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2020 Pittsburgh Steelers season

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2020 Pittsburgh Steelers season
OwnerThe Rooney Family
General managerKevin Colbert
Head coachMike Tomlin
Home fieldHeinz Field
Results
Record12–4
Division place1st AFC North
Playoff finishLost Wild Card Playoffs
(vs. Browns) 37–48
Pro Bowlers
5
AP All-Pros
3
Team MVPT. J. Watt
Team ROYChase Claypool
Uniform

The 2020 season was the Pittsburgh Steelers' 88th in the National Football League (NFL), their 20th playing home games at Heinz Field, their 21st under general manager Kevin Colbert, and their 14th under head coach Mike Tomlin. The team vastly improved on their 8–8 record from 2019 beginning the season 11–0, a franchise-best. They became the first NFL team to do so since the Carolina Panthers in the 2015 season. However, that streak was broken after a Week 13 loss to the Washington Football Team; the loss was the first of four in a five-game span to close the regular season. The Steelers clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2017 after the Miami Dolphins' Week 14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs[1][2] and clinched their first AFC North title since 2017 with a Week 16 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

The season marked the return of Ben Roethlisberger, who was sidelined for 14 games the season prior. However, despite entering Week 13 at 11–0, the Steelers collapsed and lost four of their last five games to finish 12–4 and join the 1969 Los Angeles Rams as the only teams in NFL history to go 11–0 and lose 3 consecutive games afterwards. In the playoffs, the collapse continued as Steelers faced the Cleveland Browns in the Wild Card round, allowing Cleveland to break a substantial playoff drought defeating the Steelers 48–37.

The Steelers swept the Ravens for the first time in three seasons. Their 11–0 start marked the longest the Steelers have gone before their first loss in a season in franchise history. They also went undefeated against the AFC South for the first time in six seasons.

Because the Patriots went 7–9, their first losing season in 20 years, the Steelers ended the year as the only team from 2004 to 2020 that didn't have a single losing season. As of the end of the 2023 NFL season, the streak is still ongoing.

Transactions

[edit]

The Steelers have been involved in the following transactions during the 2020 season:

Trades

[edit]
Player Acquired from Traded to Date Trade terms
DE Chris Wormley Baltimore Ravens March 20 2021 7th round pick to Pittsburgh
2021 5th round pick to Baltimore
ILB Avery Williamson New York Jets November 1 2022 7th round pick to Pittsburgh
2022 5th round pick to New York

Free agent signings

[edit]

Lost

[edit]
Player Lost to Date Contract terms
DT Javon Hargrave Philadelphia Eagles March 21 3 years / $39 million
C B. J. Finney Seattle Seahawks March 23 2 years / $8 million
FS Sean Davis Washington Football Team March 23 1 years / $4 million
CB Artie Burns Chicago Bears March 26 1 year / $1.05 million
ILB Tyler Matakevich Buffalo Bills March 30 2 years / $7.1 million
TE Nick Vannett Denver Broncos April 2 2 years / $5.7 million

Acquired

[edit]
Player Acquired from Date Contract terms
FB Derek Watt Los Angeles Chargers March 26 3 years / $9.75 million
G Stefen Wisniewski Kansas City Chiefs March 26 2 years / $2.85 million
TE Eric Ebron Indianapolis Colts March 30 2 years / $12 million

Cuts

[edit]
Position Player Date
ILB Mark Barron March 16
OLB Anthony Chickillo March 16
FB Roosevelt Nix March 18

Draft

[edit]
Main article: 2020 NFL draft
2020 Pittsburgh Steelers Draft
Round Selection Player Position College Notes
2 49 Chase Claypool WR Notre Dame
3 102 Alex Highsmith OLB Charlotte Compensatory pick
4 124 Anthony McFarland Jr. RB Maryland
4 135 Kevin Dotson G Louisiana From Miami
6 198 Antoine Brooks S Maryland
7 232 Carlos Davis DT Nebraska

Notes

  • Pittsburgh traded 2020 first and fifth round selections and a 2021 sixth round selection to Miami in exchange for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2020 fourth round selection.
  • Pittsburgh traded a third-round selection along with 2019 first- and second-round selections to Denver in exchange for Denver's 2019 first-round selection.
  • Jacksonville traded a fifth-round selection to Pittsburgh in exchange for quarterback Joshua Dobbs.
  • Pittsburgh traded a fifth-round selection to Seattle in exchange for tight end Nick Vannett.

