Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers Rally to Beat Josh Allen, Bills in Week 1 Clash
The Pittsburgh Steelers kicked off their 2021 season with a key conference win, earning a 23-16 victory over the Buffalo Bills.
Down 10-0 at halftime, Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers found more success in the second half to earn a come-from-behind road win at Highmark Stadium. The Pittsburgh defense was especially impressive, holding last year's No. 2 scoring offense to just six points in the second half.
Pittsburgh's special teams did their part as well with a blocked punt returned for a touchdown that extended the lead in the fourth quarter:
Buffalo had a pair of field-goal drives down the stretch, but it wasn't enough to pull out the win.
Josh Allen was held to just one passing touchdown as the Bills struggled offensively. It's an early setback for a team considered a top Super Bowl contender entering the season.
Notable Performances
Josh Allen, QB, BUF: 30-51, 270 passing yards, 1 TD, 44 rushing yards
Devin Singletary, RB, BUF: 11 carries, 72 rushing yards
Stefon Diggs, WR, BUF: 9 catches, 69 receiving yards
Ben Roethlisberger, QB, PIT: 18-32, 188 passing yards, 1 TD
Najee Harris, RB, PIT: 16 carries, 45 rushing yards
Chase Claypool, WR, PIT: 3 catches, 45 receiving yards, 25 rushing yards
Josh Allen Can't Generate Enough Offense
There wasn't much room for the Bills to operate, with the Steelers defense playing well at all three levels. Cameron Sutton held his own against Stefon Diggs, while T.J. Watt was showing why he earned a huge extension before the start of the season.
Allen finally came through with a touchdown pass to Gabriel Davis just before halftime:
It still wasn't easy to move the football as Allen struggled with efficiency, finishing with just 5.3 yards per pass attempt.
The Bills then further hurt their cause by turning it over on downs in each of the first two drives of the second half. Those plays represented significant turning points in the game.
The second fourth-down stop was a strangely designed play to Matt Breida that lost seven yards on 4th-and-1.
The next drive ended even worse for the Bills as the Steelers blocked a punt and ran it back for a touchdown.
Buffalo easily finished with more offensive yards in the game (371-251), but these types of key plays made a huge difference in a low-scoring battle. With just one touchdown on four red-zone trips, the final result is understandable.
Allen will need to clean things up in future games for the Bills to reach their lofty goals this season.
Steelers Overcome Slow Start for Big Win
The Steelers had to have been embarrassed by their offensive showing in the first half Sunday.
Not only were the visitors held scoreless, they finished with just 54 yards of offense with three first downs and five punts.
The offensive line was an issue as many predicted entering the season.
There was finally some ball movement in the second half, with Chase Claypool providing a significant boost to the offense:
Claypool also drew a key pass interference before the team's first touchdown.
Diontae Johnson finished the drive with an impressive catch in the end zone.
That was the only offensive touchdown for Pittsburgh, but it was all the Steelers needed as the defense and special teams took care of business.
The Steelers have a lot of offensive firepower between Johnson, Claypool, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Najee Harris, each of whom had quality moments in the game. Even without much consistency, a few good plays from each could be enough for the Steelers to squeeze out wins this season.
What's Next?
The Steelers will have their first home game in Week 2 against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Bills will go on the road next week for a divisional battle against the Miami Dolphins.
