Despite a nice showing by Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, who led back-to-back scoring drives to open the game, Pittsburgh’s backups couldn’t hold onto a 14-0 lead and the Steelers fell 24-17 to the Detroit Lions in their preseason finale. Pittsburgh ends the preseason winless for the first time since 2013.
Pittsburgh had its first explosive play on their third play of the game, with QB Russell Wilson hitting WR George Pickens for a 32-yard gain. Two plays later Pittsburgh got on the board with a 31-yard touchdown run by RB Cordarrelle Patterson. K Chris Boswell’s extra point gave the Steelers a 7-0 lead with 12:47 left in the first quarter.
Pittsburgh continued its momentum with a strip sack by OLB Nick Herbig on QB Hendon Hooker on Detroit’s first possession. The Steelers would take over at the Detroit 35 with Justin Fields replacing Russell Wilson at quarterback. Pittsburgh quickly moved down the field and RB La’Mical Perine punched it in from a yard out with the offense finally showing some signs of life as the Steelers took a 14-0 lead with 6:05 left in the first quarter.
The rest of the first quarter was fairly uneventful, with Pittsburgh holding onto its 14-0 lead. Pittsburgh’s defense stepped up, with four sacks in the first quarter alone.
Detroit’s offense put together a 72-yard scoring drive late in the second quarter, with RB Jake Funk running the ball five times for 25 yards and catching a two-yard touchdown pass from QB Hendon Hooker. Hooker also had a 19-yard scramble to bring Detroit down to the 2-yard line. The Lions cut Pittsburgh’s lead to 14-7 with 2:33 left in the first half after Jake Bates’ extra point.
On the ensuing drive, DE Isaac Ukwu strip sacked QB Kyle Allen and Detroit recovered, taking over at the Pittsburgh 33 with 1:53 left in the first half. The Lions were able to take advantage of the turnover with a 1-yard touchdown run by Jermar Jefferson. An 18-yard pass by Hooker to WR Kaden Davis on the first play of the drive set the tone and the Lions tied the game up at 14-14 following Bates’ extra point with 25 seconds left in the first half, The score would remain 14-14 at the half.
The Lions drove 54 yards in 14 plays on the opening possession of the second half, but they couldn’t capitalize as Bates missed a 30-yard field goal to keep the score tied with 7:19 left in the third quarter.
Pittsburgh had its longest preseason play on 3rd and 8 on the next drive, with Allen hitting WR Dez Fitzpatrick for a 59-yard gain on a catch and run along the right sideline. Pittsburgh’s drive stalled in the red zone, but K Matthew Wright hit a 26-yard field goal, and the Steelers regained the lead at 17-14 with 3:20 left in the third quarter.
DB Cam Sutton made a play against his former team, intercepting Hooker on Detroit’s following drive, and Pittsburgh took over at the Detroit 45 due to a Steelers penalty after the interception.
Pittsburgh couldn’t capitalize on the turnover and was forced to punt after a three and out. Detroit’s drive started at its own 12, but a 29-yard catch and run by WR Maurice Washington followed by a horse-collar tackle moved the Lions to the Pittsburgh 31. Back-to-back scrambles by Hooker had Detroit inside the red zone at the Pittsburgh 19. The Lions scored a few plays later on a 7-yard run by Jefferson and Bates’ extra point gave Detroit a 21-17 lead with 12:39 left to play.
Bates hit a 47-yard try to extend Detroit’s lead to 24-17 with 5:22 left to go following an 11-play, 64-yard drive led by QB Jake Fromm.
QB John Rhys Plumlee got his first preseason action in Pittsburgh’s next drive, but a fourth-down conversion was wiped out by an ineligible man downfield penalty on OG Joey Fisher. Then Fisher was hit with a false start, which turned it into 4th and 13 and the Steelers had to punt with 2:28 left.
The Lions would kill the clock to close out the 24-17 win. They finish the preseason 3-0, while Pittsburgh went 0-3 in the preseason. The Steelers will now make final roster cuts on Tuesday.