Staff

[edit]
2020 Pittsburgh Steelers staff

Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning


Final roster

[edit]
2020 Pittsburgh Steelers roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams

Practice squad

Reserve

Rookies in italics
53 active, 7 reserve, 16 practice squad (+1 exempt)

Preseason

[edit]

The Steelers would have played the Dallas Cowboys in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 6, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, and the Steelers were to be represented by former head coach Bill Cowher and safeties Troy Polamalu and Donnie Shell.[3] However, the game, the annual Hall of Fame enshrinement and the remainder of the preseason were later cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[4] and the Hall of Fame game between the Steelers and Cowboys was rescheduled for 2021.[5]

Week Date Opponent Venue Result
HOF August 6 vs. Dallas Cowboys Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
1 August 14 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Heinz Field
2 August 23 New Orleans Saints Heinz Field
3 August 28 at New York Jets MetLife Stadium
4 September 3 at Carolina Panthers Bank of America Stadium

Regular season

[edit]

Schedule

[edit]

The Steelers' 2020 schedule was announced on May 7.[4]

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap
1 September 14 at New York Giants W 26–16 1–0 MetLife Stadium Recap
2 September 20 Denver Broncos W 26–21 2–0 Heinz Field Recap
3 September 27 Houston Texans W 28–21 3–0 Heinz Field Recap
4 Bye[A]
5 October 11 Philadelphia Eagles W 38–29 4–0 Heinz Field Recap
6 October 18 Cleveland Browns W 38–7 5–0 Heinz Field Recap
7[A] October 25 at Tennessee Titans W 27–24 6–0 Nissan Stadium Recap
8[A] November 1 at Baltimore Ravens W 28–24 7–0 M&T Bank Stadium Recap
9 November 8 at Dallas Cowboys W 24–19 8–0 AT&T Stadium Recap
10 November 15 Cincinnati Bengals W 36–10 9–0 Heinz Field Recap
11 November 22 at Jacksonville Jaguars W 27–3 10–0 TIAA Bank Field Recap
12[B] December 2 Baltimore Ravens W 19–14 11–0 Heinz Field Recap
13[B] December 7 Washington Football Team L 17–23 11–1 Heinz Field Recap
14 December 13 at Buffalo Bills L 15–26 11–2 Bills Stadium Recap
15 December 21 at Cincinnati Bengals L 17–27 11–3 Paul Brown Stadium Recap
16 December 27 Indianapolis Colts W 28–24 12–3 Heinz Field Recap
17 January 3 at Cleveland Browns L 22–24 12–4 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

[edit]

Week 1: at New York Giants

[edit]
Week One: Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Giants – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Steelers 3 13 01026
Giants 3 7 0616

at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Game information

The Steelers started their season on the road against the Giants on Monday Night Football. In the first quarter, the Giants scored first when Graham Gano kicked a 21-yard field goal to make it 3–0. Later on in the quarter, Chris Boswell would tie the game at 3–3 with a 41-yard field goal. The Giants took the lead in the second quarter when Daniel Jones found Darius Slayton on a 41-yard TD pass to make it 10–3. The Steelers responded when Ben Roethlisberger found JuJu Smith-Schuster on a 10-yard TD pass (with a failed PAT) to make the score 10–9. Finally, the Steelers took the lead before halftime when Roethlisberger connected with James Washington on a 13-yard TD pass to make the score 16–10. After a scoreless third quarter, the Steelers got back to work when Boswell kicked a 36-yard field goal to make it 19–10. This was followed up by Roethlisberger connecting with Smith-Schuster again on an 8-yard TD pass to make it 26–10. Finally, the Giants wrapped up the scoring of the game when Jones and Slayton connected again for a 7-yard TD pass to make the final score 26–16.

