’t abandoning the anemic rush attack.
Ben to Pat Freiermuth for the first down, but they tagged on roughing the passer there. I thought it was going to be unnecessary roughness for the late hit on Freiermuth given it was nearly identical to the one that was called on the Derek Carr hit earlier.
Benny Snell Jr. with the rush for no gain. Kendrick Green getting scrappy after the play. The Steelers will punt after a failed deep pass to Diontae Johnson. Looked like a miscommunication between Ben and Johnson.
An excellent punt by Pressley Harvin III. The Raiders will start with the ball at their own 4 yard line.
Melvin Ingram missing that speed as Kenyan Drake easily beat him to the sideline for a 1st down pickup and some much needed breathing room for the Raiders.
END OF 3RD QUARTER
Cam Sutton missed a tackle there and allowed a big pickup. This defense is missing Joe Haden, TJ Watt, Devin Bush, and Tyson Alualu big time.
Alex Highsmith beat his man around the edge and brought down Kenyan Drake in the backfield. 3rd and 7 and Cam Heyward batted the ball at the line of scrimmage. The Raiders to punt.
The punt went into the end zone, so the Steelers will take over with plenty of breathing room.
Ben Roethlisberger to Chase Claypool deep and it finally connects. 52 yards. Claypool wasn’t touched either and gained a couple extra.
The snap was fumbled by Ben Roethlisberger, but he picked it up and somehow threw it away for the incompletion. Ben was hit hard by Maxx Crosby though.
Another deep shot attempt from Ben to Diontae Johnson, but it was overthrown.
Najee Harris getting involved in the passing game, he shook off the first defender and then dove across the goal line. Touchdown! 16-14 Raiders.
Trai Turner was disqualified from play after an unsportsmanlike. The penalties offset, but somehow Turner was the only one DQ’d. He must have said something unsavory.
Of course I don’t know the specifics of what happened, but Trai Turner has to be smarter than that. The Steelers had already scored. Turner is by far the oldest on the offensive line and needs to act the part. BJ Finney or JC Hassenauer possibly coming in next drive in place of Turner.
It looks like Trai Turner may have spit on the player.
Derek Carr missed his receiver on 2nd down. A huge 3rd and 10 here for this game. Carr dropped back and hit Henry Ruggs III deep for the touchdown. 23-14 Raiders.
It looked like Minkah Fitzpatrick didn’t get enough depth, perhaps favoring Darren Waller prior to realizing he was about to be beat deep.
I am seeing on Twitter that the previous drive was after Renegade was played at Heinz Field. No mojo there for the Steelers banged up defense.
The Steelers forced to punt after Pat Freiermuth was stopped just a yard short of the marker. A nice punt by Pressley Harvin but it was returned for several yards. The Raiders starting at their own 24 yard line.
The decision to punt there was highly questionable. With this many defensive starters out injured. The Raiders eating up all kinds of clock with their running game that suddenly has life. The inexperience along the defensive line depth is starting to show.
Ray-Ray McCloud crossed the field on that punt return and could have maybe got the sideline to take it all the way, but took a bad cut inside. Big bummer because that would have firmly put the Steelers back in the game.
The offense starting to move now behind Najee Harris, Pat Freiermuth and Diontae Johnson.
Ben to Chase Claypool on an important 3rd and long. Claypool was hit hard as he attempted the catch. It was jarred loose for the incompletion.
Chris Boswell good from 56 yards. Wow. Longest in stadium history. 23-17 Raiders.
Robert Spillane nearly punched the ball out on the kick return. The Raiders will take over from around the 26 yard line with 3:42 remaining and the Steelers have 1 timeout.
The Raiders get a couple of first downs to take it to the 2:00 warning. The game is essentially over with Pittsburgh only having 1 timeout.
The defense is approaching Baltimore Ravens Offense level of injury issues. A loss to the Raiders is one thing. Losing half of your stars is another. Just a crushing way to lose.
Las Vegas Raiders milked the clock and kicked the field goal. 26-17 Raiders.
The Steelers will get the ball back with 20 seconds, but I would assume they will take a knee with zero chance of closing a 9 point gap.
Diontae Johnson down injured, with no timeouts that is a 10 second runoff and the end of the game. Not sure why the Steelers would punt on 4th and 1 earlier and then go for some hook/ladder trick play down 9 with thirty seconds left. The result is Diontae down injured. U-G-L-Y.
FINAL SCORE 26-17 Raiders.
