Thank you for joining us this week for another Pittsburgh Steelers football game. If this is your first time, be sure to refresh the page throughout the game for video highlights, curated tweets, live updates and more. Also, scroll down to the bottom of the page to join the conversation with other fans.
The Steelers are hosting the New York Jets for their second ever meaningful game at Acrisure Stadium. The Jets will be led by Zach Wilson who is just returning from a meniscus tear and bone bruise suffered in the preseason. Head coach of the Jets, Robert Saleh, acknowledged there might be some rust, but wanted to “rip the band-aid off” so this young offensive unit can start growing together.
Both teams are 1-2 heading into this game and what a world of difference 2-2 is compared to the uphill battle of starting 1-3. The Steelers have a particularly daunting schedule upcoming facing the Bills, Buccaneers, Dolphins, and Eagles prior to the bye week.
Each team ruled out one of their defensive starters on Friday with LB Quincy Williams for the Jets and CB Ahkello Witherspoon for the Steelers. The rest of the gameday inactives are as follows:
Steelers Inactive Players
CB Ahkello Witherspoon
QB Mason Rudolph
G Kendrick Green
DE Isaiahh Loudermilk
ILB Mark Robinson
WR Steven Sims
OLB David Anenih
Jets Inactive Players
QB Mike White
WR Denzel Mims
CB Bryce Hall
S Will Parks
LB Quincy Williams
OL Cedric Ogbuehi
TE Lawrence Cager
Looks like Cam Sutton is playing after a light practice on Friday due to a groin injury. That is a sigh of relief for this secondary already missing Witherspoon.
Two players were elevated from the practice squad yesterday and are active for today’s game. Cornerback Josh Jackson and outside linebacker Ryan Anderson are active for their first game of the season.
START OF GAME.
The Steelers start the game out with the ball.
On 1st and 10, Najee Harris picked up about five yards. On 2nd, Mitch Trubisky rolled out to his right and found Pat Freiermuth at the sticks for a first down.
Najee Harris on the toss play for about 5 yards on 1st down. On 2nd and 5, Trubisky deep to George Pickens and it fell incomplete. The defender was right there in coverage to deflect. 3rd and 5, Freiermuth converts at the sticks in the middle of the field.
Refreshing to put together a drive early in the game.
On 1st and 10, Najee crossed the midfield mark with a gain of three. George Pickens received the 2nd down pass across the middle of the field to convert, but a flag down on the play. Ineligible man downfield called on James Daniels. The league is cracking down on the RPO downfield blockers this year. On 2nd and 12, Diontae Johnson with the sweep to gain 8. 3rd and 4, Trubisky tried to run for the first down but was tackled well short. Pressley Harvin III’s punt landed at the 9 yard line.
The Steelers opening drive has resulted in a punt four weeks in a row. That was probably the most promising opening drive yet.
Zach Wilson takes the field at the 9 yard line. Michael Carter took the handoff about three yards. On 2nd and 7, Alex Highsmith with the backside pursuit to tackle for no gain. 3rd and 7, Garrett Wilson caught the pass at the sticks, but Arthur Maulet tackled him short. 4th and 1 and the Jets will punt.
An excellent punt for the Jets and the Steelers take over from the 23 yard line.
Diontae Johnson couldn’t quite hold onto the hard throw over the middle. It bounced off his hands and was intercepted at the 40 yard line.
On 1st and 10, Alex Highsmith sacked Wilson. Zach Wilson scrambled for five yards on 2nd and Breece Hall picked up 5 to convert on 3rd.
1st and 10 from the 26 yard line, Wilson incomplete with Devin Bush in his face with the pressure. Demarvin Leal tackled Carter up the middle for no gain on 2nd. 3rd and 10, a six yard completion. The field goal is good. 3-0 Jets.
Not bad to limit the damage to 3 points after a bad interception in Steelers’ territory.
The Steelers take over at the 25 yard line after the touchback.
Gunner Olszewski around the right end on 1st down for no gain and he was hit hard. On 2nd and 10, George Pickens received a pass along the left sideline for a gain of 5. On 3rd, Jaylen Warren caught the check down pass for just 4 yards. The Pressley Harvin punt was fair caught at the 30. A punt of just 36 yards.
The crowd is showering boo birds down on the field.
Breece Hall rushed for 3 yards on 1st down, tackled by Devin Bush and Demarvin Leal. On 2nd, the pass was incomplete. Alex Highsmith nearly got another sack, then Myles Jack but he got the ball off for an incomplete pass. On 3rd and 7, Wilson complete to Elijah Moore for 20 yards. 1st and 10, Breece Hall up the middle for 3 yards.
END OF 1ST QUARTER: 3-0 JETS.
Across the midfield, 2nd and 7, another 28 yard pickup to Moore. Myles Jack in coverage. Jets now in the red zone.
