PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers took over Allegiant Stadium as they faced the Las Vegas Raiders, and it was a star-studded affair. With the team dropping their last two games, the Steelers needed their best players to lead the way and get them back in the win column. That’s exactly what they got, as they took down the Raiders by a score of 32-13.
The team’s offense again got off to a slow start. Despite moving the ball down the field on their opening possession, the drive sputtered and the team settled for three points off kicker Chris Boswell’s toe. Their only other possession in the opening quarter was a three-and-out, as they wouldn’t get their next points until the second quarter.
Quarterback Justin Fields and the offense looked their best on the ground. He rushed nine times for 61 yards and found the end zone twice. Meanwhile, Najee Harris had his best game of the season, making decisive cuts to evade tackles and being an absolute menace to bring down. He finished with 14 carries for 106 yards, topped off by a 36-yard effort for his first rushing score of the season.
In the air was another story for the Steelers and Fields, as they again failed to make significant strides in the passing game. Fields finished 14 of 24 for just 145 yards and no touchdowns. Fields struggled with his accuracy in a noticeable way, with multiple passes sailing over his targets’ head. The offense looked inconsistent and far from perfect in this game, but they also recorded their highest point total of the season.
Defensively, the Steelers remained elite while suffocating the Raiders’ offense. Their opening drive was a blemish, letting Las Vegas march down the field and score a rushing touchdown. The rest of the first half, however, they held the Raiders to scraps. They forced three straight punts after surrendering a touchdown and star linebacker T.J. Watt forced a fumble that Keeanu Benton recovered late in the second quarter.
The second half started off with a bang on defense as well, this time with the special teams unit getting involved. Jeremiah Moon, who saw a huge rise in snap count at outside linebacker with injuries to Nick Herbig and Alex Highsmith, blocked a punt that put the team in prime position to score another three points. The remainder of the second half was more punts, another forced fumble by Watt, and an interception from cornerback Donte Jackson. The team gave up just two touchdowns the entire game and limited the Raiders to less than 300 yards of total offense.
Injuries would again cause trouble for the team. During the second half, center Zach Frazier went down and left the game. He was replaced by Ryan McCollum, but the Steelers are hoping their standout rookie will be able to return for their next matchup.
With the victory, the Steelers are now 4-2. They are tied with the Baltimore Ravens for first place in the AFC North Division. They’ll put their record to the test in week 7 with a visit from future Hall of Fame QB Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets.
