Takeaways: Steelers elevate play, beat Raiders
Steel City Underground offers post-game takeaways for every 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers NFL regular season game, focusing on the black and gold, just for members of Steelers Nation.
There was a sense of trepidation on the part of Steelers fans entering Week 6; Pittsburgh would be on the road facing the Las Vegas Raiders with several injuries forcing the team’s hand in selecting the right replacements. The prospect of playing down to a team the Steelers should be able to handle was also discussed. Fortunately, as the game played out, the Steelers found some of their mojo and, even though they didn’t run the table in Vegas, the elevation in team play certainly gave them a jackpot of a win. We look at three key takeaways from the 32-13 victory.
Playing the style of play they desire to play
In his post-game conference, head coach Mike Tomlin described the style the Steelers showed Sunday night by saying, “Winning is our business. Football is our game. Winning is our business… it was just good to get back to taking care of business. This is a normal state for us. It needs to be.” Their normal state was once domination of opponents and, after a slow start, the Steelers found ways to make business work for them, again.
While quarterback Justin Fields worked as the pit boss, managing the offense with the help of his group of wheelers and dealers across the board, T.J. Watt acted as enforcer on defense. Both had complimentary play from their teammates; that work-together mentality helped shape their efforts into a much-needed and deserved win.
Shutdown defense from Steelers
After they allowed the Raiders to exert their will in Vegas’ opening series, giving away six first down conversions in a row that led to a touchdown, the Steelers defense stood its ground. Collectively, they allowed just three first downs, total, on the next six Raiders offensive possessions. By cutting off the lanes for Alexander Mattison and doubling-up to defend tight end Brock Bowers, Pittsburgh forced the Raiders to send in more pass plays to quarterback Aidan O’Connell. That one-dimension look created opportunities that the Steelers took advantage of.
Watt forced two fumbles by punching the football free of Raiders players’ hands, literally, that the Steelers were able to secure, while Jeremiah Moon – who played outside linebacker opposite Watt – earned a punt block that set up a touchdown, and Donte Jackson grabbed an interception and ran it for a 24-yard gain.
https://twitter.com/steelers/status/1845582566512111807?t=txjEZ9XXLnp-dDR6xne8Aw&s=19
Finishing the game off on top
The defense shut the door on the Raiders. Najee Harris slid the deadbolt home.
Harris, carrying the load despite Jaylen Warren‘s greatly-welcomed return from injury, finally had his “statement game” of 2024. On 14 carries, Harris rushed for 106 yards. On paper, that might seem like just another day, but every inch Harris earned was fought for against a Raiders defense that was tossing Maxx Crosby into the backfield every opportunity it got and playing hard nosed at the point of contact.
Harris’ 36-yard touchdown blast went into the books at the Steelers’ longest offensive play of the game, but it was also his first trip into the end zone for a score this season. The win was also Harris’ first 100-yard game of the season.
A lot of credit goes to the Pittsburgh offensive front: the linemen as well as the tight ends that created the right amount of leverage to push the Raiders back. When Zach Frazier left the game with an ankle injury, Ryan McCollum didn’t miss a beat as the center. There were some fantastic pulls and shifts up front, but the strength was evident when Harris’ teammates would move in to help push him forward as he kept his legs churning in the scrum, as well.
“I just thought it was a collective effort, not only the bigs,” Tomlin said after the game, with the “bigs” being the linemen, “but the perimeter people and obviously Najee and everybody else… It is a collective.”
The Steelers got ahead in this game and never looked back, which was also a difference-maker this team needed. They moved to 4-2 on the season with the victory and will face the New York Jets in their Week 7 matchup.
Cam Heyward, Dan Moore Jr., Pat Freiermuth, Donte Jackson, Elandon Roberts, Patrick Queen, and George Pickens talk to the media about the Steelers win over the Raiders in Week 6. @TicketMaster pic.twitter.com/ptgFcb8djA
— Steelers Live (@SteelersLive) October 14, 2024
