The results of Sunday’s faceoff between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars brought no surprises, as the undefeated AFC powerhouse decimated the Jaguars, 27 to 3. The Jaguars now sit at a dismal 1-9 record, handing the Steelers their 10th win of the season.
Game Recap
Jacksonville came out strong, putting up a field goal on their first possession to take the lead over the Steelers with 10:57 left in the first quarter. An odd coaching decision led Jacksonville to attempt an onside kick the following play, which was recovered cleanly by Steeler, Marcus Allen, in Jacksonville territory. Although Pittsburgh ended up missing the field goal attempt on that possession, things only went downhill for a Jacksonville team that was unable to put up any points on their next offensive drive and all of the ten drives following.
A 44-yard field goal from Chase Boswell early in the 2nd quarter tied up the game and jump-started the Steelers’ offense. Before the half was over, the Steelers notched two more touchdowns, including a 31-yard dime from QB Ben Rothesburger to rookie WR Chase Claypool.
With the halftime score 17-3, the Jaguars needed to have an explosive 2nd half but were unable to get anything done offensively. Their next three possessions resulted in punts, and interceptions ended the next two. Although the Jacksonville defense came up with some crucial stops, the Steelers secured another field goal in the 4th quarter and capped off the game with a rushing touchdown, winning the game 27-3.
It was clear that backup QB Jake Luton struggled under-center for four quarters, finishing with only a 43.2% completion rate, 151 yards, and a miserable passer rating of 15.5.
In contrast, the Steeler offense converted an impressive 23 first downs and put up a total of 373 yards. While offensive powerhouses QB Ben Rothesburger and WR Diontae Johnson played remarkably well, it was their lockdown defense that shined. Star safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick and Terrell Edmunds both hauled in a pair of interceptions, while Dupree and Tuitt each secured a sack. More importantly, the Steeler defense only allowed a mere 3 points, leading their team one game closer to an undefeated season.
The conclusion to Sunday’s matchup proved to be a noteworthy moment for both teams. The Jaguars lost their ninth game straight, tying a single-season record, while the Steelers move to 10-0 for the first time in franchise history. The team is among elite company, as only 20 teams in NFL history have achieved a 10-0 record, including the 1975 Vikings (10-0) and the 2007 Patriots who went on to achieve a perfect season (16-0). If this team wants to remain undefeated through six more weeks, they will have to maintain their defense-first, team-oriented play style against some tough, upcoming competition – including Buffalo (7-3), Indianapolis (7-3), and Cleveland (7-3).
Head Coach Mike Tomlin and the Steelers will look to extend their win streak this Thanksgiving against the 7-4 Baltimore Ravens, who will be fresh off a hard-fought loss to the Tennessee Titans.
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