Defense throttles the Titans
better, we got a little bit more of game-plan routine and guys responded. You expect that.”
The Steelers defense Saturday looks like one they could roll with this season. Only linebacker T.J. Watt and safety Morgan Burnett were missing from the unit, but Bud Dupree and rookie Terrell Edmunds picked up the slack for them, and the first team defense looked to be in fine form.
It held the Titans to just 52 total yards in the first half when both teams had their first units on the field. The Steelers sacked Mariota twice among their six total. Rookie Terrell Edmunds intercepted the Titans starter as Bud Dupree came roaring in to pressure the quarterback to force a bad throw. Edmunds hit the ground after his diving catch but wasn’t touched, jumped up and sprinted 30 yards. He, too, was not happy with what happened in Green Bay.
“The loss we took last week was horrific,’’ Edmunds said. “We came out this week and had the mindset we wouldn’t make the same mental errors, make the same mistakes. We were just going to come out there and play our ball.”
Vince Williams, Stephon Tuitt and Heyward were overpowering on defense. All three had sacks and were disruptive the entire time they were in there.
“Coming in we knew that we needed to control their front,’’ Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel said. “I don’t think we did that consistently.”
“It’s a step in the right direction,’’ Heyward said of the defensive play. “That’s what we look forward to. I would have liked if we didn’t surrender any touchdowns, but we won our goals for the most part.”
Ben Roethlisberger (1118, 114 yards) played three series, into the second quarter, before giving way to Landry Jones (6-9, 44, one interception) to finish out the half with the first team. Rookie Mason Rudolph (711) played the entire second half.
Roethlisberger, who was not sacked or intercepted, pitched a 32-yard touchdown pass to Justin Hunter, who hugged the right sideline in the end zone to catch it in the first quarter.
“We did it,’’ Roethlisberger said, “without some big names out there – without Le’Veon [Bell], without [Antonio Brown], without Vance [McDonald].”
The top receiver was none other than James Conner, who caught zero as the rookie backup to Bell last season. He hauled in six for 52 yards Saturday in one half of play.
Rookie Jaylen Samuels was the only other halfback to touch the ball and was the game’s leading rusher with 41 yards on 11 carries. He also caught four passes for 36 yards and had a dynamic 17yard touchdown reception nullified by a holding call.
Chris Boswell, who signed a five-year contract worth, $19.72 million on Thursday, was successful on all three of his field goal tries, as usual.
Tennessee fell behind 16-0 and finally scored in the fourth quarter on a 3-yard pass from backup QB Blaine Gabbert to Anthony Firkser, but then missed the 2-point try.
“It’s a nice conclusion to what has been a good week,’’ coach Mike Tomlin said.