The Pittsburgh Steelers ended a four-week winless drought in Week 10 against the New Orleans Saints. They used a spread-out rushing attack to attack all areas of the field. Overall, the team rushed for 217 yards and the run game brought them both touchdowns. Plus, with T.J. Watt back, the defense excelled and held the Saints to just ten points. With their 20-10 victory over New Orleans, Pittsburgh moves to 3-6 and looks ahead to a favorable schedule for the next six weeks.
READ MORE: Steelers Season Still Alive
Pittsburgh Steelers Boosted in Return of T.J. Watt, Beat Struggling Saints in Week 10
Game Summary
Steelers Jump Out to Fast Start
The Steelers have historically struggled to score on opening drives and it was no different in Week 10. The first drive went nowhere and they were forced to punt. But the Saints had no answer, posting a three-and-out of their own and gaining zero yards. With the good field position, Pittsburgh built a 12-play, 57-yard touchdown drive to jump ahead early. A key play on the drive was a fourth down completion to Jaylen Warren to keep the drive alive at the Saints’ 30-yard line. The Steelers jumped out to a 7-0 lead thanks to a one-yard rushing score for rookie receiver George Pickens.
The Saints punted yet again on their second drive and the Steelers ended with a field goal to push the score to a two-score game. On that drive, Najee Harris broke out a big gain of 36 yards and put the Steelers in the red zone. From there, interim kicker Matthew Wright knocked through a 33-yarder to make the score 10-0. Both teams exchanged punts, and on their fourth drive, the Saints finally got on the board. Wil Lutz knocked a 44-yarder through to push the score to 10-3 Pittsburgh.
Managing the clock well, New Orleans got the ball back before half and capitalized on the Steelers’ poor time management. Saints quarterback Andy Dalton had four completions of 10+ yards on the drive, including a 15-yard score to breakout tight end Juwan Johnson. Entering the half, the game was tied 10-10 with the offensive momentum swinging towards the Saints.
Saints Keep it Knotted at Ten
Neither team scored in the third quarter as the Saints could only muster nine total yards on two drives and the Steelers’ Matthew Wright couldn’t knock through his second field goal attempt. In their second drive post-halftime, Pittsburgh pieced together an 11-play, 83-yard field goal drive to push them ahead for good. On that drive, Kenny Pickett found Diontae Johnson for a big 36-yard gain to put the team in field goal range. Wright knocked through his second 33-yard field goal of the day and pushed the score to 13-10 in favor of Pittsburgh.
Steelers Use Big Fourth Quarter to Notch Win
With just under 14 minutes left, the Saints, down three, started getting desperate. Dalton took a shot down the field intended for Jarvis Landry, but safety Damontae Kazee, in his first game this season, picked off Dalton. The Steelers set up shop at the New Orleans’ 44 and put together an eight-play drive to put the game away. Kenny Pickett got in on a QB-sneak from a yard out for his third rushing touchdown of the year.
From there, the Saints turned it over and downs and had another interception, this time by newly-signed corner Levi Wallace. Another missed field goal from Matthew Wright kept the game within ten but it didn’t matter, as the Steelers held on to win 20-10.
Shaky Offense Succeeds with Spread Scheme
Rushing Offense Fantastic Using Spread Scheme
The Steelers rushed for a season-high 217 yards in Week 10. It was their fourth time rushing for over 100 yards this year and that is really a boost from the past. Three different Pittsburgh players had 8+ carries and the team ran 43 times for an average of 5.0 yards per carry. Najee Harris, who has struggled to find his groove this season, broke out for his largest rush total in a game this year with 99 yards on 20 carries. Harris has failed to hit 100 yards in a game this year, something that he did three times last year. He doesn’t seem to be as explosive as a runner this year, but he still has great potential and it is way too early to give up on him.
Jaylen Warren also got involved, totaling 77 scrimmage yards on 12 touches. He ran for 37 and added 40 receiving on three catches. Quarterback Kenny Pickett showed off his legs too, running for 51 yards on eight carries and one of the Steelers’ two touchdowns. George Pickens also had two runs, one for a one-yard score and the other for a big 22-yard gain. Fullback Derek Watt, who caught a touchdown in the previous game, also ran twice for five yards and gained two key first downs on third-and-shorts.
Pass Offense Better, But Still Needs Work
Kenny Pickett once again struggled mildly in the passing game, throwing for just 199 yards on 30 attempts. He did, however, go his first full game without an interception. He worked the ball around to his receivers and tight ends, giving seven different guys a reception. The leading receiver was Diontae Johnson, who, like Najee Harris, is also having a down year; he had 63 yards on four catches and has fallen off quite a bit since his Pro-Bowl year last year. Johnson once again failed to surpass 85 yards or catch a touchdown, something he hasn’t done this season. Last year, he cracked 85+ yards six times and also caught nine touchdowns. The Steelers have to get their number one and two receivers involved more in the passing game if they want to succeed.
Also, one of the brighter parts of the Steelers this year has surprisingly been their offensive line. Among the league’s worst last year, the re-tooled line has emerged as a decent one this year. But in Week 10, the group allowed six sacks in one of their worst performances of the year in the passing game. But don’t dock them too much credit, because the unit did very well in the running game opening up plenty of holes for Najee Harris and others.
Defense Boosted by Watt’s Return
Potentially Volatile Saints Offense Shut Down, Held Under 200 Yards
The Saints, who have scored 25+ points five times this year, were stunned by Pittsburgh’s stellar defense. They gained a grand total of just 187 yards of total offense behind a measly performance overall. The Steelers held the usually-dependable New Orleans ground game to just 29 yards on 15 carries, for an average of just 1.9.
T.J. Watt made his long-awaited return from IR after taking a long time off for his torn pec. He didn’t play great but his presence sure had a big impact on the defense. Watt finished with four tackles and recorded zero sacks or tackles for loss. But it seems like the overall morale was boosted by the return of Watt. In the two games where Watt plays this year, the Steelers have won both games and average giving up just 15 points per game. But in the seven games without him, they are 1-6 with less sacks and turnovers forced in those two games combined. A player’s presence and impact can go a long way, and the defense will be tested soon to see if Watt’s presence really is all that.
Steelers Keep Stars In Check
The Steelers did a great job holding Alvin Kamara, one of the league’s best backs, in check, allowing him just 45 total yards. They also held rookie phenom Chris Olave to just 40 yards. Neutralizing an opponent’s stars is one of the keys to victory every week. Next week, the Steelers will have to play well on offense and hold Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, and Joe Mixon to average or below-average games in order to win.
Finishing the Long Season
Next week, the Steelers stay at home and face their division rival in a crucial Week 11 matchup. The Cincinnati Bengals will head to Pittsburgh and look to avenge their Week 1 loss to the Steelers. The Steelers got real lucky in Week 1, forcing five Joe Burrow turnovers and taking advantage of some mistakes. The offense will have to play really well to beat the surging Bengals. If Pittsburgh pulls it off, they’ll be 4-6 and right in the hunt with a favorable month upcoming. However, if they fall short, they’ll fall to 3-7 and be in trouble for the rest of the year. Regardless, they will need to keep up the production if they want to win some more games.
After the Bengals game, the Steelers will face the four-win Indianapolis Colts and Atlanta Falcons in back-to-back weeks. Both of those teams are struggling to find their offensive groove, and the Steelers could take advantage of that. Being realistic, the Steelers should probably be 5-7 after Week 13 in Atlanta. They could be one game better or multiple games worse, but ultimately it is up to them. They are going to need to step up in the coming weeks on both sides of the ball if they want to have any chance of having a winning record.
