Watch: Johnson puts Steelers on the board versus Bills

The Pittsburgh Steelers may not have made it past their first post-season game following an up-and-down 2023 NFL regular season that saw them finish 10-7, but they put everything they had on the field on Monday, January 15, against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild Card game.

In the cold, the Steelers suffered some miscues on defense, and the offense gave away two turnovers, that resulted in the Bills grabbing a 21-0 lead. Pittsburgh felt the urgency of getting back into the game, and, just before the halftime period, found a way to put points on the scoreboard to put the score at 21-7.

Thanks to a blocked field goal by Montravius Adams and the subsequent recovery by Nick Herbig, the Steelers offense lined up for 1st & 10 at the Buffalo 33-yard line. The first play from scrimmage was a ten-yard run by Jaylen Warren.

After the two-minute warning, Mason Rudolph threw two short passes to George Pickens and gave the ball to Warren once again in between Bills timeouts.

With just 1:39 left before halftime, Rudolph took the snap from shotgun. Three receivers were lined up to the left. Rudolph was quick to get the ball to Johnson for the 10-yard touchdown strike.

https://twitter.com/steelers/status/1747031107655106807?t=vAYTAv-7NnzkW7E1mS8bhg&s=19

The touchdown and successful PAT by Chris Boswell gave Pittsburgh renewed momentum. Unfortunately, the Steelers offense didn’t get the ball back before the clock ran out on the first half.

Interestingly, a highly similar play led to a touchdown reception by Calvin Austin III in the fourth quarter off of a Rudolph pass.