PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It had been 655 days, he knew because he saw the number Thursday morning, since Diontae Johnson scored an NFL touchdown. Thursday night’s TD secured a Steelers comeback 20-16 win.
“I was happy to get in the end zone today,” Johnson said. “Looking forward to getting into the end zone next week.”
It was a span of 22 games without a TD before the three-yard catch with 4:02 remaining in the fourth quarter. It’s the third solid game for Johnson since his return from a hamstring injury. The 27-year-old had five receptions for 79 yards against the Rams, eight receptions, 85 yards against Jacksonville and finished with seven for 90 yards against the Titans.
“I didn’t know what I was going to do once I scored,” Johnson said. “I was just trying to get hyped with my teammates, Kenny, whoever came up to me. I was just trying to show love because everybody put in a lot of work.”
“It was great,” said Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett. “It was awesome. Obviously, it was a big deal to get him in the end zone. It had been too long for sure. To see that smile on his face after that was great. I’m sure it felt like the world was off his back now so he can go relax and play and continue to be the guy he is for us. He had an unbelievable game.”
Johnson said he tried not to think about the draught, but worked on ways to get a score. He said he just let the ball find him and finally it happened. It found him on the 32-yard catch on third down, Johnson said he and Pickett recognized the coverage and turned that route into a go-route and it was the big play they needed on the game-winning drive.
Long drives
Not many expected a lot of scoring in this matchup, there were seven scoring drives and all were plodding:
· Steelers TD (10 plays, 79 yards, 4:49)
· Titans FG (14 plays, 72 yards, 7:23)
· Titans TD (11 plays, 73 yards, 6:26)
· Steelers FG (10 plays, 65 yards, 5:14)
· Titans FG (8 plays, 57 yards, 1:16)
· Steelers FG (15 plays, 75 yards, 8:17)
· Titans FG (9 plays, 45 yards, 5:22)
· Steelers TD (11 plays, 92 yards, 5:11)
Canada on sideline
Pickett said he came to work and was told offensive coordinator Matt Canada would be on the sidelines instead of in the coaching box. That’s how it went down that Pickett found out he would be face-to-face with Canada during the game on Thursday.
“It was good,” Pickett said. “We communicate really well with the headset. No one else really gets a chance to do that with him. I think him being able to go to each position group and get on the same page with them and let them know what we were thinking before each drive. It was a positive.”
“Just trying to find a spark,” Johnson said. “See what he sees out there as opposed to being up top. That gives him more time to talk to Kenny.”
MLB injury
Coming on as their most consistent middle linebacker, Cole Holcomb had to leave the field on a cart after being leg whipped by teammate Keanu Neal as both were going to make a tackle late in the first quarter. Holcomb suffered a knee injury which Mike Tomlin called ‘serious’.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with him,” Tomlin said.
The first-year Steeler had 27 tackles in the last three games and 52 tackles overall in eight games. Holcomb suffered a foot injury in the seventh game of last season with Washington.
Inactives
QB-Mason Rudolph
S-Minkah Fitzpatrick
OL-Dylan Cook
DT-Armon Watts
DT-Breiden Fehoko
Up Next
The final game of three straight at home against Green Bay at 1p on November 12.