Plays of the Year: Dwayne Haskins finds Anthony Johnson all alone for deep TD connection
Steel City Underground presents “Plays of the Year” featuring the top runs, catches, hits and everything else in-between from the Pittsburgh Steelers 2021 season.
The Steelers got to play some bonus preseason football in 2021. They would face the Philadelphia Eagles in “Week 1”, which would be their second week of exhibition action since the Hall of Fame game played against the Dallas Cowboys one week earlier, was technically “Week Zero”.
Entering the third quarter of this game, the Black and Gold found themselves with the ball to start the half, down 16-7 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Dwayne Haskins, who finished the first half, continued as the Steelers quarterback into third period. He leaned on his running backs (Anthony McFarland, Trey Edmunds, and Jaylen Samuels) while also converting a couple of passes to Rico Bussey, before facing a 3rd-and-11 from the Eagles 22 yard-line.
Haskins’ hard count made the Eagles defense jump offsides – and then all bets were off!
With the defense on their heels, WR Anthony Johnson roamed the secondary free, doing as all smart players would in this situation: get in the end zone!
Haskins would roll out from early pressure and notice Johnson – without a soul in sight – wide open, as the two would connect on the 22-yard touchdown play. (The penalty would be declined, obviously.)
This Steelers drive would consist of 10 plays for 75 yard and chew 5:22 of game time off of the clock. The touchdown pass would be the third time Pittsburgh collected a first down on the drive as well, as they chopped the Eagles lead down to 16-14.
The Steelers would eventually triumph overall with a 24-16 victory.
