This was forcing Roethlisberger to want to rush back into playing, but Jones may give the Steelers and Big Ben more time.
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That’s the kind of candor Arizona needs if it is going to be what it thinks it is, if it is going to win close games against winning teams on the road. They gained only 55 yards on 20 carries, and the Steelers were stout on the day. With successful field goals from distances of 47, 48, 51, and 28 yards, Boswell accounted for 12 of the 25 points that Pittsburgh scored, essentially the difference in the game.
Enter Jones, who was active for just the third time since being drafted in the fourth round out of Oklahoma in 2012.
Jones threw a pair of touchdown passes to Bryant after relieving Michael Vick, the second a spectacular 88-yard catch-and-run that sealed it with 1:58 to play.
“I just can’t believe I got in the game”, Jones said after completing 8-of-12 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns. If Ben Roethlisberger doesn’t return in Week 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs, it stands to reason that it will be Jones, not Vick, under center.
What Pittsburgh’s defense accomplished on Sunday can not be understated.
Defensive tackle Calais Campbell admitted the offensive balance by the Steelers with Jones in the game surprised him. The second provided the clincher in a 25-13 victory.
The Steelers did allow 414 net yards in the air, but just one passing touchdown for Arizona.
While Cardinals receivers John Brown and Larry Fitzgerald had 196 and 93 receiving yards, respectively, neither reached the end zone. “They went back to a few things”.
Mitchell’s pick was one of three Steelers’ takeaways.
After rushing for at least 110 yards in five straight games and leading the National Football League in yards per carry with 5.0, the Cardinals looked like the 2014 team who couldn’t and didn’t run the ball.
-Getting pressure on quarterbacks continues to be a problem for the Cardinals. “If we are scoring touchdowns and we put 30 points on the board we walk out of here with a win”. They have just eight sacks in the first six games.
The Cardinals went 1-for-4 in the red zone.
Boswell accounted for the only points of the half for the Steelers when he made a 47-yard field goal in the second quarter.
The Steelers’ offense became confident and steady, as soon as Landry broke the first huddle. Chandler Catanzaro missed a field goal, which was nice for the Steelers. His steadying influence was appreciated by the Heinz Field faithful.
Palmer led the Cardinals down the field on the second possession partly because of a poor Jordan Berry punt that set Arizona up in good field position.
On the other hand, Landry Jones is not thinking about who among the three quarterbacks of Pittsburgh will play next week. For the Steelers, conventional wisdom went out the window Sunday.
Starting with quarterback, it is being reported that Mike Vick has a slight tear in his hamstring.
Against the Steelers, however, the Cardinals committed three turnovers and could not do much damage to a Steelers defense that played without three starters due to injury.
Offensive Line- The Steelers lost Kelvin Beachum, but Alejandro Villanueva stepped in and did a very nice job.
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