Report card
GERRY DULAC GRADES THE STEELERS ON SUNDAY’S GAME:
Quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger came on like he was riding to the rescue, leading the Steelers to what appeared to be the winning TD with 2:55 remaining. He completed all six passes for 70 yards on the drive, but his dramatic heroics went for naught. Roethlisberger was sharp in the first half, completing 18 of 22 passes for 164 yards. And, for the eighth time this season, he directed a TD drive on the final possession of the first half.
Offensive line
The Raiders had a game-day roster that had three sacks all season, but that didn’t seem to matter. Roethlisberger not only had a big third-down sack from their 15, but he injured his hip on the play and missed most of the second half. What’s more, it was the fourth-worst rushing performance of the season against a team that had allowed 570 yards rushing in the past three games.
Secondary
The inability to make plays in the secondary, and the failure to prevent them, was on full display for most of the game, especially on the two scoring drives in the final 5 minutes. Terrell Edmunds and Morgan Burnett not only didn’t defend a deep pass into double coverage, they allowed WR Seth Roberts to catch it for a 39-yard gain to set up the winning TD. Sean Davis and Mike Hilton each dropped possible interceptions.
Running backs
Without James Conner, the Steelers rushed for only 40 yards on 16 carries, 34 of which came in the second half. But rookie Jaylen Samuels made several big plays in the passing game, including a 23-yard catch and run on what looked to be the winning TD drive. The Steelers had just 6 yards on 10 carries in the first half, easily the worst of the season. The lone highlight was Stevan Ridley’s 2-yard TD.
Defensive line
The worst part about what happened is the defense that leads the NFL in sacks did not generate any pressure of QB Derek Carr on the winning TD drive, save for a blitz by CB Mike Hilton. The Raiders rushed 26 times for only 55 yards rushing, the fewest by an opponent this season, and their 2.2 average was the lowest of the year. Stephon Tuitt had one of the four sacks and one of three batted passes in the first half.
Special teams
How long the nightmare continues for Chris Boswell is not the question. Rather, how long the Steelers continue to tolerate his erratic performance is more like it. He missed two more field goals, including the potential tying 40-yarder that was blocked when his plant foot slipped. He also had a near-missed PAT that hit the right upright and caromed through. All told, he has missed 11 kicks in 13 games.
Receivers
JuJu SmithSchuster made any number of big catches again, including a toetapping TD, and nearly executed a miracle finish with his 39-yard run with a lateral with time running out. He finished with eight catches for 130 yards. Samuels was targeted seven times and had seven catches for 64 yards. TE Vance McDonald had two big catches on the TD drive at the end of the half.
Linebackers
The failure of T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree to generate more pressure against a pair of rookie offensive tackles allowed Carr to complete 25 of 34 passes for 322 yards, the most since Week 4. What’s more, the failure of the inside linebackers to play in coverage becomes more pronounced by the game. Vince Williams was late covering the Raiders’ second TD. It’s a problem that has never been resolved.
Coaching
Mike Tomlin said Ben Roethlisberger was cleared medically at halftime to return for the second half, but he said he decided against it because the Steelers were “in the flow of the game.” Regardless, the bigger issue was the failure of the defense to come up with any kind of big play on either of the Raiders’ two TD drives in the final 5 minutes. And it was another loss to a bad Raiders team for the fourth time since 2006.