With the win, the Steelers started their season 1–0. They won their regular season-opening game for the first time since 2017.

In Roethlisberger's first game in 364 days, he went 21 of 32 for 229 yards and 3 touchdown passes, giving him a 117.8 passer rating.

The win was the third straight time that they have beaten the Giants.

Week 2: vs. Denver Broncos

[edit]
Week Two: Denver Broncos at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Broncos 0 3 11721
Steelers 7 10 0926

at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Game information

After a road win on Monday Night Football, the Steelers headed home for a game against the Broncos. In the first quarter, the Steelers made it 7–0 after James Conner ran for a 2-yard TD for the only score of the period. In the second quarter, the Broncos managed to get on the board when Brandon McManus kicked a 49-yard field goal to make it 7–3. Ben Roethlisberger then found rookie WR Chase Claypool on an 84-yard TD pass to make it 14–3. Chris Boswell then put the Steelers up by a couple touchdowns at halftime with a 21-yard field goal to make it 17–3.

After the break, the Broncos eventually came within 3 when McManus kicked a 28-yard field goal to make it 17–6. Backup QB Jeff Driskel then found Noah Fant on a 20-yard TD pass (with a successful 2-point conversion) to make it 17–14. In the fourth quarter, the Steelers responded when Roethlisberger found Diontae Johnson on a 28-yard TD pass to make it 24–14. This would be followed on the next Broncos drive by Derek Watt tackling Broncos punter Sam Martin in the end zone for a safety to make it 26–14. Driskel then found Melvin Gordon III on a 16-yard TD pass to get the Broncos within 5, 26–21. The Broncos were able to drive late, getting to the Steelers' 15-yard line at the two-minute warning. However, the Steelers forced an incompletion on 3rd and 2, and then Terrell Edmunds sacked Driskel on 4th down, giving the ball back to the Steelers. On the second play of the next Steelers' drive, Conner carried for 59 yards, sealing the victory.

With the win, the Steelers improved to 2–0 for the first time since 2017. In addition, the quarterback/head coach duo of Roethlisberger and Tomlin won their 117th regular season game together, moving to third all-time.

Week 3: vs. Houston Texans

[edit]
Week Three: Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Texans 7 14 0021
Steelers 3 14 3828

at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Game information

After a tough win at home, the Steelers stayed home for a game against the Texans, known as the "Watt Bowl" for T.J. & Derek Watt on the Steelers going against their older brother, J.J., on the Texans for the first time ever. In the first quarter, the Steelers took an early 3–0 lead after Chris Boswell kicked a 33-yard field goal. However, the Texans took the lead later on in the quarter when DeShaun Watson found Randall Cobb on a 28-yard TD pass for a 7–3 lead. In the second quarter, the Texans made it 14–3 when David Johnson ran for a 2-yard TD. The Steelers fired back to take the lead with Ben Roethlisberger finding Eric Ebron a 10-yard TD pass, followed up by Roethlisberger finding JuJu Smith-Schuster on a 26-yard TD pass for a 17–14 lead. The Texans then scored on a Watson pass to Will Fuller to take back the lead at 21–17 before half. Chris Boswell scored the only points of the third quarter, kicking a field goal to bring the Steelers within one point with a score of 21–20. In the fourth quarter, James Conner ran for a touchdown and Smith-Schuster then caught a two-point conversion pass from Roethlisberger to put the Steelers ahead with what would be the final score of 28–21.

