Perspective Of An Average Steelers Fan: Never A Doubt, Pittsburgh Beats Pack

Game Prelude

Pittsburgh played Green Bay at home. A very important game to maintain momentum entering the second half of the season. Minkah Fitzpatrick remains out.

Gameday Experience

I headed back to Pittsburgh for this game. My buddy Rich Frankenfield and Laurie had my usual seats. So, bought a ticket way up in section 536 but watched the game from the rotunda. There are always tickets available. Just a handful of Pittsburgh home games have actually had standing room only since 1970.

Good crowd with a large contingent of Packers fans at this game. Here is my view from the fourth quarter.

Steelers Offense

The Steelers scored 17 points on their first three possessions. But cooled off and just added six more in the second half.

Steelers Drives

I don’t know if it’s Matt Canada calling plays from the sideline. But the Steelers had a second straight fast start. Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren combined for 183 rushing yards. And both scored on the ground to stake out a 14-7 lead. Kenny Pickett avoided heavy pressure and several of his passes were on target but negated by strong defensive plays by a secondary missing their best player. Kenny threw a swing pass to Warren late in the second half that was very close to being a lateral behind the 16-yard line. The review upheld that the pass was incomplete and preserved the Steelers’ 17-13 lead.

The offense missed chances to put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter. First, Najee tried to leap a defensive back on a second and 10 play with 5:58 to play. We thought it was a first down with the markers even moving. But officials reviewed the play reviewed and called it two yards short. If he had just charged forward he would have the first. Perhaps he was afraid of a “leading with a helmet” penalty. In any case, the Steelers kicked a field goal from the 17 instead of continuing for a touchdown. Then on the Steelers’ last drive, Pickett connected with George Pickens on third and 9 from their own 40-yard line. He reached the 28 on the 32-yard pass play but Calvin Austin was penalized for offensive pass interference. It was close and hard to tell if the defensive player or Austin initiated contact.

Steelers Defense

The Steelers defense gave up two early touchdowns. Green Bay moved the ball well.

Opponents Drives

Green Bay scored two touchdowns in the first half. Very frustrating that they gave up a 7-0 lead and allowed the Packers to tie the game. The Steelers’ secondary torched several times. The Packers’ receivers just gained separation and got behind the coverage. But Patrick Peterson made a key special team play by blocking the point after attempt to make it a four-point lead at 17-13. That was key late in the game.

The defense limited Green Bay to 6 points in the second half. Pittsburgh took a 23-19 lead with 5:14 to play. Jordan Love connected with Dontayvion Wicks for 32 yards on a third and 10 play. Keanu Neal was the closest Steeler when he caught the ball. Two plays later Love threw to Christian Watson in the end zone. But Patrick Peterson tapped the ball and Keanu Neal intercepted to preserve the lead.

However, the Steelers punted to Green Bay giving them one more chance with 59 seconds to play but no timeouts. Green Bay went from their own 19 and reached the Pittsburgh 16 when Love spiked the ball to set up one last play with 3 seconds remaining. Love’s pass to Watson was intercepted by Demontae Kazee who ran it out of the end zone to the 28 where he went out of bounds bowling over Danny Smith. A melee erupted as Elgton Jenkins was flagged for unnecessary roughness. But this game was over.

Note veteran Isaac Seumalo immediately put his helmet on as rookie Darnell Washington is bareheaded. Mike Tomlin should show this tape to teach rookies to be prepared. You never know what can happen in a sideline melee. Hope Danny Smith’s wad of chewing gum cushioned his fall.

Special Teams

Special teams are an underappreciated facet of the game where one big play can shift momentum or even decide the game-winner.

I break special teams into three phases: Kickoffs, punting, and scoring (field goals and extra points.) Here is an overview of the special teams play during the game:

KICKOFFS

Chris Boswell kicked off 6 times. His first returned 36 yards from 5 yards deep in the end zone. Danny Smith switched strategies and Boswell kicked high short kicks after that. The first two gave Green Bay starts behind the 25-yard line. But in the second half, Nixon returned one for 49 yards to the Pittsburgh 44. James Pierre finally tackled him. Nixon returned the other 34 yards to the Packer 44-yard line. Boswell kicked the last out of the end zone for a touchback. Luckily, the defense held Green Bay to just three points on the two long returns.

