Steelers Go 92 Yards, Get Game-Winning Score to Knock off Titans 20-16

The Tennessee Titans still can't find a way to win away from Nashville. They gave up a 92-yard scoring drive late in the fourth quarter on Thursday night, and the Pittsburgh Steelers came away with a 20-16 victory.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. — The Tennessee Titans haven't been very good away from home so far this season, and that trend continued on Thursday night, when they gave up a late 92-yard scoring drive and lost 20-16 to the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium.

The Titans are now 3-5 on the season. They're 3-0 at home, and 0-5 everywhere else. 

Rookie quarterback Will Levis, making his second NFL start, played well again, but not quite good enough. He was 22-for-38 passing for 257 yards. And for the second straight week, he didn't throw any interceptions until the final play.

This was a one-score game throughout. The Steelers won the toss and elected to receive, which seemed odd considering they are one of only two NFL teams — the New York Jets are the other — who hadn't scored at all on their opening drives through eight weeks.

Tonight marked the first time this season that the Steelers have scored points on their opening drive of a game.

The only remaining team with zero opening-drive points this season is the New York Jets. pic.twitter.com/yHDamWsoHW

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 3, 2023

But they did exactly that, marching right down the field and scoring on a 10-yard run by Najee Harris. They went 78 yards in 10 players, and Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett — who missed some of last week's loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars with a rib injury — had five completions on the opening scoring drive. 

The Titans scored on their opening drive, too, getting a Nick Folk field goal at the end of a drive that featured five Pittsburgh penalties. Folk converted a 36-yard attempt, and he's now 17-for-17 on the season. 

The Titans took the lead midway through the second quarter with an impressive 11-play drive. Levis made a couple of nice throws, and Derrick Henry got in the end zone from 2 yards out, giving the Titans a 10-7 lead. 

Pittsburgh tied the game with a field goal, but on the final possession of the half, the Titans moved into field goal range and grabbed the lead back on a Folk field goal from 36 yards out as time expired.  They went into the locker room with a 13-10 lead.

It was more of the same in the third quarter, with Pittsburgh driving and then getting a Chris Boswell field goal to tie the game at 13-13. But as they did in the second quarter, the Titans went right back down the field and answered with another Nick Folk field goal, this one from 48 yards out with 19 seconds to go in the third quarter. The kick gave the Titans a 16-13 lead. 

The Steelers regained the lead with an impressive 11-play, 92-yard drive.  On third-and-6 midway through the drive, Tennessee cornerback Tre Avery was beaten by Diontae Johnson for a 32-yard gain. On the next play, Jaylen Warren broke free for a 22-yard run. They went ahead on a 3-yard scoring pass to Johnson with 4:02 to go.

A penalty on Pittsburgh on the PAT pushed the kickoff back to the 20, and Tyjae Spears returned it to midfield. The Titans got one first down, but got very conservative with three straight running plays. They had to go for it on fourth down, and Levis tried to find Treylon Burks deep down the left sideline, but they couldn't connect. Burks was injured on the play, too, and had to be immobilized and carted off the field.

Pittsburgh took over with 2:06 to go at their own 47, and the Titans held. They used two timeouts and got the ball back on their own 15 with 1:44 to go. They got one first down, and then on fourth-and-7 from their own 30 with 53 seconds to go, they got a break with a defensive holding call, and and automatic first down.

They got into the red zone with 11 seconds left, and on third down from the 19, Levis was forced to throw into a crowd while looking for Kyle Phillips, and was intercepted to end the game.

Tennessee has now completed its tour of the AFC North. They beat Cincinnati at home, lost to Cleveland on the road and were beaten by the Baltimore Ravens in London. 

This is the first leg of a three-game road stretch for Tennessee. A week from Sunday, they start a two-city Florida swing, playing at Tampa Bay on Nov. 12 and at Jacksonville on Nov. 19.

Related stories on Titans-Steelers

• WATCH STEELERS' FIRST TOUCHDOWN: The Tennessee Titans fell behind early in  their Thursday Night Football matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers, giving up a touchdown on the opening drive. Here's the highlight of the Najee Harris touchdown. CLICK HERE 
• STEELERS DOMINANCE OVER TITANS: The Tennessee Titans have historically struggled against the Pittsburgh Steelers and it won't be easy to reverse that trend on the road in a hostile environment in primetime on Thursday Night Football. CLICK HERE
• WEEK 9 INJURY REPORT: The Tennessee Titans will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football and they will be doing so without multiple starters after the Titans ruled out four players on Wednesday and listed DeAndre Hopkins as questionable. CLICK HERE