With the win, the Steelers go into their bye week 3–0. It would be the team's first 3–0 start since 2010. For the 60th consecutive game, the Steelers recorded at least one sack on defense, reaching the second longest streak in NFL history. The game also snapped a streak of 25 games with at least one turnover committed by the Steelers. In addition, the Steelers scored 28 points for the first time since December 23, 2018. With his 221st game played for the Steelers, Roethlisberger set a new franchise record. With the Ravens' loss to the Chiefs on Monday Night Football, the Steelers took the lead in the AFC North.

With the win, the Steelers beat the Texans for the third straight time.

Week 5: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

[edit]
Week Five: Philadelphia Eagles at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Eagles 7 7 8729
Steelers 7 10 14738

at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Game information

After coming off their bye week, the Steelers stayed home for a game against the Eagles in the Battle of Pennsylvania. The Steelers were led by rookie Chase Claypool's 4 touchdowns. In the first quarter, the Steelers scored first when Chase Claypool ran for a 2-yard TD for a 7–0 lead. The Eagles tied it up when Miles Sanders ran for a 74-yard TD to make it 7–7. In the second quarter, the Steelers retook the lead when Ben Roethlisberger found Claypool on a 32-yard TD pass to make it 14–7. The Eagles tied the game back up when Sanders ran for a 1-yard TD for a 14–14 game. The Steelers then retook the lead before halftime when Chris Boswell kicked a 41-yard field goal to make it 17–14. The Steelers made it 24–14 and then 31–14 when Roethlisberger and Claypool hooked up again on a 5-yard touchdown pass, followed by James Conner's 1-yard TD run. The Eagles then drew closer after Carson Wentz found Greg Ward on an 8-yard TD pass (with a successful 2-point conversion) to make it 31–22. Then, they came closer in the fourth when Wentz found Travis Fulgham on a 4-yard TD pass to make it 31–29. Roethlisberger and Claypool closed out the scoring of the game when they hooked up for a 35-yard TD pass to make the final score 38–29.

With the win, the Steelers started their season 4–0 for the first time since 1979.

Week 6: vs. Cleveland Browns

[edit]
Week Six: Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Browns 0 7 007
Steelers 10 14 7738

at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Game information

After another tough victory, the Steelers stayed home for their first game against the Browns. The Steelers jumped out to a 24–0 lead before the Browns got on the board via Baker Mayfield's 13-yard TD pass to Rashard Higgins just before halftime. From the third quarter onwards, the Steelers scored the remaining 14 points to make the final score 38–7.

With the win, the Steelers improved to 5–0 for the first time since 1978. The Steelers extended their home winning streak over the Browns to 17 games, dating back to 2004.

Week 7: at Tennessee Titans

[edit]
Week Seven: Pittsburgh Steelers at Tennessee Titans – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Steelers 7 17 3027
Titans 0 7 10724

at Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee

  • Date: October 25[A]
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 55 °F (13 °C)
  • Game attendance: 10,355
  • Referee: Shawn Hochuli
  • TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Charles Davis and Evan Washburn
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

After going 4–0 in their 4-game home stand, the Steelers then traveled for the first of a 3-game road trip against the Titans. They scored first in the first quarter when Ben Roethlisberger found Diontae Johnson on an 11-yard TD to make it 7–0. They made it 14–0 in the second quarter when Benny Snell ran for a 1-yard TD. The Titans then got on the board when Corey Davis caught a 4-yard TD pass from Ryan Tannehill to make it 14–7. The Steelers closed out the half with 10 straight points: Chris Boswell kicked a 38-yard field goal to make it 17–7 and then Johnson and Roethlisberger connected again on a 9-yard TD pass to make it 24–7. In the third quarter, the Steelers scored again to move up by 20 with Boswell's 30-yard field goal to make it 27–7. It would be all Titans the rest of the game. Tannehill found A.J. Brown on a 73-yard TD pass to make it 27–14. Stephen Gostkowski closed out the third quarter when he kicked a 51-yard field goal to make it 27–17. Derrick Henry then ran for a 1-yard TD in the fourth to make the score 27–24. Getting the ball back with seconds left, Gostkowski missed the game-tying field goal, sealing yet another win for the Steelers.

