The Pittsburgh Steelers finally finished off a drive with a touchdown to take their only lead with :46 seconds remaining against the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday night. The Steelers young play-makers on offense just couldn't get in the endzone until the most crucial part of the game. With the win, the team keeps their very slim playoff chances alive. The Steelers have to win out and have some other dominoes to fall in order to get in, but they did nothing but help their chances on Christmas Eve!
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
After a 72-yard touchdown drive by the Raiders, the Steelers defense buckled down and only gave up 3 more points on the night! They stood their ground and forced 3 turnovers total to help the offense get one last chance to punch it in during the final moments.
"We continued to punt the ball and support our defense, which was playing well," said HC Mike Tomlin via Steelers.com of the team leaning on the efforts of the defense most of the night. In frigid temperatures, the Steelers found a way to get the win in an old fashioned way. "They continued to deliver until we caught fire and finished some drives.""Don't get me wrong, it wasn't lack of moving the ball," continued Tomlin as he started to discuss the offensive side of the ball. "We just didn't finish drives. We missed a couple of field goals, threw an interception. You know, just got to be better in those areas, and we'll keep working. But as a collective, particularly some of the young offensive skill guys, I thought it was a grow-up night. [Kenny] Pickett and [George] Pickens and Najee [Harris] and [Pat] Freiermuth and Diontae [Johnson], all of them. They showed poise and resolve and made the necessary plays, and so we move forward. We move forward with a really good Christmas."
PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 17: Najee Harris #22 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in action during the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Heinz Field on October 17, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
It was what we all want to see! Obviously, we'd like to see it for a full 4 quarters, but when their backs were against the wall and in a crucial moment when the season was on the line, the Steelers' young offensive play-makers really grew up in front of our very own eyes!
Harris, who finished the night with 53 yards on the ground and another 42 yards in the passing games, was heavily targeted on the game-winning drive gaining 30 yards in the air just on that drive alone. Freiermuth came up huge and led the team in receiving on the night, catching 7 balls for 66 yards; he was also maximized on the game-winning drive with 31 of his yards coming on that drive. Finally, after still not being targeted enough on the night, Pickett connected to Pickens, a combination we'd like to see for the next decade or so, with :46 seconds remaining to give the Steelers their first lead of the night and the only lead that mattered!
George Pickens eludes Duron Harmon and the Raiders' secondary for a game-winning touchdown Saturday night at Acrisure Stadium. GAELEN MORSE / GETTY IMAGES
And then, like clockwork, the Steelers' defense, who was greedy most of the night, put the dagger in the Raiders with a game-clinching interception from CB Cam Sutton!
The Steelers' have to root for the Indianapolis Colts and the Green Bay Packers to finish out Week 16 so those dominoes for the black and gold to sneak into the playoffs as a Wild Card team can keep falling!
What are yinz thoughts on the Steelers' young offense finally capping off a drive with a touchdown when it mattered the most? Let us know in the comment section below, or on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram!
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