There have been 207 days that have passed since the Pittsburgh Steelers closed the book on their 2023 season with a loss to the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. Now they open a new chapter with the beginning of the 2024 season. It all begins tonight when the Steelers host the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium.
A lot has changed this offseason. Arthur Smith was brought in as the offensive coordinator, the quarterback room was completely overhauled, and several new faces joined the team in free agency and the NFL Draft. While Russell Wilson was given pole position, he just started ramping up his practice from a calf injury suffered at the start of camp. Justin Fields will be starting with a large opportunity to continue stating his case for a true competition.
Several starters will be sitting out on both teams, but the starters who are participating will be playing roughly two drives each. That leaves opportunities for guys like DeMarvin Leal, Nick Herbig, Jeremiah Moon, Ryan Watts, Payton Wilson, and others to play more than they usually would with the first-team units.
Special teams will also be a big thing to watch. The new kickoff rule brings intrigue, and special teams is often how fringe roster players earn their spot on the initial 53-man roster. The Texans already played their first preseason game, so it will be interesting to see if they expand their strategy on kick return over the vanilla scheme the Steelers will likely use to get the basics down.
If this is your first time joining us for a live game blog, welcome! I will be providing play-by-play updates, curating interesting tweets, injury updates, video highlights and more. You can also scroll down to the bottom of the page where many fans gather to talk about the game in real time. Football is back!
Tonight’s QB1 checking into the stadium.
Surprisingly, Cordarrelle Patterson is suited up and appears to be preparing to play. Very interesting given he has not practices yet and was activated off the non-football injury list just hours ago. Patrick Queen is also dressed, and Tomlin said he is resting during his Wednesday morning press conference. They may just be having the new Steelers go through the motions.
Wilson suited up as well to go through the motions. He led the team out of the tunnel along with Fields.
Elandon Roberts the lone Steelers captain for tonight’s game.
The Steelers won the toss and elected to receive.
START OF GAME
QB John Rhys Plumlee took the kickoff to the 23 yard line.
On 1st down, Najee Harris picked up 16 yards on a quick screen.
On 1st down, Harris stuffed for a loss of 1. Fields connected with George Pickens along the left sideline for 15 yards on 2nd down.
Now in Texans territory, Fields and Nate Herbig bobbled the snap and lost four yards. 2nd and 14, Warren up the middle for one yard. 3rd and 13, Fields found Pat Freiermuth for six yards. Short of field goal range, so P Cameron Johnston will make his inaugural Steelers punt. The punt was fielded at the 5 yard line and returned to the 21.
1st and 10, Pierce brought down by Payton Wilson for a loss of one. On 2nd down, C.J. Stroud connected with Cade Stover for 7 yards, brought down by Elandon Roberts. On 3rd, DeShon Elliott coverage down the sideline and incomplete.
Quez Watkins fair caught the punt at the 15 yard line. Hopefully Calvin Austin III gets some punt return work today, too.
Herbig and Fields bobbled the snap again on first down and never quite got control of the ball. FB Jack Colletto recovered the fumble. On 2nd down, Fields scrambled to the right sideline for 2 yards. 3rd and 4, Troy Fautanu got beat around the edge by Danielle Hunter for a sack. The punt went 50 yards and Dez Fitzpatrick was called for running out of bounds on the punt. Payton Wilson with a big hit near the sideline.
1st and 10, Payton Wilson met Dameon Pierce at the line of scrimmage and tackled him for a gain of two. 2nd and 8, Nick Herbig exploded into the backfield for a would-be sack, but Stroud threw the ball away. 3rd and 8, Stroud connected with Tank Dell for a 34-yard touchdown. Anthony Averett and Damontae Kazee in coverage. 7-0 Texans.
Mason McCormick and Zach Frazier are checking into the game, but Fields, Freiermuth, Pickens, and Van Jefferson staying in. Tomlin wants to see more. Two drives with fumble issues, so that makes sense.
Plumlee returned the kick to the 24 yard line, but Ryan Watts called for a block in the back. They start at the 14.
1st and 10, Harris up the middle for about 6 yards. 2nd and 4, a little misdirection with play-action and then complete to Pickens out wide for 10 yards.
