PITTSBURGH — Just when it looked as though the Pittsburgh Steelers were going to hit rock bottom, they discovered the fountain of renewal to keep their 2014 season relevant as they encounter two crucial games at home over the next two weeks.
At 4-3 after rising up to beat the Houston Texans 30-23 Monday night, they are just one game behind the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North. The Ravens come to Heinz Field in two weeks after the Steelers play the Indianapolis Colts there on Sunday. If they manage a sweep in those two, they would be back in business atop the AFC North.
That’s a mighty tall order, however. They looked dead and on their way to a 2014 burial when they fell behind Houston at Heinz Field 13-0 late in the second half. Then came an uprising never before seen in franchise history. Shaun Suisham kicked a field goal with 3:08 left in the first half and not long after that the Steelers scored three touchdowns in a 73-second span that gave them a 24-13 halftime lead.
It was not an impressive victory, but they needed a win in a season in which they have not had consecutive wins or losses.
“I’m not even going to talk about stacking wins,” safety Mike Mitchell told the team’s website. “What we need to do is go 1-0 next week.”
The Steelers will be put to severe tests over the next two weeks because they have not played teams the caliber of either Indianapolis or Baltimore outside of their 26-6 trouncing at the hands of the Ravens in the second game of the season.
“We’re starting to head in the right direction,” outside linebacker James Harrison said. “Hopefully we can keep moving in that direction.”
Pittsburgh will have its hands full against Colts quarterback Andrew Luck. The Steelers’ pass defense has not been very good against many a mediocre quarterback it has faced this season, including Houston’s Ryan Fitzpatrick, who had a 98.7 passer rating against them.
“He is very, very good,” said Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. “What he is able to do as plays break down with his legs creates an interesting discussion and problem for you from a defensive standpoint. Problems the other two guys you mentioned don’t present and probably never have presented. He is his own unique animal. He is a very talented football player and one to be reckoned with.”
— OT Marcus Gilbert left the game in the second quarter with a concussion. He will be evaluated this week.
REPORT CARD VS. TEXANS
PASSING OFFENSE: B – Ben Roethlisberger threw two touchdown passes, including a 35-yarder to rookie Martavis Bryant, his first NFL catch. He completed 23 of 33 passes for 265 yards with no interceptions and had a 113.8 passer rating. But he was sacked three times and lost a fumble.
RUSHING OFFENSE: C – Le’Veon Bell carried 12 times for 57 yards, a 4.8-yard average with a long run of 20 yards that helped ignite a scoring drive. But the Steelers averaged just 3.0 yards on 25 carries as a whole with backup LeGarrette Blount getting his highest percentage of carries vs. Bell this season, seven for just nine yards. They also failed to score a touchdown and have only three rushing TDs in seven games.
PASS DEFENSE: C – Ryan Fitzpatrick completed 21 of 32 passes for 262 yards, two touchdowns and a 98.7 passer rating. He was sacked just once. The Steelers did come up with a big interception of him, though, late in the second half when defensive end Brett Keisel tipped a ball that bounced off linebacker Lawrence Timmons and back into Keisel’s hands for a 16-yard return to the 8-yard line that set up the Steelers’ third touchdown in 73 seconds.
RUSH DEFENSE: C-plus – Arian Foster ran for 102 yards and a 5.1-yard average and the Texans produced 132 yards rushing and a 4.4-yard average. They did not run for a touchdown and the Steelers forced Foster to fumble at his 3-yard line, setting up their go-ahead touchdown. Foster ran for only 14 yards in the second half.
SPECIAL TEAMS: C – The only special teams play of note came when Houston return man Danieal Manning bobbled a kickoff and was nailed at the 5-yard line late in the first half. Two plays later Foster fumbled, the Steelers recovered at Houston’s 3 and scored the go-ahead touchdown.
COACHING: B – Pittsburgh came out flat on both sides of the ball. However, they did make adjustments on defense to slow down the Texans’ running game in the second half. However, with the Texans on the ropes and the Steelers driving with inches to go at the Houston 41 on their first offensive series of the second half, Mike Tomlin ordered a punt. Also, he called time out just before Houston tried an onside kick at the end that Troy Polamalu easily recovered. Given a second try, the Texans nearly recovered the onside kick.
