Watt monster TD, other big plays, scoring in Steelers win

PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – TJ Watt’s amazing Pick 6 early in the fourth quarter turned an offensively challenged game into a multi-score Steelers lead and eventually a 20-13 Steelers opening win over Atlanta.

A play after Watt stuffed Falcons star Bijan Robinson for no gain, he was rushing from the left side and as Cooper Rush threw it, Watt put both hands up and intercepted it. Watt went to the ground untouched, got up and ran 35 yards into the end zone, the last few yards intimidating Falcons Hall of Famer Deion Sanders with a Prime Time run with the ball in his right hand behind his head.

Watt also had his first multi-sack game since having 2 against New England last September.

Scoring

• Chris Boswell 43-yard FG (8 plays, 43 yards, 3:34), big play-Rodgers to Michael Pittman for 21 yards, 3-0 Steelers
• Cooper Rush screen to Bijan Robinson, well blocked on 3^rd and 9 and Robinson takes it in for a 23-yard TD on 3^rd and 9 after Jaylen Warren fumble, 7-3 Atlanta
• Chris Boswell 28-yard FG (8 plays, 61 yards, 3:45), big play-pass interference against Roman Wilson, 7-6 Atlanta
• Aaron Rodgers rolls left to Pat Freiermuth in back of end zone (4 plays, 31 yards, 1:37), 13-7 Steelers
• Nick Folk 51-yard FG (5 plays, 23 yards, 2:51), big play-Bijan Robinson 25-yard reception, fumbled, forced by Jalen Ramsey but recovered by Atlanta’s Johan Dotson, 13-10 Steelers
• TJ Watt reaches up with 2 hands and intercepts ball at line of scrimmage, hits the ground, gets up and runs 35 yards for a TD, the last few yards mimicking Atlanta Hall of Famer Deion Sanders into the end zone, 20-10 Steelers
• Nick Folk 43-yard FG (6 plays, 42 yards, 3:30), big play-Rush to Dotson for 19 yards

Big non-scoring plays

• 1^st quarter--Jalen Ramsey gets back to break up a pass intended for Kyle Pitts that could have been a big gain, but he got his arm up to deflect it incomplete in Steelers territory
• 1^st quarter—Jaylen Warren fumbles after reception setting Atlanta up at the Steelers 23-yard line
• 2^nd quarter—Roman Wilson gets behind Falcons corner AJ Terrell and draws 37-yard pass interference penalty
• 2^nd quarter—Gateway HS Jaquan Brisker with interception off Cooper Rush in 1^st Steelers game and returned it 10 yards to Atlanta 31-yard line.
• 2^nd quarter—Corner Jamel Dean forced fumble against Bijan Robinson on a 3^rd and 1 resulted in 7-yard loss
• 2^nd quarter—After Falcons start on Steelers 45-yard line, Nick Folk missed 54-yard FG wide right
• 2^nd quarter—seemed to be miscommunication with Chris Boswell on 62-yard FG attempt, never got kick off, Cameron Johnston had to throw away
• 3^rd quarter—Nick Folk missed 45-yard FG wide right after Brian Robinson 40-yard kickoff return
• 3^rd quarter—officials missed pass interference on AJ Terrell against DK Metcalf on a fly route. If called, Steelers would have had the ball near the red zone
• 3^rd quarter—Rodgers to Pittman 28 yards & from the Falcons 45-yard-line, Rodgers threw deep incompletions to Wilson & Metcalf on third and fourth down
• 3^rd quarter—Rodgers splits defensive backs with perfect throw to Metcalf, he dropped at least a 30-yard reception on 3^rd down and likely more
• 4^th quarter—3^rd and 1 from the Steelers 24-yard line, Cam Heyward stuffed Bijan Robinson for no gain, forcing a field goal with Steelers up 10 points
• 4^th quarter—Boswell missed 56-yard FG wide right
• 4^th quarter, 3^rd and 5 from the Steelers 35, Alex Highsmith sacks Rush for a 9-yard loss under 5 minutes forcing a punt instead of a field goal attempt or 4^th down try
• 4^th quarter, not only does Steelers TE Darnell Washington convert a first down he one-arm slams Xavier Watts to the ground for a 15-yard gain with under 3 minutes to play

Block Party

Known throughout his career for batting down passes, Cam Heyward had three on Sunday against Cooper Rush in the first 35 minutes. The third on a third down to force a field goal attempt that was missed. Heyward has 68 pass breakups in his career.

3 OLB

A number of questions how the Steelers defense would line up, the first time on the field they had five linebackers. Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson on the inside with TJ Watt on the left and Alex Highsmith on the right and outside linebacker Nick Herbig floating. Jalen Ramsey started as a nickel in a one safety look with Asante Samuel, Junior and Jamel Dean at corner.

Up Next

First road game of the season, back-to-back years early season in New England with a 1p kickoff on September 20.