1st and 10, Fields deep left to Jefferson for 20 yards.
1st and 10, Warren off left tackle for one yard. 2nd and 9, Warren exploded through a wide hole behind Zach Frazier for 9 yards.
1st and 10, Harris pitch right for four yards and a nice block by Fautanu. 2nd and 6, incomplete to Jefferson along the right sideline. Pass was slightly off target. If they review that, they would like overturn. It looked like a catch. 3rd and 6, Fields immediately under pressure for a loss of 7. A pooch punt by Johnston fair caught at the 8.
1st and 10, Pierce tackled by Keeanu Benton and Payton Wilson on the tackle. Benton shook up on the play and ran off the field. 2nd and 9, Joey Porter Jr. called for pass interference as he never got his head around.
1st and 10, Pierce up the middle for 2 yards, brought down by Kyron Johnson and DeShon Elliott. 2nd and 8, Davis Mills incomplete to Xavier Hutchinson.
END OF 1ST QUARTER 7-0 Texans
3rd and 8, Montravius Adams sacked Mills for a loss of 6. Watkins back to receive the punt. The punt rolled out of bounds at the 27.
1st and 10, Jonathan Ward up the middle for 2 yards. 2nd and 8, Ward around the left end for 20 yards. Nice blocks by Colletto and Jones.
Kyle Allen complete to Dez Fitzpatrick for 34 yards on 1st down.
1st and 10, encroachment on the defense. 1st and 5, Ward gained 4 bouncing out around the right end. 2nd and 1, complete to Scotty Miller for 3 yards.
1st and goal from the 8 yard line, La’Mical Perine up the middle for 3 yards. 2nd and goal, Perine up the middle for 1 yard. 3rd and goal with one yard to go, Ward stuffed for a loss of one. 4th and goal, incomplete to Calvin Austin III. He was wide open and Allen overthrew him. Austin caught it, but out of bounds. Turnover on downs.
1st and 10, Dare Ogunbowale for three yards tackled by Isaiahh Loudermilk. 2nd and 7, Ogunbowale again for three yards, tackled by Jeremiah Moon. 3rd and 4, pass deflected by Adams. Quick three-and-out and a punt from deep in their own end. Quez Watkins fumbled the punt and it was recovered by the Texans.
1st and 10, Mills incomplete to John Metchie with Payton Wilson in coverage. 2nd and 10, complete to Stover for 16 yards.
1st and 10, DeMarvin Leal playing out on the edge, sacked Mills for a loss of 11. 2nd and 21, Mills complete to Robert Woods for 6 yards with Kaylon Barnes in coverage. 3rd and 15, Mills stepped up to avoid the sack and connected with Woods for 15 yards to convert.
1st and goal, Ogunbowale up the middle for 4 yards and a score. 14-0 Texans.
The kickoff landed short of the landing zone. The ball is placed at the 40. 1st and 10, Allen incomplete intended for Perine. 2nd and 10, Perine up the middle for 4 yards, but illegal hands to the face tacked on the first down.
1st and 10, Allen incomplete deep right to Scotty Miller. 2nd and 10, Perine off left tackle for 2 yards. 3rd and 8, screen pass to Ward for 5 yards.
TWO MINUTE WARNING
Johnston punted into the end zone for a touchback.
1st and 10, Steven Sims ran around the right end for 7 yards brought down by Ryan Watts. 2nd and 3, rushed up the middle for 3 yards and tackled by Beanie Bishop Jr.
1st and 10, Mills complete to Metchie for 7 yards. 2nd and 3, Mills incomplete and nearly intercepted by Watts. 3rd and 3, underneath pass to Sims for 15 yards tackled by Bishop.
1st and 10, Mills complete to Stover for 9 yards brought down by Watts. 2nd and 1, Mills complete to Woods for 9 yards with Bishop and Mark Robinson in the area.
1st and 10, Mills complete to Woods for 12 yards.
1st and 10, Mills threw the ball away. 2nd and 10 with 6 seconds, the Texans kick the field goal and it’s good. 17-0 Texans.
We’ll get a bonus kick return to observe with a few seconds left on the clock. It was returned by Jonathan Ward to the 26 yard line.
END OF HALF 17-0 Texans
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