Tag: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Las Vegas Raiders

T.J. Watt responds to Minkah Fitzpatrick’s roughing the passer call

Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt responded to the roughing the passer penalty imposed after Minkah Fitzpatrick sacked Raiders’ Jimmy Garoppolo.

In what could’ve been the difference in the Raiders game, Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick was flagged for a ridiculous red zone roughing the passer penalty midway through the fourth quarter. And, once again, Fitzpatrick is under a microscope for a controversial hit.

The call gave Las Vegas a fresh set of downs and led directly to a touchdown moments later.

When Fitzpatrick prompted the referees for an explanation, they told him it was a helmet-to-helmet hit after “he ducked and I hit him in his head.” Video replay clearly shows Fitzpatrick’s helmet did not make contact with the quarterback’s helmet.

“I don’t even know what to say about that,” T.J. Watt told Steelers media after the game.

Rules analyst Terry McAulay disagreed with the call, saying on the broadcast there was no forcible contact to the head or neck area of Jimmy Garoppolo.

According to Steelers Now, crew chief Tra Blake refs lead the NFL in roughing-the-passer penalties in 2023.

Fitzpatrick has every right to be upset, visible after the call and during his postgame interview. It was a solid play that could’ve kept the Raiders from putting six points on the board. Thankfully it didn’t cost them the game.

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T.J. Watt sends message to Steelers faithful after win over Raiders

T.J. Watt tips his helmet to Steelers fans for their help in win over Raiders.

Pittsburgh Steelers fans made their presence known at Acrisure Stadium West in Las Vegas on Sunday. The black & gold crowd was on fire, and T.J. Watt acknowledged how significant it was in the Steelers’ victory.

“We are not surprised by Steelers Nation at all,” Watt told sideline reporter Melissa Stark after the game. “I think it was 70-30 [Steelers fans] here. It felt like a home game. We had them on a silent count. And I promise you, Steelers Nation, it makes a huge difference.”

The sea of Steelers fans got so rowdy it caused a delay of game and, coupled with a defensive stop on third down, resulted in the Raiders punting the ball away.

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Mike Tomlin has classic reaction to T.J. Watt’s sack on Raiders Jimmy Garoppolo

Mike Tomlin has Tomlin-esque reaction to T.J. Watt’s sack on Jimmy G.

Getting to Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo hasn’t been easy this season. Through the first two weeks, the offensive line hasn’t allowed a sack on their shiny new toy. But T.J. Watt saw to it that it wasn’t three weeks.

On a 1st & 10 at the Raiders 25-yard line, Watt slid past tackle Jermaine Eluemunor to take Garoppolo down for an eight-yard loss.

“Thank you, sir,” Mike Tomlin repeated to Watt on the sideline, via NBC “Sunday Night Football” reporter Melissa Stark.

We knew it would be so when Watt told reporters this week that he was determined to end the no-sack streak.

According to WPXI’s Jenna Harner, this was Watt’s first time sacking Jimmy G. He wasn’t able to get to him in their Christmas Eve matchup.

That’s not Watt’s only highlight. No doubt there’ll be plenty. He had a near-fumble recovery called back and also pressured Garoppolo on the throw picked off by Levi Wallace.

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Report: CB Desmond King expected to make Steelers debut vs. Raiders

Ex-Texans CB Desmond King is expected to make his debut for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football.

The Pittsburgh Steelers‘ 27th-ranked secondary could get a shot in the arm tonight versus the Las Vegas Raiders. Per Mike Nicastro of The Sick Podcast, cornerback Desmond King, signed by Pittsburgh on August 30, is expected to make his 2023 season debut on Sunday Night Football.

King was inactive for the first two games.

King, a fifth-round pick of the Los Angeles Chargers in 2017, has 53 career starts including 25 starts over the last two seasons with the Houston Texans.

In what defensive packages he’ll play remains to be seen, as he’s versatile enough to play inside and outside, but he could lend his services in the return game with Gunner Olszewski out with a concussion. He’s logged 1,283 yards on 57 kick returns and 918 yards on 101 punt returns in his career. He took two punts for touchdowns with the Chargers in 2018 and 2019.

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Pittsburgh’s list 6 inactives for Steelers @ Raiders

Here are the players deemed inactive for the Pittsburgh Steelers-Las Vegas Raiders Week 3 matchup.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have six inactive players for tonight’s Sunday Night Football matchup versus their longtime rival Las Vegas Raiders.

Steelers Inactives
No. 2 QB Mason Rudolph
No. 48 RB Godwin Igwebuike
No. 60 T Dylan Cook
No. 82 WR Dez Fitzpatrick
No. 89 WR Gunner Olszewski
No. 96 NT Breiden Fehoko

Raiders Inactives
No. 4 QB Aidan O’Connell
No. 29 S Chris Smith II
No. 56 LB Amari Burney
No. 83 WR Kristian Wilkerson
No. 99 DT Nesta Jade Silvera

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Which version of the Pittsburgh Steelers will show up in Vegas?

This game could very well look like it did when the Steelers and Raiders met last Christmas Eve.

It wasn’t all that long ago that the Pittsburgh Steelers and Las Vegas Raiders went head-to-head. Midway through the 2022 season, Pittsburgh finally found its grove and finished the last leg with a 7-2 record to pull just above .500 on the year.

When the Raiders sailed into Acrisure last Christmas Eve, the Steelers did not look sharp — a game of all field goals for the Black & Gold until its waning moments. In the battle’s last stand, Pittsburgh came out throwing. Kenny Pickett went 9-of-10 and, with 46 seconds to spare, zipped a pass to George Pickens over the middle of the end zone for a 14-yard score. The game-winning drive, the only time Pittsburgh had a lead, took 2:09 and covered 76 yards.

The defense sealed the deal when the Steelers picked off Derek Carr for the third time that night.

The Week 3 2023 matchup of the 1-1s, this time in enemy territory, could play out much as it did in December. Pickett looked scattered as if the moment was too big for him, and then suddenly, the light came on.

Which version of the Steelers will the Raiders get? The 2022 version that stumbled into a late win or an offense that finally finds its identity and proves to be the improved unit we all expected?

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