… John Leglue made his first NFL start, filling in at left guard for B.J. Steelers: CB Joe Haden (foot) missed his fourth straight game. This was the first NFL game since at least 1991, as far back as Sportradar data goes for this research, with two missed field goals and a missed extra point in the first quarter. Chris Boswell also hooked a 49-yard attempt left, just his second missed field goal of the season for Pittsburgh to end a streak of 20 straight makes. Minnesota’s Greg Joseph pulled a 53-yard field goal left and sent his first extra point try wide right. “Once I told ’em I’m good, I’m good,” Cook said. The Vikings averaged more than 10 yards per play in the first quarter. The Vikings trampled the Steelers with their zone blocking scheme, creating gaping holes for Cook to burst through and minimizing the contact with his still-healing shoulder. The Steelers are allowing the most average yards per rush (5.0) in the league. Cook set a franchise record with 153 rushing yards in the first half, and he needed only 14 carries to do it. Just 11 days after Cook dislocated his shoulder, keeping him out of last week’s loss at previously winless Detroit, he lined up in the backfield and enjoyed the most running room he’s seen all season. We’ll have to go back and watch and see what it really was,” Cousins said. Osborn for a 62-yard score early in the fourth quarter that made it 36-20. With Adam Thielen sidelined by an ankle injury, Minnesota’s passing attack was out of sync.Ĭousins went 14 for 31 for 216 yards, hitting Justin Jefferson for a first-quarter touchdown and K.J. Harris ran for a score, too, as the Steelers recovered from their abysmal start.Īhkello Witherspoon intercepted Kirk Cousins twice after halftime to fuel the rally. Roethlisberger, who was sacked five times, threw touchdown passes to Najee Harris, James Washington and Freiermuth in the second half. The Vikings had a 300-66 advantage in total yards in the first half. Watt injured his groin early in the second quarter and did not return. Star outside linebacker and NFL sack leader T.J. “We were JV again tonight, and I’m talking up front on both sides,” Tomlin said.
Last week, they hung on to beat Baltimore 20-19 by denying a 2-point try with 12 seconds remaining.Ĭoach Mike Tomlin wasn’t all that impressed by the comeback. Claypool pulled in a fourth-and-1 slant to reach the Minnesota 34 but cost the Steelers a handful of seconds by celebrating the first down rather than immediately tossing the ball to the referee.ĭiontae Johnson set up the last play from the 12 by taking a crossing route 12 yards out of bounds, but the Steelers (6-6-1), who failed on a 2-point conversion try earlier in the fourth quarter, wound up just short this time. Roethlisberger hit Chase Claypool for 48 yards while Bashaud Breeland was committing pass interference to reach midfield.
That forced the Steelers to use all their timeouts, leaving Roethlisberger 96 yards and 2:16 to go after Jordan Berry pinned a punt deep against his former team. Just as vital as all the turf he tore up on the ground was the 17-yard catch Cook made on a seam route on third-and-9 from the Minnesota 26 with 2:38 left.
“We’re running out of time,” Roethlisberger said. The Steelers had fared much better in these close finishes this season, but they weren’t trying to erase 29-point deficits in those other situations, either. “Never say ‘over’ with this team,” said coach Mike Zimmer, who watched the Vikings lose 29-27 last week at previously winless Detroit on a last-play touchdown pass. It’s taken a few years of my life this season, but it’s good to be on this side of a close one,” Barr said.Īll but one of Minnesota’s games this year have been decided by eight points or less, including four losses by three points or fewer. “It is frustrating having to come down to the last second. That gave the Vikings (6-7) a critical victory after they flirted with an unforgivable loss. Ben Roethlisberger’s throw to Pat Freiermuth was on target, but Smith smashed into the rookie tight end at just the right moment to dislodge the ball as Xavier Woods and Anthony Barr converged.
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