Takeaways: Steelers start hot, end hot against Packers
Steel City Underground presents post-game takeaways from every Pittsburgh Steelers game of the 2023 NFL regular season.
On Sunday, at Acrisure Stadium, the Pittsburgh Steelers were able to fend off the Green Bay Packers by sticking to a game plan of balance on offense and defense in the NFL Week 10 victory. Pittsburgh was able to get off to a hot start and score on the opening offensive drive. The defense, embracing their own opportunities, denied Green Bay a last-ditch effort at the end zone with an interception.
Both Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren had quite the showing. The duo combined for 183 yards of rushing out of the 205-yard team rushing total and both added a rushing touchdown apiece. They followed the script that head coach Mike Tomlin had insisted would be used against the Packers: run the ball.
Again this week, their success was due, in large part, to the offensive line winning blocking battles and creating opportunities for the two backs to grab as much yardage as possible. The pair’s final rushing numbers were very similar. Harris recorded the longest run (24 yards) while Warren posted a 20-yard breakout. Both carried the ball nearly an identical number of times. Both scored. Warren had more overall yards.
“The MVP is the O-line… We’re scoring on the first drives now two weeks in a row, it’s all on the o-line.” – Najee Harris
Harris – and Warren, by extension – was included in our Steelers to Watch pregame coverage due to how well the two have balanced their opportunities on the field. They were clicking like a well-oiled machine.
The Steelers, already thin at inside linebacker, got thinner when Kwon Alexander suffered a lower leg injury. The defense rotated in Mark Robinson, Trenton Thompson (who’d been activated from the practice squad) and called on Keanu Neal in the dime package as a result. Elijah Riley was also given opportunities.
There were some hiccups, but the defense recovered respectfully. That’s encouraging to see when teams have faltered so often due to similar circumstances.
He may be one of the “older” guys on the roster, but Patrick Peterson came up big in the game. His field goal block seemed to be a catalyst to Pittsburgh taking the momentum and the lead over Green Bay. He also tipped a Jordan Love pass in the end zone that landed in Neal’s arms for an interception and short return.
“We just find ways to make those timely plays to help our team win the ballgame… We just find a way to stick together.” – Patrick Peterson
Safety Damontae Kazee took what may have been a down-to-the-wire comeback touchdown away from the Packers to run out the clock. An unfortunate late hit resulted in special teams coach Danny Smith getting laid out as Kazee and the player defending the play flew into the sidelines. Kicker Chris Boswell was up defending his coach and teammates, which was interesting to see from a guy that is so soft-spoken.
🚨 BALL GAME 🚨
Damontae Kazee picks off Jordan Love to secure the win for the Steelers!pic.twitter.com/zcvnROZXWB
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 12, 2023
The AFC North picture got very interesting after Sunday’s games. The Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens went back and forth all four quarters but ultimately it was Cleveland that won by two points. The Cincinnati Bengals stumbled at home to the Houston Texans. With their win, Pittsburgh is trailing Baltimore by half of a game for the top spot in the division.
Pittsburgh will play in Cleveland on Sunday in Week 11, while Baltimore will host Cincinnati on Thursday. If the Ravens lose, the winner of Sunday’s game would jump one half of a game ahead of Baltimore in the divisional standings.
Overall win-loss records are important, but with the AFC North division relatively close, those two wins Pittsburgh already has become an important focal point, especially in regards to postseason play potentials.