Anders Carlson kicked off 5 times. His first went out just inside the cone for a touchback. His second went out of bounds to give the Steelers the ball at their own 40. Carlson kicked the next three to Anthony McFarland back from his knee injury. McFarland muffed the first and just managed to reach the 15-yard line. But then he had a 22-yard return. He returned the last kickoff 37 yards to the 34-yard line. Despite the muff, it was nice to see McFarland returning kicks again.

THE STATS

Advantage Packers.

PUNTING

Pressley Harvin punted 5 times averaging 44.8 yards. His first went 50 yards but returned for 12 to the Packers 46-yard line. But he got good height forcing a fair catch behind the 20 on the second. Then a long 56-yard directional punt went out of bounds at the 22. Jayden Reed muffed the fourth punt and recovered the ball at the 9-yard line. Harvin’s final punt was downed at the Green Bay 19. Overall, a good day.

Daniel Whelan punted 4 times averaging 44.8 yards. But he netted 39.8 yards a punt due to Calvin Austin’s returns of 14 and 6 yards.

THE STATS

Advantage Steelers.

FIELD GOALS and EXTRA POINTS

Chris Boswell kicked three field goals including a 49-yarder. He converted both extra points.

Anders Carlson converted his first extra point. But Patrick Peterson blocked the second. This proved crucial at the end of the game. The Steelers and Packers traded field goals in the second half. So, the Steelers enjoyed a 4-point lead late in the game. This forced Green Bay to throw for the end zone since a tie was not an option.

THE STATS

Advantage Steelers

YOUR HOT TAKES DURING THE GAME

Thank you, Ross McCorkle, for keeping us up to date on the game’s first and second half Live Update and Discussion Threads. Steelers Depot respondents contributed 1178 first-half comments. Respondents added  1331 more second-half comments.  Here are the top three comments from each half. I don’t know the algorithm used by Disqus but here is how they stacked it up:

The top three first-half comments:

BigDickSwangin was brought to tears by the Steelers offense. He had the best of the first-half comment with “If we go up by 2 td’s I might cry.” The offense put up 17 points and were up by 10 early in the game.

Chris92021 focused on Broderick Jones, “Broderick Jones is a stud.” He considers him the Steelers’ best first-round pick since T.J. Watt. Hope that pans out true.

S7eelerNa7ion concerned with Steelers pass defense: “Wallace looking like the government. Takes all the money and does nothing good.”

The Steelers are 6-3. But fans are still not satisfied. In the second half, McQball had the top comment of the game by observing “Kenny is a bad quarterback. Just stares at his first read. Doesn’t survey the field at all. Offers nothing down the field. The Steelers should make a move for a better player. This team would be dangerous with a good young quarterback.”

I’m Not a Sith! Really! Wants Najee Harris more grounded.  “Najee…just run them over. I don’t know if he knows he’s big.” Harris probably would have gained the first down if he lowered his body and barreled through the defensive back. But with officiating these days may have been flagged for leading with the helmet.

Hmmmm still wants a new offensive coordinator. “If the Steelers had a good OC he could easily scheme GP and DJ open on every pass play..” Steelers fans will have to wait until next season to find out.

Hope you all enjoy the banter on the live update and discussion threads!

CONCLUSION

The Steelers beat the Packers and sit at 6-3. As an average Steelers fan, I’m very excited. They have four very tough division games. But 4 of the 5 non-division games look winnable. The offense has shown some scoring punch and the running game improving. The defense has bent but makes splash plays at opportune moments in the game.

But more discerning fans ready to sack Kenny Pickett, still believe Matt Canada should be replaced before the season ends, and don’t believe the Steelers can win a playoff game this year. I’ve heard more than one state that Pickett’s growth is stunted, and he should be allowed to throw long passes even if they are intercepted. I admit that I am not sophisticated enough to understand this line of reasoning.

Pittsburgh travels to Cleveland next. Win, lose, or draw; I remain a Pittsburgh Steelers fan. Here We Go.

Your Song Selection

I always like to include a bit of music. The Steelers remain in the hunt for a playoff spot. They’ve had a few regrets. And lost a few. Not everyone likes how they have gone about it. But they’ve done it their way. Here is My Way performed by Frank Sinatra.