It took until late in the third quarter but the Pittsburgh Steelers finally found the end zone. FB/TE Connor Heyward was on the receiving end of the first score, a 6-yard catch in the right flat from QB Kyle Allen. Heyward squeezed inside the right front pylon to break the plane and find the end zone.
Kicker Matthew Wright missed the extra point, though it was due to a high snap from LS Christian Kuntz that punter/holder Cameron Johnston had to stretch to haul in.
Heyward’s catch capped off an effective a 10-play, 78-yard drive that took up a chunk of the third quarter. QB Kyle Allen and the offense recovered from a handful of penalties that moved them backwards, working their way out of separate 1st-and-20 and 2nd-and-17 jams.
WR Calvin Austin was a key target on the drive, recording 2 catches for 49 yards, while WR Jaray Jenkins chipped in a 16-yard reception. Allen also added an 11-yard scramble.
Pittsburgh’s offense has sputtered throughout the game in large part due to unforced errors. There were two botched exchanges between center Nate Herbig and quarterback Justin Fields, while the Steelers lost a first half possession after WR Quez Watkins muffed a punt return. While the initial results aren’t promising, a red-hot Steelers’ offense last preseason didn’t produce regular season results. Perhaps the opposite will prove true in 2024.
The Steelers trail the Texans 17-6 late in the third quarter.
