Pittsburgh Steelers fall victim to bad beat against Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers entered Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers as 3.5-point favorites in the first half. As the Packers lined up for a field goal late in the second quarter, they had a chance to extend their lead to seven.

Mason Crosby prepared to kick 31-yard chip shot before Steelers defenders Joe Haden and Minkah Fitzpatrick broke through the line and blocked the kick. Fitzpatrick was able to scoop the ball and run 75 yards back to the endzone. The score would have put the Pittsburgh Steelers up 16-14 with a chance to kick the extra point before jogging to the locker room for halftime, but a bad beat got in the way.

However, the score was erased by an offsides call against Haden. The call, which has been the subject of instant replay controversy, allowed Crosby another chance to kick the ball from 26 yards out.

Tough beat for Steelers bettors pic.twitter.com/PCjQj8Th0W

— SportsLine (@SportsLine) October 3, 2021

The Packers kicker converted his chance and sent his team to halftime with a 17-0 lead, crossing back over the first half line and creating separation from the Steelers, completing the bad beat.

Record-setting day for Ben Roethlisberger

The Pittsburgh Steelers needed a fast start against the Green Bay Packers. Ben Roethlisberger delivered on Sunday. The veteran quarterback ripped a 45-yard deep ball, finding wide receiver Diontae Johnson for a touchdown to give Pittsburgh an early 7-0 lead.

Sunday’s game marks just the third time Roethlisberger and Aaron Rodgers are sharing a football field. Two future Hall of Famers, Roethlisberger throwing his 400th career touchdown is just more evidence he will eventually be enshrined in Canton.

With the pass, he moves into No. 8 all-time in career passing touchdowns. He trails Aaron Rodgers, Dan Marino, Philip Rivers, Brett Farve, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Tom Brady, respectively.

Comments on the Steelers struggles

After falling two consecutive games, Pittsburgh needed a fast start. The Steelers offense faltered last week against their AFC North rival Cincinnati Bengals.

Roethlisberger met with the media on Wednesday and took ownership. Still, Big Ben is not hitting the panic button and believes the Steelers are not far from meshing on a consistent basis to help produce wins.

“I think there’s not this one big glaring thing,” Roethlisberger said, via Teresa Varley of the team’s website. “It’s just a little thing here, a little thing there, which I think is why we can be encouraged as an offense that it’s not that far off.

“We’re a group that is close I believe. We’re a group that has to believe in each other, which I think we do. And we’re a group that is not going to panic.”