Pick the top play from the Week 10 loss to the Steelers

Sunday afternoon against the Pittsburgh Steelers was about as much of a moral victory as you can achieve as a bottom-six team. The Green Bay Packers came out of the gates firing in Pittsburgh, a city the team hadn’t visited since 2017 but were ultimately done in by a few costly mistakes you expect from a young team. A worrisome start for the defense led to 100 first-half rushing yards for the Steelers, surpassing their season average of 94 yards/game quite early. Things settled down in the 2nd as touchdowns turned to field goals, but the offense couldn’t find their typical late-game cohesion to stage a comeback. In short, this is the team many of us expected coming into the season: competitive with a coherent game plan while faltering due to youth and late-game execution. Here’s to hoping this is what the 2nd half of the year looks like.

The Steelers’ first drive opened with consecutive first downs followed by a Carrington Valentine holding on a Diontae Johnson go route that set the Steelers up in the red zone. A few plays after, Najee Harris walked in for the score to go up 7-0. This was the first opening-drive touchdown the Packers have allowed this season.

Love to Doubs opens the scoring

The Packers’ first drive looked smooth and efficient for the first time in ages with big plays to Christian Watson and Dontayvion Wicks, who looks like a player blossoming before our eyes. The drive finished with an… opening drive TD??? Did I see that correctly?? Jordan Love tossed a gorgeous ball to the corner of the end zone and Romeo Doubs finished things with a beautiful toe drag. And the cherry on top? The Packers didn’t commit a single penalty on the drive. This was their first opening-drive touchdown since week one.

The Steelers’ second drive opened with a lucky break as Kenny Pickett narrowly avoided his first INT in four games when Keisean Nixon was unable to complete the sideline takeaway. The drive proceeded unimpeded after the near mistake, and Jaylen Warren ran in another score through a wide-open hole to go up 14-7.

The Packers followed their brilliant opening drive with a 3 and out giving the Steelers a shot to take control. Joe Barry’s defense finally put the Steelers behind the sticks with a Kenny Pickett sack, however, and forced a field goal to keep the game close at 17-7.

Love finds Jayden Reed for the deep TD

The Packers responded with a methodical drive that included a 40-yard run by AJ Dillon. The run was immediately followed by a sack, but on 3rd and 16, Jordan Love threw another beauty, giving Jayden Reed space to attack the ball in the air for the 35-yard score. A deep shot! Completed! The extra point attempt was blocked by Patrick Peterson, who was left unblocked by Josiah Deguara, sending the Packers into the locker room down 17-13.

Keisean Nixon started the second half off with a bang, taking the opening kick 49 yards to the Steelers’ 44-yard line. The Packers couldn’t fully capitalize, however, settling for a field goal after a six-minute drive.

After trading field goals, the Packers, down 20-19, once again tried to activate Dontayvion Wicks by any means necessary. Wicks showed off his arm again, as the rookie attempted a throw back across the field to Aaron Jones, who couldn’t hang onto the pass. Despite Najee Harris’ longest run of the day the next drive, the Packers escaped without allowing a score thanks to a fantastic breakup by Corey Ballentine on a Diontae Johnson sideline shot.

Backed up on their own nine-yard line, the Packers punted, and Jaylen Warren made them pay on the ensuing drive, slithering through Joe Barry’s weak fronts to lead the Steelers to another field goal.

Love fires a dart to Luke Musgrave

Down 23-19, Love stacked another big-time throw on the day with a shot to Luke Musgrave. Musgrave was matched up against linebacker Elandon Roberts, who had no shot against the speedy rookie. On a crucial 3rd and 10 at midfield, Rasheed Walker and Zach Tom held up beautifully against Alex Highsmith and T.J. Watt, giving Jordan Love enough time to step into a throw to Dontayvion Wicks, who was, of course, open. However, the promising drive ended in disaster as Jordan Love and Christian Watson couldn’t connect on an end zone shot that Patrick Peterson tipped for an interception.

While the game should have ended on Pittsburgh’s next drive, receiver Calvin Austin’s OPI penalty gave the Packers one more shot. With 59 seconds to go, Love opened up the next drive with an absolutely absurd wobbler of a deep shot that Jayden Reed ran right under to the Steelers’ 35. After moving down to the 16, Love, faced with seven defenders in the end zone, had another pass picked, this time by Damontae Kezee, to end the game.

That’s it for this week’s top plays! Another week of improvement on offense led to some fun plays this week, and the Packers will surely need more with the Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions looming. Check back next week as we examine the best plays from that Chargers game, and stay tuned for all our pre-game coverage throughout the week.