EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ (93.7 The Fan) – Some of the big moments in the Steelers 34-32 season-opening win at the Jets from the Jalen Ramsey stop, to Kenneth Gainwell playing D to Cam Heyward’s contract and the best quotes from Sunday.
Ramsey stop
Just needing to get into field goal range after putting 394 yards and 32 points on the Steelers defense, the Jets needed three on third down. Quarterback Justin Fields looked to his former college teammate Garrett Wilson, who had 7 catches for 95 yards and a touchdown, but this time Jalen Ramsey knocked it away
“It was a visual play call,” Ramsey said. “I was able to get visual on Justin and saw him kind of moving in the pocket. Saw Garrett coming across the field in my peripheral and, just do what I do.”
Gainwell grab
The game really switched in the third quarter, after the Jets had taken a nine-point lead, the Steelers scored on a touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to Jalen Warren and on the ensuing kickoff, running back Kenneth Gainwell forced a fumble recovered by Ben Skowronek and the Steelers would score another touchdown two plays later to take the lead.
“Can't say enough about Kenny G,” said head coach Mike Tomlin. “That offensive player making a tackle on kickoff and knocking that ball lose, I think Skorwronek recovered, man, it's just an example of making plays in all three phass and being a football player first and a positional player section.”
“Kenneth Gainwell getting the first freakin’ turnover,” said Cam Heyward. “We talk about white shirts (offensive player) delivering for this team. To introduce yourself to this team and to the fans and to the NFL as part of this team is pretty special.”
“Great play by him, in Pittsburgh, PA we play all three phases,” Skowronek said.
Skowronek 1st TD
During his postgame news conference Aaron Rodgers said he realized after as the ball was leaving his hand that it would be Ben Skowronek scoring the first touchdown of the season. It was a 22-yard reception to give the Steelers and early lead. Later, as mentioned, he would also recover the fumble on special teams.
“He's got an unwavering belief in self,” Tomlin said. “We kid him enough, sometimes it's somewhat unrealistic. But man, if you don't believe in you, who will? He's one of those guys that has big time belief in self.”
“I went in the locker room and saw the worst thing that could happen to Ben,” Rodgers said with a smile. “That's a crowd full of reporters around him to get his head even bigger than it already is. But I really like Ben and I’m proud of that play he made today.”
Incentives
Cam Heyward said after the game he didn’t want to talk about the contract negotiation that got done on Saturday night. He will talk about it another time, he was excited about the win over the Jets.
“We just won a big freakin’ game against the New York Jets. New quarterback, new freakin’ weapons, new freakin’ players on our side of the ball. Big win, I can’t really focus on anything else.”
Best quotes
“Glad to get the win man, obviously Boz hitting a hell of a kick. Ramsey finishing the way he did, to finish with the defense on the field is nice.”
TJ Watt
“We put up 30-plus points, it was a good performance, but it feels even better when you have something that you can work on next week and get better at. We do look forward to that, probably put 50 points on the board.”
DK Metcalf
“We did not play our best game, but we were able to get a stop late. I thought the guy that really brought energy all freakin’ day was Jalen Ramsey. Even at the end of the first half, you love the chippiness and I feel like it galvanized us in the second half. I love that play at the end by him. Can’t say enough good things about what that play symbolizes.”
Cam Heyward
“We played like s#@*. That’s as simple as I can say it. I ain’t going to sugarcoat it, we played like (poop). If we keep playing like that we are going to get face smashed in. We played like absolute trash.”
Patrick Queen
“Every play is a new play, every series is a new series. We understand that things happen throughout the game that we weren’t pleased about, but we got to keep playing, especially when our offense is going out there and putting up points and trying to win the game for us. We got to come through at some point, right.”
Jalen Ramsey
Man, wow that was fun and challenging at the same time. The NFL season is back. 60 minutes of football man, I tip my cap to the New York Jets. They were a worthy opponent, they fought, they really put it up against us. We made about one or two more plays than they did and sometimes these games are decided by that.”
Mike Tomlin
“In Pittsburgh, PA we play all three phases-offense, defense and special teams. We knew one of the phases had to make a play to change the game. It happened right there and obviously Boswell knocked in that 60-yarder.”
Ben Skowronek