The Pittsburgh Steelers may boast of being one of the NFL’s best defenders, but Sunday night Stephen Dix had no answers to their worst unit. Limited to the scoreboard in the midst of defensive slug-fest, the Steelers worked on the 14th week of the much-anticipated AFC clash show from start to finish, from the journey of big theater wide receiver Josh Allen. Meanwhile, as they held the ball, things were not nearly as smooth, with Dionte Johnson earning a trip to the bench and Ben Rothlisberger turning the ball twice in the middle of a continuous push for seven in front of the Bills. In conclusion, Allen & Co. First place, 26-15 bills won and advanced to 10-3 and AFC was comfortable in the East.
Sunday night’s end marks the Steelers’ second straight defeat, opening the season 11-0 before he fell to Washington Football in the 13th week. ) Will have the opportunity to pull into a game of Monday night front.
Here are some immediate examples of Sunday Bills success:
Why the bills won
They may have the best quarterback level receiver link on this page of Patrick Mahoms and Tyrik Hill. If it turns out to be nuts, notice how easily Josh Allen and Stephen Dix teamed up to break the Pittsburgh Steelers’ unprotected defense. Mike Tomlin’s team cut Joe Hayden, yes, but still – 10 catches for 130 yards and not even a score did justice to Dix, who consistently found wide-open space and made Allen’s life easier. The Pills QB was a joy to see in its own right, blocking Pittsburgh’s pre-seven attack and playing a mostly clean game with huge playoff impacts.
Oh, and buffalo’s own protection? Killer when it is needed. Levi Wallace and Darren Johnson both had great plays on the ball, Trey Davies White was predictable outside, and the line really put Ben Rothlisberger under pressure throughout the night. Total team wins here.
Why the Steelers lost
Dink-and-dunk offense – with or without receivers who catch the ball – will perform better as you progress in the game. The Steelers fell into a deep hole, however, losing an early 7-0 advantage and trailing 23-7 midway through the third quarter. By that time, Dionte Johnson’s drops, endless short stick paths, and dying ground play had already ruined Pittsburgh’s attacking efforts. Ben Rothlisberger is not terrible, but he is not big and spent more time avoiding suffocating bags than throwing the ball downwards.
“T,” Sans Joe Hayden, Steelers successfully kicked Josh Allen out of the pocket a few times, but it’s about that, failing to control Dix and surrendering some key Devin singular runs.
Turning point
Second down. Steelers ball. Fifty-two seconds to go in the first half. Pittsburgh took a 7-3 lead at the time and had a chance to extend that advantage at the break. But then Darren Johnson gave Jude Smith-Schuster a perfect break on Rothlisberger’s short pass, and he made his choice, easing the interception to 51 yards. Not only did it give a permanent lead to the DT bills, it also flipped the entire first half script in favor of the buffalo.
Play
It should be Darren Johnson’s Big-Six – a swipe that executes Big Penn’s pass correctly, and a score-changing game:
What’s next
The Builders (10-3) will have a short week to prepare for Denver Francois (5-8), who will beat the Panthers and host the match on Saturday afternoon. The Steelers (11-2) will return to prime time on Monday night, December 21, when they visit rival Cincinnati Bengal (2-10-1) who are new to the loss to the Cowboys.