If the Pittsburgh Steelers make something out of the 2023 season, the turning point may have come during Thursday night's 20-16 win over the Tennessee Titans. Specifically, the game could be a turning point for quarterback Kenny Pickett, who made several clutch plays late in the game that included his game-winning touchdown pass to Diontae Johnson.
As expected, it was a back-and-forth game between two mostly defensive-minded teams. Pittsburgh struck first on Najee Harris' 10-yard touchdown run to open the game, but the Titans rallied to take a 13-10 halftime lead behind several clutch plays from rookie quarterback Will Levis, who was making just his second career start and first road start.
The Titans led 16-13 before Pickett led Pittsburgh's offense on an 11-play, 92-yard drive that culminated with his three-yard touchdown pass to Johnson, who hauled in his first scoring pass since the 2021 playoffs. Pittsburgh's defense sealed the win with Kwon Alexander's end zone pick of Levis with six seconds left.
Both teams suffered notable injuries on Thursday night. Steelers inside linebacker Cole Holcumb sustained what was described during the broadcast as a gruesome knee injury. Titans wideout Treylon Burks was carted off the field late in the game but he was reportedly seen walking to the team bus afterwords.
Here's a closer look at the NFL's first game of Week 9.
Once again, Pittsburgh rallied from behind to win a game it trailed in for large stretches. The Steelers' five comeback wins this season are the most in franchise history through eight games since the 1997 team that got within a game of the Super Bowl.
Pickett engineered his seventh game-winning drive in either the fourth quarter or overtime since the start of the 2022 season, the second-most such drives in the NFL over that span (only Kirk Cousins has more). Pickett did so by spreading the ball around while also leaning on his rapport with Johnson, who led both teams with 90 yards on seven catches.
While the Steelers' rallying wasn't new, Pittsburgh received a resurgence from their running game. With rookie Broderick Jones making his first start at right tackle, Harris and fellow running back Jaylen Warren ran for a combined 156 yards on 27 carries.
Defensively, Pittsburgh continues to gobble up turnovers and sacks at an alarming rate. Alex Highsmith had two of the unit's four sacks of Levis, while Alexander's pick marked the 16th forced turnover of the season for Mike Tomlin's defense.
Levis played about as well as could be expected, but he and his unit weren't able to do much on their last three possessions. For whatever reason, the Titans forgot to feed Derrick Henry, who had just three carries over that span after scoring Tennessee's lone touchdown earlier in the game.
As noted above, the Titans appeared to have found something in Levis, who threw for 262 yards, including this big third-down completion to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine that set up Henry's go-ahead score.
They say that the final drive of the first half and the first drive of the second half can be the difference in games. That could be said of Thursday night's game, as the Titans' defense gave up field goals in both situations. Those points ended up being the difference in the game.
Pittsburgh was trailing before Pickett hit Johnson for a 32-yard catch on a third-and-6 play with 5:06 left. The big play set up the duo's game-winning score.
It has to be Johnson's touchdown, which was the byproduct of a nice play design and good execution from Pittsburgh's offense.
Second place goes to Watt, who despite losing his helmet was able to register a sack of Levis in the first half.
"I think it was great for communication. We talk on the headphones all the time. But to go to each unit within the offense and talk to guys about what our plan is and how we want to attack each drive, I think it worked well for us tonight." -- Pickett on PRIME's postgame when asked about offensive coordinator Matt Canada working from the sideline for the first time on Thursday night.
Pittsburgh will stay at home against the Packers, who are 2-5 entering Sunday's home game against the Los Angeles Rams. Tennessee will play in its second of three straight road games when it faces the Buccaneers in Tampa. After a 3-1 start, the Buccaneers are 3-4 entering their road game this Sunday against the Houston Texans.
On third-and-5, Levis is picked by Kwon Alexander in the end zone. That's game.
The rookie tried to fit it in to rookie TE Josh Whyle but Alexander was deep enough to cut it off.
FINAL 20-16 Steelers
Okonkwo 12 yards on the right side. Pittsburgh playing deep allowed for that underneath completion. 20 seconds left. Remember, Titans have no timeouts remaining.
