Pittsburgh Steelers Fall Back To Earth In Disheartening Loss To Jets
By Matt Gajtka
Nov 9, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) reacts after being sacked in front of New York Jets defensive end Sheldon Richardson (91) during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. The Jets defeated the Steelers 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
The Pittsburgh Steelers came crashing back to Earth – and out of first place in the AFC North – with a 20-13 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium, ending a three-game winning streak.
After averaging more than 41 points per game over the past three weeks, the Steelers (6-4) didn’t score a touchdown until the final two minutes. Ben Roethlisberger had a relatively rough afternoon, following up back-to-back six-touchdown games by throwing a pair of interceptions.
The Jets led 17-0 after one quarter as Michael Vick threw for a pair of early touchdowns, including a 67-yard bomb down the middle of the field to T.J. Graham. New York (2-8) entered the game having lost eight straight, but it held down what was one of the NFL’s hottest teams for much of the day.
Shaun Suisham drilled a 53-yard field goal on the final play of the first half, but a rare miss from 23 yards early in the fourth quarter harmed the Steelers’ comeback chances. However, a lack of finishing ability was just as critical, as two second-half trips inside the Jets’ 20 yielded a total of three points.
Rookie wide receiver Martavis Bryant was one of the few positives for Pittsburgh, as he pulled in four receptions for 143 yards. His 80-yard touchdown catch with 1:16 to play gave the Steelers a bit of hope, but that was extinguished when the Jets recovered the ensuing onside kick.
Antonio Brown caught eight passes for 74 yards, although he fumbled the ball away twice, including once on a punt return. Roethlisberger had a similar up-and-down day, completing 30 of 43 passes for 343 yards to partially counteract the pair of picks he threw.
The Steelers’ offense not only turned the ball over four times, it also couldn’t run the ball. Le’Veon Bell managed just 36 yards on 11 carries, while LeGarrette Blount was ineffective in a limited role.
Pittsburgh’s defense recovered from a rough first 15 minutes to continue its recent improvement, as the Jets accumulated a mere 275 total yards of offense. Steelers linebacker Lawrence Timmons led all defenders in the game with 13 tackles, seven of which were solo.
Unfortunately, the visitors were unable to force a turnover or otherwise make a notable play until Bryant’s touchdown. As a result, they ceded first place in the division to the Browns (6-3) and Bengals (5-3-1).
The Steelers stay on the road next Monday night when they travel to Tennessee.