With the win, the Steelers improved to 6–0 for the second time in their franchise history; their first such start since 1978. They stand as the AFC's only undefeated team. With the Seahawks' loss to the Cardinals on Sunday Night Football, the Steelers stand as the NFL's only undefeated team through 7 weeks.

In the game, the Steelers scored an opening drive touchdown for the first time since Week 15 of the 2018 season.

This game was originally supposed to be played during Week 4, but was postponed due to the positive cases of COVID-19 within the Titans' organization.

This win marked the third straight time the Steelers have beaten the Titans.

Week 8: at Baltimore Ravens

[edit]
Week Eight: Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Steelers 7 0 14728
Ravens 7 10 0724

at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

  • Date: November 1[A]
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 52 °F (11 °C)
  • Game attendance: 4,345
  • Referee: Brad Allen
  • TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson and Gene Steratore
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

After a tough road win, the Steelers then traveled again for their first game against the Ravens. The Steelers scored first in the first quarter when Robert Spillane returned an interception 33 yards for a touchdown to make it 7–0. The Ravens then scored 17 straight points to make it 17–7 in their favor at halftime, beginning when Lamar Jackson found Miles Boykin on a 6-yard pass to tie the game up, followed by Gus Edwards running for a 1-yard touchdown, and concluded by Justin Tucker's 51-yard field goal. In the third quarter, it was all Steelers, as they retook the lead when they made it 21–17 with Ben Roethlisberger's 18-yard touchdown pass to TE Eric Ebron followed up by James Conner's 1-yard touchdown run. In the fourth quarter, the Ravens would retake the lead when Jackson found Marquise Brown on a 3-yard touchdown to make it 24–21. Roethlisberger got the Steelers the lead back when he connected with Chase Claypool on an 8-yard touchdown pass, making the score 28–24. After stopping the Steelers and forcing them to punt with under one minute left, the Ravens were able to drive down the field. Jackson attempted a pass to the end zone on the final play to win the game, but it fell incomplete, sealing yet another win for the Steelers.

With the win, the Steelers improved to 7–0, their second 7–0 start in franchise history and first such start since 1978. They also defeated the Ravens for the first time since Week 9 of the 2018 season, defeating Lamar Jackson as a starter for the first time.

By shutting out Baltimore in the third quarter, the Steelers stopped an NFL-record 26 consecutive quarters of scoring by the Ravens. The game marked the first time in his career that Lamar Jackson lost a game after leading at halftime, and also marked the most giveaways by Jackson in a game with four.

Week 9: at Dallas Cowboys

[edit]
Week Nine: Pittsburgh Steelers at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Steelers 0 9 01524
Cowboys 3 10 6019

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: November 8
  • Game time: 4:25 pm. EST/3:25 pm. CST
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 70 °F (21 °C) (retractable roof open)
  • Game attendance: 31,700
  • Referee: Tony Corrente
  • TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson and Gene Steratore
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

After another close win, the Steelers traveled again to Arlington, Texas to take on the Cowboys. From the first into the second quarter, the Cowboys jumped to a 13–0 lead before the Steelers managed to score twice within the final two minutes of the half to make it a 13–9 game at halftime. In the third quarter, the Cowboys moved up by 10 with Greg Zuerlein's 45 and 39-yard field goals, making it 19–9. However, in the fourth quarter, it was all Steelers, who managed to come back with three straight scores: a Ben Roethlisberger to JuJu Smith-Schuster 31-yard TD pass (with a failed PAT); a Chris Boswell 43-yard field goal; and then finally a Roethlisberger to Eric Ebron 8-yard TD pass (with a failed 2-point conversion) to take a 24–19 lead. After forcing a turnover on downs, the Cowboys got the ball back to drive into Steelers territory with under a minute left in the game. However, Garrett Gilbert's pass fell incomplete in the end zone, sealing yet another Steelers win.

