Steelers’ 13-10 Win Over Raiders Was A Christmas Gift Powered By Week’s Emotional Events

To say the wind was taken out of the sails of the events that were leading up to Saturday night’s primetime game would be an understatement. To their credit, the team did its best to move on with the schedule, culminating with the retirement of the number 32, only the third jersey to be given that honor in the franchise’s history.

The events of the night would play out in a most immaculate way.

As far as opening acts go, the Raiders certainly answered the opening bell, given all the emotion leading up to kickoff. With the ball and a strong running game led by NFL rushing leader, Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas constructed a 14-play, 72-yard scoring drive that culminated in a 14-yard TD pass from quarterback, David Carr to Hunter Renfrow while chewing up 8:22.

Jacobs was responsible for 26 of those yards on the ground. If that was an indicator of how the game was to unfold, the men of steel were in big trouble. But to their credit, the defense slammed the door shut on Jacobs, holding him to just 18 yards rushing the rest of the game.

Offense was at a premium, given the conditions of the night. Temperature at kickoff was a balmy 8 degrees and registered as the coldest home game for the Steelers since 1989. The teams would exchange field goals in the 2nd quarter and go the break with Las Vegas ahead 10-3. A strange 1st half for the home team for sure, who only had 3 possessions in all, four if you count taking a kickoff at the end of the 2nd quarter that ended with zeros on the clock.

For all the problems on both sides of the ball in 2022, things came together on both fronts as the game reached its finale. Having seen it’s 9-figure defense give up big drives at critical moments all season long, the Steelers pitched a 2nd half shutout, forcing 3 turnovers and 3 punts the rest of the way, never allowing the Raiders past the Pittsburgh 43-yard line.

After a scoreless 3rd quarter, the Steelers clawed their way downfield and finished a 9-play, 33-yard drive with a Chris Boswell 40-yard field goal, cutting the Las Vegas lead to 10-6. Boswell had missed two previous kicks earlier in the game, so the points were desperately needed.

It would be the team’s rookie quarterback who would engineer the biggest drive of the night when it was most needed. To say Kenny Pickett has grown since the bye week would be an understatement. He did throw his first interception since then in the 3rd quarter, but would come back to redeem himself with the game hanging in the balance.

With under 3 minutes on the clock and the hopes of any postseason aspirations, Pickett would engineer a 10-play drive in just over 2 minutes that finished with a laser to rookie George Pickens covering 14-yards and a 13-10 lead, leaving just :46 seconds to play.

It’s as if Franco himself drew it up this way, all the while smiling from above.

Now at 7-8, the Steelers' postseason hopes hang on the results of both the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Chargers. As minuscule as they seem, a sliver of hope remains with the Fish losing to Green Bay on Christmas and the Colts on deck at home to the Bolts. Time will tell after Sunday where those still fall. One thing is for certain, the Steelers have not quit on 2022. Their emotional efforts in the last-second win over the Raiders showed that.

So Steelers fans, where will this team be heading next week? Into another must-win to stay alive game vs. their bitter rivals, the Baltimore Ravens? Or will their postseason hopes be sunk?