Associated Press
PITTSBURGH — Najee Harris stopped paying attention to the situation a long time ago. Maybe it’s because they’re pretty much the same for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It’s getting tighter. It will be late. And Pittsburgh is trying to find a way.
That will always be the case, at least in 2023, even when the Steelers are on the back foot. Even when they are at a disadvantage, this is often the case. Even though the only place they look like a team in regular playoff contention is in the standings, it’s essentially the story of the first half of the season, somehow both confusing and completely at the same time. Predictable.
Perhaps that’s why Harris more or less shrugged his shoulders after Sunday’s 23-19 win over Green Bay, which had all the hallmarks of many previous wins. That’s a bit of an insult. They had a few timely turnovers and otherwise did just enough to survive.
“I’m so used to (close games) that I don’t even realize it,” said Harris, who ran for 82 yards and a touchdown. “That’s where we are.”
Seems like every week. The Steelers (6-3) snapped a nine-game winning streak dating back to last season with one-score games. All six wins so far in 2023 have been by eight points or less, a trend that goes against the NFL’s logic that “every game is a coin toss.”
It is likely that the odds will even out at some point. They just aren’t in Pittsburgh. Not yet anyway.
“It shows in the pressure moments, we can make big plays,” outside linebacker Alex Highsmith said.
A pieced together Steelers secondary provided two of those in the second half. Veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson ended one threat by taking a Jordan Love pass into the hands of safety Keanu Neal in the end zone with 3:20 remaining. Safety Damonte Kazee stands in front of Love’s last-second hive at the goal line on the final play as the Steelers carry momentum heading into a crucial back-to-back game against AFC North rivals Cleveland and Cincinnati. Ta.
Jalen Warren, who co-started with Harris for the first time, had a career-high 101 yards and a touchdown on a day when he gained 206 of Pittsburgh’s 324 total yards. Chris Boswell kicked three field goals, including two in 16 minutes after Green Bay took a narrow 19-17 lead, as the Steelers improved to 3-1 since the bye week. Contributed.
“The important thing is to keep winning games,” center Mason Cole said. “We don’t care how we get it, as long as we can get it.”
Love was 21-of-40 for 289 yards and two touchdowns in Green Bay, but the Packers (3-6) outgained the Steelers by 75 yards last week against the Los Angeles Rams. could not support the victory.
Again, that doesn’t mean much if you play in Pittsburgh. The Steelers have been underdogs in every game this season, but somehow that hasn’t stopped them from staying in playoff contention as Thanksgiving approaches.
Meanwhile, Green Bay has dropped five of six games since starting 2-1.
“Whether it’s a play here or a play there, you can see how close we are,” Packers running back Aaron Jones said. “I feel like we just keep pushing. If we keep trying, it’s going to be in our favor.”
If Green Bay wants to find a team to emulate, it could do worse than Pittsburgh. The more the Steelers can’t beat themselves, the more they can’t win games. Wearing the vintage block numbers of the franchise’s iconic 1970s team, Pittsburgh didn’t give the ball back for the third time in four games, forcing the team on the other side of the field into a costly mistake in a crucial moment. I let it happen.
It may not always look beautiful. The Steelers know that. They don’t really care either. They’re winning games, but they don’t always play winning football. But they aren’t playing a losing game either. It may not be sustainable in the long run. But for now, it’s working.
“I need to get better in certain aspects so I don’t have a heart attack at the end of the game,” Highsmith said. “But every time we have a moment where we say, ‘We have to have this,’ we take advantage of it.”
Do you admire Canada?
The Steelers scored on each of their first three drives to take a 17-7 lead. In the second game, the offense looked like it hadn’t in a while since struggling offensive coordinator Matt Canada moved from the coaches’ box to the sideline to find what head coach Mike Tomlin called a new “perspective.” At times it seemed fluid.
Don’t expect Canada to move quickly. Harris said Canada surprised him with a hug after Harris’ 4-yard first-quarter touchdown run and spent time between series visiting each position group to find out what worked and what didn’t. He said he talked about it.
injury
Steelers: LB Kwon Alexander left the game in the first quarter with what Tomlin said was a serious leg injury and did not return. Alexander becomes the second Pittsburgh inside linebacker to potentially miss the season in consecutive weeks. Cole Holcomb injured his knee in the win over Tennessee and was placed on injured reserve.
next
Packers: Welcome the Los Angeles Chargers to Lambeau Field next Sunday.
Steelers: Visit the Browns next Sunday. In the first game against Cleveland on September 18, Pittsburgh won 26-22.
Steelers 23, Packers 19
Green Bay 7 6 6 0 — 19
Pittsburgh 7 10 3 3 — 23
1st quarter
Pitt-Harris 4 runs (Boswell kick), 10:01.
GB – Dubs, 8 pass from Love (Carlson kick), 4:42.
Second quarter
Pitt-Warren 16 runs (Boswell kick), 14:12.
Pitt – FG Boswell 42, 8:08.
GB – Reed 35 Pass from Love (kick blocked), 4:14.
3rd quarter
GB–FG Carlson 31, 9:08.
GB–FG Carlson 28, 3:04.
Pitt – FG Boswell 49, 1:05.
4th quarter
Pitt – FG Boswell 35, 5:14.
A–67,617.
Team Statistics GB Pit
First down 17 21
Total net yards 399 324
Rush Yards 24-116 36-205
passing 283 119
Punt return 2-12 2-20
Kickoff return 5-139 3-73
Intercept Veteran. 0-0 2-62
Comp-at-Into 21-40-2 14-23-0
Sack Lost Yards 1-6 1-7
Punt 4-44.75 5-44.8
Lost fumble 2-0 0-0
Penalty Yards 5-32 3-27
Possession time 29:27 30:33
personal statistics
Rushing – Green Bay, Dillon 9-70, A. Jones 13-35, Love 2-11. Pittsburgh, Warren 15-101, Harris 16-82, Pickett 4-16, Austin 1-6.
Passing – Love, Green Bay 21-40-2-289. Pickett, Pittsburgh 14-23-0-126.
Reception – Green Bay, Reed 5-84, A. Jones 4-19, Wicks 3-51, Dow 3-31, Musgrave 2-64, Watson 2-23, Dillon 1-11, Craft 1-6. Pittsburgh, Pickens 3-45, Coe Hayward 3-32, Harris 3-14, Warren 2-9, D. Johnson 1-17, D. Washington 1-6, Austin 1-3.
Missed Field Goal – None.