'TNF' takeaways: Steelers win ugly, Will Levis proves he's the man in Tennessee

It wasn't pretty, but the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) got the job done, coming from behind to defeat the Tennessee Titans (3-5) 20-16 on "Thursday Night Football." Here are three takeaways from the Steelers' huge primetime win: .

Is Kenny Pickett a winner? Regardless of what the stats might say, there's no arguing that Pickett is a winner. On Thursday night, he orchestrated his sixth fourth-quarter comeback of his career, giving him the second-most since 2022, per Pro Football Focus. 

The Steelers entered the week ranked 29th in the NFL in points per game (16.1), and the offense led by Pickett wasn't much better against the Titans. The Steelers' passing attack managed only 160 yards, below their season average of 192 per game. However, Pickett showed up when it mattered most. 

With 9:13 left in the fourth quarter and the Steelers trailing 16-13, Pickett put together an 11-play, 92-yard touchdown drive that took roughly five minutes off the clock. He capped it off with a three-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Diontae Johnson. Not only was it Johnson's first TD in 22 games, but it was Pickett's first throwing score since Week 5 against the Baltimore Ravens. 

The Steelers' offense was far from perfect, and the same goes for Pickett. But a win is a win, and there are some positives to take away from Thursday's victory.

Steelers rushing attack came alive vs. Titans: The Titans had allowed their last three opponents to surpass 100 yards on the ground, and the Steelers took advantage. Despite coming into the game ranked 28th in rushing (78.7 YPG), the Steelers ground attack emerged Thursday night, spearheaded by Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris. 

Warren carried the ball 11 times for 88 yards and a robust average of 8.0 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Harris rushed for 69 yards (4.3 YPC) and a touchdown on 16 carries. 

Harris helped the Steelers open the scoring on Thursday, bursting up the middle for a 10-yard touchdown on Pittsburgh's first offensive drive. Conversely, Warren helped set up the game-winning score in the fourth, scampering for a 22-yard gain down to the Tennessee goal line.  

Like many aspects of the Steelers' offense, the run game has been up and down. If they can find more consistency, look out. 

Will Levis is the guy in Tennessee: The Titans may have lost, falling to 3-5 on the year. Levis may have thrown an interception on a potential game-winning throw to the end zone with seconds left. However, after only his second start, Levis confirmed that the No. 1 QB job in Tennessee is his. 

Levis's performance on Thursday was a far cry from his debut in Week 8 when he threw for 238 yards and four touchdowns in a 28-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons. He finished the night 22-of-39 for 262 yards with no touchdowns and the last-second pick against the Steelers. On the surface, those numbers aren't impressive, but he looked the part. 

Facing his fair share of pressure, Levis showed composure beyond his years. Meanwhile, on the Titans' final drive with 1:44 left, he drove them down the field, converting a fourth-and-seven from their own 30-yard-line along the way to put the team in position to win. 

Levis didn't come away with the game-winning score this time, but he showed that those moments could be on the horizon.