Late game heroics save the day in Pittsburgh
by Bo Marchionte
Published October 8, 2023, 6:37 MM
Pittsburgh, PA – Doom and gloom hovered over the Pittsburgh Steelers heading into their Week 5 game against their dreaded rival the Baltimore Ravens. The swirling chaos surrounding the offense and the offense’s direction under offensive coordinator Matt Canada hid one little fact.
If this dysfunctional team could win, they would be alone in first place of the AFC North heading into their Week 6 bye week. In typical Ravens/Steelers fashion everyone was treated to a nail-biting finish in what most consider the top match-up between teams in the National Football League.
Pittsburgh’s late game heroics won them the game 17-10 and turned dark clouds into sunshine at Acrisure Stadium with the come from behind victory.
“That was a fun game (emphatically), like that was fun,” Cole Holcomb said after leading the team with eight solo tackles. “I felt like everybody was feeding off each other’s energy. No time to think about anything or worry about anything. It felt like I was playing back as a kid.”
Late in the fourth quarter Pittsburgh was on the precipice of going down, possibly 17-8 with 4:10 left in the game after a fumble by Gunner Olszewski.
Olszewski fielded Jordan Stout’s punt on Pittsburgh’s 17-yard, taking it eight yards before Ravens special teamer Jeremiah Moon knocked the ball out and returned it to the Steelers five-yard line. Porter Jr. jumped the route in the endzone and came up with his first career interception.
“Like I always say I’m the rookie out there against Odell Beckham on a third down,” Joey Porter Jr. said surrounded by cameras and microphones post-game. “So, I always have that in the back of my mind that they are going to try me on this play.”
The rookie out of Penn State saved the Steelers from the hands of defeat and from Olszewski having repeated nightmares about losing the game. Porter’s clutch play ignited the entire team. The pendulum swung mightily out of Baltimore’s favor after Lamar Jackson’s costly turnover.
“He said he got me a little gift,” Porter Jr. said is what Olszewski said to him when they met each other on the sideline after the game changing turnover that superseded Olszewski’s original miscue. “So, I’m waiting for that little gift. He did say he got my back, and I told him I always got his.”
Pittsburgh drove 80-yards in the closing minutes to score the go-ahead touchdown. Kenny Pickett connected with George Pickens for a 41-yard touchdown strike. The 17-10-win ties each team at 3-2 with Pittsburgh in first place at 2-0 in the tough AFC North.
Pickett put it all together on the final drive going 4-of-6 passing for 78 yards and the Steelers only offensive touchdown with the 41-yard strike to George Pickens. In the heat of battle the youthful duo is why so much excitement surrounds the pair when they’re in sync with one another.
“Highest of highs and lowest of lows in this game,” was the explanation by Pickett after the win. “It’s unreal to win like at home in front of our fans. Obviously, it was up and down early. We hung in there, stuck with it and found a way to win. That’s all that matters. Really proud of every guy in that locker room.”
Pittsburgh enters the bye week on a high and avoids the lowest of lows with a home loss to Baltimore.
Photo Credit Frank Hyatt/College2Pro.com
