The Pittsburgh Steelers played host to the Tennessee Titans at Acrisure Stadium on Thursday Night Football, and Pittsburgh got back on track with a 20-16 win after a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Pittsburgh was led by an impressive ground game and another fourth-quarter comeback by QB Kenny Pickett.
Pittsburgh won the toss and chose to receive. On 3rd and 6, Pickett found WR Allen Robinson II on a crossing route for a 10-yard completion and a first down. The Steelers picked up another first down later in the drive on a seven-yard run by RB Jaylen Warren. But an ineligible man downfield penalty on OT Broderick Jones set the Steelers back, although they made it third and short with a 13-yard completion to WR Diontae Johnson on 2nd and 15.
On 3rd and 2, Pickett went back to Johnson for a 19-yard gain down to the Tennessee 10, and then RB Najee Harris ran it in for a 10-yard touchdown. K Chris Boswell’s extra point gave the Steelers a 7-0 lead with 10:11 left in the first quarter.
An illegal double-team block against the Titans on the ensuing kickoff forced them to start the drive at their own ten-yard line, but they managed a field goal on a drive where the Steelers were penalized five times, netting the Titans 40 yards. Nick Folk hit from 36 yards with 2:48 left in the first quarter after a T.J. Watt sack of QB Will Levis to make it 7-3.
The Steelers went three-and-out, but Tennessee couldn’t answer with a score as an Alex Highsmith sack of Levis helped set back Tennessee’s drive. Pittsburgh got the ball back at its own 17-yard line with 13:59 left in the second quarter. But they went three-and-out.
On 3rd and 13 on Tennessee’s next drive, Levis hit WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for a 23-yard gain, and a 15-yard run by RB Derrick Henry a few plays later got Tennesse to the Pittsburgh 9. Three plays later, Henry punched it in with a two-yard touchdown run to give the Titans a 10-7 lead with 6:35 lead.
The Steelers drove down the field pretty quickly, with a couple of quick completions to WR Diontae Johnson and a roughing-the-passer penalty moving Pittsburgh to the Tennessee 36. RB Jaylen Warren ran for 15 yards and then 14 yards on back-to-back carries, but despite getting it inside the Tennessee 10, the Steelers couldn’t find the end zone. Boswell hit a 29-yard field goal to tie the game at 10-10 with 1:16 left in the half.
Tennessee quickly got moving though, as Levis and WR DeAndre Hopkins connected for a nine-yard gain and then Levis went deep to WR Kyle Phillips twice, hitting him for a 24-yard gain and then a 21-yard gain. The Titans ended the half with a field goal, as K Nick Folk connected from 36 yards out to give Tennessee a 13-10 lead at the half.
The Titans went three-and-out on the first drive of the second half, and the Steelers leaned on Najee Harris when they took over. He ran for three yards on first down and then 25 yards on second down. Pittsburgh drove to the Tennessee 47, and they got a new set of downs to the 37 after a seven-yard reception by TE Darnell Washington for a first down. But the drive would stall out at the Tennessee 12, and Pickett’s pass to WR George Pickens on 3rd and 3 was incomplete as Pickens couldn’t get his foot down after making the catch in the end zone. Boswell finished the drive off with a 30-yard field goal to tie the game at 13-13 with 5:41 left in the third quarter.
The Titans’ ensuing drive appeared to be a three-and-out, but CB Patrick Peterson was flagged for illegal contact on third down and Tennessee got a new set of downs. That gave them life, as RB Derrick Henry ran for 11 yards on the next play and two plays later had a 23-yard reception down to the Pittsburgh 25. But they’d once again settle for a field goal, as Folk nailed a 48-yard try to give the Titans a 16-13 lead with 19 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Steelers picked up one first down on their next drive but then punted with 12:25 left in the fourth quarter. Tennessee took over at their own 8-yard line, and Levis made a big throw on first down, connecting with WR Treylon Burks for a 21-yard gain. But Tennessee’s drive stalled, and the Steelers took over at their own 8-yard line with 9:13 left.
A four-yard run by Harris gave the Steelers a first down, and then on 3rd and 1 from the Pittsburgh 28, Warren ran for 13 yards and a first down to the Pittsburgh 41. On 3rd and 6 a few plays later, Pickett dropped one in the bucket to WR Diontae Johnson for a 32-yard gain, and then Warren ran for 22 yards down to the 1-yard line. After a false start knocked the Steelers back, a defensive holding penalty against Tennesse gave the Steelers a new set of downs, and WR Diontae Johnson caught his first regular-season touchdown pass since Week 17 of the 2021 season. Boswell’s extra point put Pittsburgh ahead 20-16 with 4:02 left in the fourth quarter.
The Titans drive began at their own 48 after the kickoff, which was longer due to a penalty on Pittsburgh after the extra point. The Titans couldn’t pick up a first down, and Levis was incomplete to WR Treylon Burks downfield on 4th and 4. The Steelers took over at their own 46 with 2:06 left to play.
The game wasn’t over though, because Tennessee still had three timeouts and the two-minute warning at its disposal. Pittsburgh went three-and-out, and the Titans got the ball back at their own 15 with 1:44 left and a chance to win. On 4th and 7 with 53 seconds left, the Steelers were flagged for illegal contact and the Titans had a new set of downs at their own 35. Tennessee got into Pittsburgh territory at the Steelers’ 36 on a 29-yard pass to WR Chris Moore. TE Chig Okonkwo moved it down to the Pittsburgh 24 with 20 seconds left, and the Titans moved the ball to the Pittsburgh 19 with 11 seconds left. Levis took a shot to the end zone but was then picked off by LB Kwon Alexander, and the Steelers held on for a 20-16 win.
The win moves the Steelers to 5-3, while Tennessee falls to 3-5. The Steelers, after a mini bye, will look to win their second straight game a week from Sunday when they host the Green Bay Packers.
