PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Now holding the third-most victories in Sunday Night Football history and the most road wins, some news and notes from the Steelers 24-18 win over the Las Vegas Raiders Sunday.
Series
The win cut the Raiders all-time advantage to two games overall (17-15) and two in the regular season (14-12). Steelers have won two straight in the series, beating Las Vegas on Christmas Eve last year. It also was a win in a part of the country the Steelers have historically struggled. Steelers now 21-37 playing in the Pacific time zone, including 5-8 against the Raiders.
Defense
TJ Watt is now the first player since sacks were first tracked in 1982 to have six sacks and a defensive touchdown in the first three games of an NFL season. Watt has the most sacks since the start of the 2017, ’18, ’19, ’20 seasons. Jimmy Garoppolo is the 23rd different quarterback that Watt has sacked more than one time.
Patrick Peterson’s first career interception as a Steeler gives him at least one pick in 13 straight years, the NFL’s longest current streak. He leads all active players with 35 career interceptions. Levi Wallace had his first career multi-interception game and now has a dozen picks in his career.
Offense
Sunday was the first time in Kenny Pickett’s career that he threw two touchdowns in a game and the first time he threw for over 200-yards in a win with no interceptions. Pickett is the fourth quarterback in franchise history with touchdown passes of at least 70 yards in back-to-back games. Last to do it was Ben Roethlisberger in 2018.
Special Teams
Chris Boswell went three-for-three with field goals including a 57-yarder. Since he signed with the Steelers he has a 86.6% field goal percentage (third among active kickers) and hit 79% from 40 yards and further. It was the 34th time Boswell made at least three field goals in a game.
Pressley Harvin punted six times for 323 yards with a career-high 53.8 punting average and a career-high 46.5 net punting average and three of the kicks went inside the 20 including a 63-yard punt.
Taking Las Vegas
Pickett said it as did Watt, the impact the loud Steelers fans on the road had on the win on Sunday.
“Steeler Nation has been incredible whether we are at Acrisure, here, or on the road,” Watt said. “I want them to know the importance that is to the game. To be able to have a team on a silent count in their own stadium is pretty demoralizing and it also helps the pass rush so much more. I’m very appreciative for everybody who came out and was loud.”
Inactives
NT Breiden Fehoko (added from the practice squad, the veteran off the active roster)
RB Godwin Igwebuike (Steelers went with Qadree Ollison as the third RB)
WR Gunner Olszewski (ruled out with a concussion)
OT Dylan Cook
WR Dez Fitzpatrick
QB Mason Rudolph
Up Next
Texans (1-2) got a first win upsetting Jacksonville 37-17 in Florida as rookie CJ Stroud went 20-30 for 280 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. 5’10” rookie receiver Tank Dell five receptions 145 yards with a touchdown. Shaq Griffin and Henry To’oTo’o each had 10 tackles. Andrew Beck, 255 pounds, returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown. The heaviest player to ever return a kickoff for a touchdown, broke five tackles after initially fumbling the kick. Kickoff back at 1p in Houston on Sunday.