On 1st and 10, Carter rushed for 3 yards. On 2nd and 7, Hall picked up 9 around the right end.
1st and goal, Breece Hall picked up 2 yards. 2nd and goal from the 2, Zach Wilson caught the touchdown pass with a bit of trickery. 10-0 Jets.
If Highsmith is out for any length of time, this team is in huge trouble. Top two edge defenders out.
Benny Snell returned the kick to the 26 yard line.
On 1st and 10, Najee Harris rushed for 3 yards. On 2nd and 7, Najee picked up 4, but holding called on Kevin Dotson. 2nd and 17 upcoming. Trubisky complete deep middle to George Pickens for 26 yards. Pickens found the soft spot of the zone for an easy conversion.
On 1st and 10, Jaylen Warren fell forward for 3 yards up the middle. Warren went around the right end for 14 yards on the next play.
On 1st and 10, Najee Harris back in the game, he rushed off right tackle for 13 yards. The Steelers finding some rhythm on their offense. A lot more pitch plays and concepts to get their stars in open space with the ball. Testing the Jets sideline-to-sideline coverage.
On 1st and 10, Najee Harris up the middle for 2 yards. Now in the red zone on 2nd and 8, Diontae Johnson caught the ball in the back of the end zone ruled out of bounds. Two feet in, but the toe looks to be slightly out of bounds. That should stand as a non-touchdown. The ruling on the field was incomplete. Mike Tomlin challenged.
Ruling stands, Tomlin lost the challenge. 3rd and 8, Trubisky was sacked for 10 yard loss and a penalty on Chuks Okorafor. Penalty declined to bring up 4th and 18. Field goal is good. 10-3 Jets.
The kickoff went out of bounds, so the Jets get the ball at the 40 yard line. Not great, Bob.
A quick three-and-out to bail out Chris Boswell’s mishap. The Jets’ punt was fair caught at around the 15 yard line.
Pat Freiermuth caught the 1st down pass for 24 yards. A lot more explosive plays than normal for the Steelers today.
On 1st and 10, illegal shift on Diontae Johnson. 1st and 15, Najee Harris picked up 6 on the ground. 2nd down, Trubisky was sacked for a loss of 9. Only three man rush there, not a great look for this offense to crumble to just three. On 3rd and long, incomplete intended for Chase Claypool.
Pressley Harvin’s punt fair caught at the 18 yard line. Holding called on the return team, so the Jets are backed way up on their own 8 yard line.
On 1st down, the pass fell incomplete. On 2nd and 10, Tyler Conklin caught the ball with plenty of room to run. Arthur Maulet injured on the play.
Demarvin Leal and Cameron Heyward in on the 1st down tackle for loss. 2nd and 14, incomplete intended for Breece Hall. On 3rd and long, incomplete intended for Garrett Wilson. Arthur Maulet in coverage, so he must not be injured.
The Jets’ punt was returned by Olszewski to the 34 yard line.
On 1st and 10, Najee Harris tackled for a loss of 3. The Jets had multiple people in the backfield. 2nd and 13, George Pickens targeted along the sideline incomplete. Sauce Gardner in coverage. On 3rd and 13, false start backs them up to 3rd and 18, called on Dan Moore. 3rd down and very long, Trubisky was sacked for a loss of 7. 4th and 25, Harvin’s punt went just 35 yards. The Jets start their drive with the ball at the 50.
On 1st and 10, Arthur Maulet tackled Breece Hall for no gain.
TWO MINUTE WARNING.
2nd and 10, Elijah Moore caught the pass for a gain of 5. 3rd and 5, the pass fell incomplete with Terrell Edmunds taking a hard hit. Edmunds down for the Steelers and Max Mitchell down for the Jets. Both players appear to be in quite a bit of pain. Flag down on the field.
Arthur Maulet was called for defensive holding, so a fresh set of down for the Jets. Not quite in field goal territory yet, but 1st and 10 with 1:50 or so remaining. Nearly a fumble on 1st down with a trick play, but it was ruled incomplete. On 2nd and 10, Breece Hall went up the middle for 16 yards. Now in field goal range.
Hall up the middle for a loss of 1 on 1st down. Incomplete pass on 2nd down deep. 00:40 remaining, 3rd down, Wilson tossed an interception to Cam Sutton. The pick was returned 26 yards to the 30 yard line.
00:20 remaining and the Steelers have a couple deep tosses to try and make a field goal happen. Pat Freiermuth caught the checkdown pass and turned up field for about 14 yards. No more timeouts with 00:12.
On 1st and 10, another target to Freiermuth but incomplete. Now just 9 seconds. A deep pass from Trubisky intercepted. Roughing the passer called. The half can’t end on a defensive penalty. The Steelers get a shot at a deep field goal. 59 yard attempt. The field goal is good. Record breaker at Heinz Field. 10-6 Jets.
END OF HALF: 10-6 JETS.
Join us for the second half here.
