Pickett hits Pickens for late touchdown as Steelers rally to stun mistake-prone Ravens
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Kenny Pickett hit George Pickens for a 41-yard touchdown with 1:17 remaining and the Pittsburgh Steelers rallied to beat the Baltimore Ravens 17-10 on Sunday.
Pickett and the rest of Pittsburgh's sporadic offense managed little over the game's first 55 minutes but a late interception by rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. gave the Steelers (3-2) life and Pickett responded by driving Pittsburgh 80 yards in eight plays, the last 41 coming on a rainbow down the sideline to Pickens.
The score was the Steelers' first touchdown in nearly nine quarters and it somehow was enough to beat the Ravens (3-2), who seemed intent on keeping Pittsburgh in the game before ultimately handing it to their longtime AFC North rivals.
The Ravens turned it over three times, including twice in the final five minutes.
Lamar Jackson's wayward lob to the corner of the end zone intended for Odell Beckham Jr. instead landed in the arms of Porter. Jackson later fumbled on the Ravens' penultimate possession, with Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt picking it up. Chris Boswell's third field goal put Pittsburgh up a touchdown and Baltimore's final drive ended with Watt's sacking Jackson with 15 seconds to go.
Jackson finished 22 of 38 for 236 yards and the late interception. He also ran for 45 yards but fell to 2-4 in his career against Pittsburgh. Justice Hill ran 14 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter, but also fumbled early in the second quarter to set up Boswell's 43-yard field goal.
Pickett and offensive coordinator Matt Canada did little to quell concerns about the offense, but the Steelers somehow found a way to go into their bye week with momentum.
Pickett completed 18 of 32 for 242 yards and the touchdown. He struggled with his accuracy except when throwing the ball up to the 6-foot-4 Pickens. An afterthought of late while the offense sputtered, Pickens caught six passes for 130 yards and a score that somehow moved the Steelers into a tie for first in the AFC North.
The Steelers trailed 10-3 in the fourth quarter before Miles Killebrew blocked Jordan Stout's punt out of the end zone. Boswell kicked a 25-yard field goal on the ensuing possession to get Pittsburgh within two.
The defense held but the Ravens appeared ready to finally put the Steelers away when Gunner Olszewski was stripped of the ball on a punt return.
A run and a shovel pass went nowhere. Rather than play it safe and keep the ball on the ground, Jackson opted to throw it. Porter's first career pick gave the Steelers one last chance, and they didn't let it slip away.
In a way, the missed opportunity mirrored the end of the first half.
The Ravens were up 10-3 and driving late in the second quarter when coach John Harbaugh opted against a Tucker field goal attempt in favor of going for it on fourth-and-2 at the Pittsburgh 23. Jackson threw incomplete and the Steelers were somehow still in the game despite being outplayed for long stretches.
INJURIES
Ravens: OL Patrick Mekhari left with a chest injury.
UP NEXT
Ravens: Travel to Tennessee next Sunday.
Steelers: Are off next week then head to Los Angeles to play the Rams on Oct. 22.
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