Packers put a torch to Steelers defense
was the Packers, not the Steelers, who kept piling up the points, taking a 34-14 halftime lead and adding a 22-yard interception return for touchdown and an 82catch-and-run touchdown early in the third quarter to make it a full-blown rout.
Dobbs, though, settled down after his pick-six, completing nine of his next 12 passes for 159 yards and leading three touchdown drives. Rookie receiver James Washington had a hand in every one, catching touchdowns of 19 and 22 yards in which he took the ball away from the defensive back in the end zone each time and setting up Jaylen Samuels’ 1yard scoring run with a 54yard reception.
Washington finished with five receptions for 114 yards and two touchdowns.
But it wasn’t nearly enough to catch the Packers, who used three different quarterbacks, including Aaron Rodgers, to pass for 275 yards and three touchdowns against a shellshocked Steelers defense.
The Packers scored on five of their first six possessions and got a 25-yard interception return for touchdown from cornerback Tramon Williams on the first play from scrimmage to take a 34-14 lead at halftime.
It wasn’t a good start for two of the Steelers’ top draft picks.
Rudolph got the start at quarterback and, on the very first play from scrimmage, his pass in the left flat for Darrius Heyward-Bey was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Williams.
Then, with Rodgers making his first appearance of the preseason at quarterback, the Packers took advantage of a 29-yard punt by Jordan Berry to go 40 yards in five plays for another touchdown. This time, Rodgers found five-time Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham for an 8-yard touchdown in front of safety Terrell Edmunds, who had mancoverage.
But running back James Connerhad his best showing with the Steelers on the ensuing series. He carried all three plays for 58 yards, the latter a 26-yard touchdown in which he broke three tackles to make it 14-7. The 73-yard drive was aided by a facemask penalty against the Packers on a 24-yard run by Conner.
Edmunds helped atone for his previous mistake when he forced and recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff at the Green Bay 35. Rudolph wasted little time taking advantage of the turnover, following a 21-yard completion to tight end Jesse James with a nice 4-yard touchdown throw in the back of the end zone to JuJu Smith-Schuster to tie the game.
The Packers built the lead back to 10 points, though, on a 36-yard field goal by Mason Crosby and a 10-yard scramble by backup quarterback by Brett Hundley, who replaced Rodgers after one series. Hundley spun out of a near-sack by Stephon Tuitt to make it 24-14 on the first play of the second quarter.
The Packers extended their first-half lead to 20 points when DeShone Kizer, the Packers’ third quarterback of the half, threw a 1yard touchdown to tight end Robert Tonyan over Edmunds in the end zone. It was the second touchdown allowed by Edmunds, the team’s No. 1 pick.
Rudolph finished the first half 5 of 12 for 47 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He was sacked three times.
Dobbs started the third quarter and his first pass — a sideline attempt for rookie receiver Damoun Patterson — was returned 22 yards for touchdown by cornerback Josh Jackson to make it 4114. Curiously, Dobbs made a similar throw to Patterson last week that was intercepted against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Dobbs atoned with a 19yard touchdown to Washington, who made a nice catch over cornerback Demetri Goodson, to make it 41-22. But Kizer threw a short sideline pass that receiver Jake Kumerow turned into an 82-yard touchdown, getting behind cornerback Brian Allen and beating safety Nat Berhe to the end zone.
As per his custom, coach Mike Tomlin rested a number of veteran starters for the game — Ben Roethlisberger, wide receiver Antonio Brown, center Maurkice Pouncey, defensive end Cam Heyward and cornerback Joe Haden.
Tomlin also held out several injured players, including tight ends Vance McDonald and Xavier Grimble, outside linebacker T.J. Watt, safety Sean Davis, rookie safety Marcus Allen and running back Stevan Ridley.