JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — In a game in which their offense struggled against the NFL’s most porous defense, the Steelers got enough of a lift from their struggling defense to escape Jacksonville with a 17-9 victory Sunday against the winless Jaguars at EverBank Field.
The victory improved their record to 3-2 while Jacksonville slipped to 0-5.
The details:
Cornerback Brice McCain intercepted a Blake Bortles pass and returned it 22 yards for a touchdown with 11:32 left to expand the Steelers lead from one point to 17-9.
Bortles tried to force a pass to fellow rookie Allen Hurns on the right but McCain had good coverage on the play, picked it off and had no one between him and the end zone.
It was only the third interception this season for the Steelers but their second of the game. It also came just two plays after a sluggish Steelers offense came up empty again.
The Steelers were in position to extend their 10-9 lead early in the fourth quarter with the ball on Jacksonville’s 13. But on third down, defensive tackle Abry Jones sacked Ben Roethlisberger, who fumbled. Andre Branch recovered for Jacksonville at the 17.
The Steelers clung to a 10-9 lead after three quarters.
Their offense, however, did what it had to do at the end by killing the final 4:05 to preserve the lead and the victory.
Roethlisberger completed 26 of 36 passes for 273 yards and a touchdown pass to tight end Michael Palmer of 1 yard. He was sacked four times. Le’Veon Bell ran for 82 yards and a 5.5-yard average. Antonio Brown had five receptions for 84 yards.
Bortles completed 22 of 36 passes for 191 yards and two interceptions with cornerback Cortez Allen grabbing the other in the first half. Bortles was sacked once, by Jason Worilds. The Jaguars managed just 56 yards rushing on 15 tries.
Josh Scobee’s third field goal, from 36 yards, brought the Jaguars within 10-9 with 3:16 left in the third quarter.
The Steelers had scored the only touchdown of the first half and led, 10-6, at halftime. Roethlisberger, on third down at the 1, faked a handoff to LeGarrette Blount, rolled right and found Palmer for his first touchdown in two seasons with the Steelers.
It gave them a 10-3 lead with 1:53 left in the half. Bortles then drove his team to Scobee’s second field goal, from 35 yards, with nine seconds to go in the half.
Shaun Suisham’s 24-yard field goal early in the second quarter tied the score for the Steelers at 3-3 but there were more missed opportunities for an offense that just wasn’t able to pick up much momentum in the first half.
A 15-yard pass to Antonio Brown followed by Bell’s 29-yard run got things going on the third series of the game for the Steelers. Then Roethlisberger scrambled and threw a 23-yard pass to Brown at the 4. But three downs yielded nothing but a 2-yard sack and Suisham came on to tie the score.
Coach Mike Tomlin said he was happier with the way his team was — or was not — penalized. They were docked 50 yards on seven penalties.
The Steelers trailed the Jaguars, 3-0, after the first quarter.
As they have the start of every game this season, the Steelers allowed a score on the opponent’s opening drive. Scobee kicked a 43-yard field goal to put Jacksonville on top with 5:17 left in the first quarter.
To have that happen, the Steelers first had to drop two passes.
But McCain hung on when it really counted and the Steelers avoided the embarrassment of losing on consecutive Sundays to winless teams.
First Published: October 5, 2014, 5:43 p.m.
Updated: October 5, 2014, 8:04 p.m.