Steelers stun Tom Brady and Buccaneers in 20-18 upset over Tampa Bay

Published October 16, 6:46 EDT
by Bo Marchionte

 

Pittsburgh – No one was giving the Steelers a chance against the Tom Brady led Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Coming off their worst loss in 33 years to the Buffalo Bills. Pittsburgh returned to Acrisure Stadium searching to get their first home win of the season.

No body believed in us,” Myles Jack said after the Steelers 20-18 win that made Las Vegas book makers look foolish. “I watched EPSN this morning and they had us getting killed.”

Caesars Sportsbook had the Buccaneers listed as a 9.5-point favorite.

“Just appreciative of the efforts of the men in that room,” Mike Tomlin said post game. “Obviously, we were leaking today. We were leaking in a lot of ways in terms of physically, emotionally, and so forth.

“I just appreciate the metal that the group showed this week in terms of remaining singularly focused in the midst of the storm and in putting together a winning performance.”

The storm Tomlin was talking about was the way the Steelers secondary was being reshuffled heading into the game with four secondary players including Pro Bowl safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and starting defensive back Cam Sutton being inactive. Levi Wallace started the last two weeks was unavailable as well as back-up Ahkello Witherspoon.

“I can’t say enough about that secondary group that we had out there today,” Tomlin said as he praised the unit for rising to the occasion against a foe like seven-time Super Bowl winner Brady.

“Man, it was a great opportunity for a lot of those guys. First opportunity in some instances. Redemption in some instances. Guys getting an opportunity to get back in the fold. Guys that hadn’t been a part of us, like Josh Jackson being one. Just can’t say enough about what they were able to do collectively.”

Jackson made his first career start with the Steelers. The Green Bay Packers former second round pick in the 2018, had not made a start since 2020. Playing in Kansas City last season, Jackson appeared in just two games for the Chiefs prior to signing with the Steelers yesterday to the 53-man roster since this was this third call-up from the practice squad.

The Steelers offense started hot.

Kenny Pickett led the Steelers to an 11 play 56-yard opening scoring drive. It was the teams first offensive touchdown in the first quarter. Coincidentally in each of the Steelers two victories this season they have led their opponent in the first quarter.

Pickett and the offense would slip into their bad habits and manage just another three points in the first half after the opening scoring drive. The rookie quarterback would leave the game with a concussion in the third quarter after finishing with pedestrian numbers.

Going 11-of-18 passing for 67 and one touchdown, Pickett was far from the spark the team was searching for when they made the switch from Mitchell Trubisky.

Rather it was Trubisky who came in a played with a reckless abandon after being benched after half-time of the Week 4 loss to the New York Jets.

“When you get thrown in there,” Trubisky said in relief of Pickett. “You might be thinking a little less, just going out there playing free. But I knew what I had to do for my team. I studied this week as if I was the starter, and you just prepare that way.

“I was helping Kenny (Pickett) on the sidelines in the first half. Just constantly communicating trying to help these guys. And then, when your number gets called, you go out and do a different job. So, I wanted to continue to be aggressive, play free and everyone kind of rallied together. So, it was fun. That’s a backyard football, if you will, but it was fun. We made plays when we had to.”

Trubisky in two quarters off work threw for 144 yards on 9-of-12 passing attempts. He posted one touchdown to Chase Claypool and provided a big 45-yard connection to rookie tight end Connor Heyward.

Trubisky showed some real grit late in the game with Pittsburgh trying desperately to not give the ball back to Brady and provide him a chance to give the Buccaneers a go-ahead field goal.

Trubisky converted a huge third and long play to Claypool.

Nursing a two-point lead just before the two-minute warning of the second half. Trubisky threw to Claypool for 11 yards which moved the chains and helped keep Brady off the field.

“He made a phenomenal catch,” Trubisky said of Claypool on the reception. “I thought I threw it to only where he could get it, but we wanted to complete the ball in bounds and stay on the field. We were just kind of backyard football.

“Scrambling around. He stuck with me. I was trying to see where he was going, and he somehow got two feet in. So, it was incredible and I’m happy for him.”

The Steelers won all three phases of the game.

Steelers emerging return man Steven Sims made sure special teams would have their imprint in the win. Pittsburgh elected to receive the ball in the third quarter and Sims made the most of the opportunity.

He busted through the Bucs defenders to reach the Tampa Bay 12-yard line.

“I just knew we needed some splash, Sims said.

“The returns previous to it they were kind of getting me inside the 20. I was really mad about that. I just wanted to make a play. I was like we need it. We need a spark. We need some juice. We needed to flip the field.

“Seemed like every time Tom (Brady) got it he flipped it. So, I was like we need something in the return game. I was like it’s going to be big coming out of the half. I saw a couple lanes I just wasn’t getting to. I felt like we were going to have a good return at some point today just wasn’t sure when. It was perfect timing.”

The splash play by Sims would help Pittsburgh add another field goal.

Me personally, I feel like it’s huge man,” Jack spoke about the win.

“We had every reason to fold this week and we didn’t. We got great competition in Tom Brady, and it don’t get better than that. We had guys in there that you know what I mean don’t normally play and held their own.

“So, it was great team win.”

The Steelers are off to Miami with some momentum that was severely lacking prior to the upset win against the Buccaneers.

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit Frank Hyatt