Levis finds Chris Moore deep down the field for a gain of 29 yards. Tennessee now at the 36 yard line of Pittsburgh.
Joey Porter Jr. called for defensive holding, and it bails out the Titans. New life with 49 seconds remaining.
Titans are facing a "now-or-never" play on a fourth-and-7 from their own 30-yard line
The broadcast reports that Burks has full movement in all extremities.
Treylon Burks did give a thumbs up as he was carted off.
Titans had the ball with four minutes remaining. All their timeouts. They gain a total of six yards and Levis misses Burks deep on fourth down. Steelers will take over near midfield with a four-point lead.
Treylon Burks is still on the ground and the cart has come out.
This was definitely one of the plays of the drive
The Steelers finally break the punt streak. Kenny Pickett leads the offense a whopping 92 yards down the field on 11 plays, and Diontae Johnson scores a three-yard TD. He was the main target on that drive. Had a 32-yard catch on a third-and-6 earlier in the possession.
Steelers 20 Titans 16 4:02 remaining in the game
Two straight punts after two straight field-goal drives. Titans go 33 yards on six plays. Levis found Treylon Burks for a gain on 21 yards on the first play of the possession, but then it fell apart. Third-and-8 pass to Tyjae Spears in the backfield I absolutely hate.
The Titans went way from Henry on that drive. Threw three straight times to end the drive after Henry gained seven on a first down.
The Steelers punt on their next possession. Six plays, 19 yards. Offense is not doing well. Some play calls I disagree with, such as that screen pass to Pickens.
Titans go 45 yards on nine plays, and a 48-yard Nick Folk field goal gives the Titans back the lead.
16-13 Titans with 19 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Pickens did have a nick block on the drive that helped set up the FG.
Pickens unable to get both feet in bounds, so Steelers will settle for a FG. That one's on Pickens, has to have better field awareness.
Longest run of the year by Najee Harris, 26 yards, gives the Steelers a first down. Steelers near midfield after a nice catch-and-run by Warren on the next play.
PBU by Pat Peterson ends the Titans' first drive. That was more of a bad play by Levis than a good one by Peterson. In any event, Titans go three and out.
First downs: TEN 14 PIT 10
Third downs: TEN 3-7 PIT 2-5
Total yards: TEN 198 PIT 142
Penalties: TEN 5-43 PIT 6-50
TOP: TEN 17:59 PIT 12:01
Zero turnovers
Will Levis 12/17 153 yards
Kenny Pickett 8/15 78 yards
Derrick Henry 10 rushes 45 yards
Jaylen Warren 4 rushes 38 yards
Najee Harris 6 rushes 26 yards 1 TD
DeAndre Hopkins 4 catches 60 yards
Diontae Johnson 4 catches 46 yards
George Pickens 1 catch 2 yards
Impressive final drive for the Titans before we get to halftime. 57 yards down the field with 1:16 remaining in the game. Not sure why Vrabel decided to not take another shot at the end zone on that third down. Either way, Levis made some impressive throws down the field on that possession.
36-yard FG from Folk is good. 13-10 Titans at halftime.
Steelers stall in the red zone thanks to a too many men on the field penalty. 29-yard field goal from Boswell is good. Pittsburgh had the ball at the Titans' 6-yard line and just couldn't find a way to get it in. Pickett's pass to Allen Robinson on third-and-goal from the 11 was too low. Could have been 6.
Tie game, 10 apiece. 1:16 remaining before halftime. Let's see what Levis can do.
Will Levis tells his teammates "hell of a drive!" as Derrick Henry punches in a two-yard touchdown.
11 plays, 73 yards. XP is good.
Titans 10 Steelers 7 with 6:35 remaining before halftime.
ANOTHER three-and-out from the Steelers. Thought Pickett had Calvin Austin deep down the middle of the field on third-and-8, but Azeez Al-Shaair somehow got a hand on the ball with his back to the QB.
Titans go four plays, 18 yards and Ryan Stonehouse is out to punt. Nothing going on that drive.
Pickett: 5-9, 62 yards
Levis: 5-7, 52 yards
Henry: 4 carries, 12 yards