With the win, the Steelers improved to 8–0, the team's first 8–0 start in franchise history. The 8-game winning streak is the Steelers' longest regular season win streak since Weeks 6–14 of the 2017 season.

Week 10: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

[edit]
Week Ten: Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Bengals 0 7 0310
Steelers 12 10 7736

at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Date: November 15
  • Game time: 4:25 pm. EST
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 52 °F (11 °C)
  • Game attendance: 5,909
  • Referee: Adrian Hill
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma and Shannon Spake
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

After another tough road win, the Steelers headed home for Round 1 against the Bengals. In the first quarter, the Steelers jumped out to a 12–0 lead after 2 field goals from Chris Boswell, from 41 and 30 yards out, followed by Ben Roethlisberger connecting with Diontae Johnson on a 12-yard TD pass (with a failed 2-point conversion). The Bengals responded, coming within 5 when Joe Burrow found Tee Higgins on a 2-yard TD pass to make it 12–7. However, the Steelers would pull away by double digits before halftime when Roethlisberger found JuJu Smith-Schuster on an 8-yard TD pass to make it 19–7. Finally, Boswell kicked a 45-yard field goal to make it 22–7 at halftime. The Steelers scored the only points of the third quarter when Roethlisberger connected with Chase Claypool for an 11-yard TD pass to make it 29–7. In the fourth quarter, Roethlisberger and Claypool connected again for a 5-yard TD pass, putting the team up 36–7. The Bengals wrapped up the scoring of the game with Randy Bullock's 37-yard field goal to make the final score 36–10.

With the win, the Steelers improved to 9–0 for the first time in their history. The team also won their 11th straight game over the Bengals and won 9 games in a row for the first time since 2004.

Week 11: at Jacksonville Jaguars

[edit]
Week Eleven: Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Steelers 0 17 01027
Jaguars 3 0 003

at TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, Florida

  • Date: November 22
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 72 °F (22 °C)
  • Game attendance: 17,244
  • Referee: Scott Novak
  • TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Charles Davis and Evan Washburn
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

After a huge win at home, the Steelers traveled south to take on the Jaguars. In the first quarter, the Jags would score a 41-yard field goal kicked by Chris McLaughlin to take a 3–0 lead for the quarter's only score. However, the Steelers would score all of the game's remaining points and win 27–3 for their biggest road victory of the season.

With the win, the Steelers improved to 10–0 for the first time ever in franchise history, and became the 18th team in NFL history to open 10–0 in the Super Bowl era. The Steelers also won 10 straight games for the first time since 2004.

Week 12: vs. Baltimore Ravens

[edit]
Week Twelve: Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Ravens 7 0 0714
Steelers 6 6 0719

at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Game information

After a road win, the Steelers returned home for their second game against the Ravens. In the first quarter, the Steelers made it 6-0 when Joe Haden returned an interception 14 yards for a touchdown (with a failed PAT). The Ravens took the lead later on with Gus Edwards's 1-yard touchdown run to make it 7–6. In the second quarter, the Steelers took the lead with Chris Boswell field goals from 25 and 27 yards out to make it 12–7. After a scoreless third quarter, the Steelers increased their lead in the fourth quarter when Ben Roethlisberger found JuJu Smith-Schuster on a 1-yard touchdown pass, making it 19–7. Later on in the quarter, the Ravens would wrap the scoring of the game up when third-string QB Trace McSorley found Marquise Brown on a 70-yard touchdown pass to make the final score 19–14.

With the win, the Steelers improved to 11–0 for the first time ever. The team swept the Ravens for the first time since 2017 and for the first time in the Lamar Jackson era. They also won 11 in a row for the first time since 2004.

Week 13: vs. Washington Football Team

[edit]
Week Thirteen: Washington Football Team at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Washington 0 3 71323
Steelers 0 14 0317

at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Game information

After a tough home win, the Steelers stayed home for a game against the Washington Football Team. After a scoreless first quarter, the Steelers jumped out to a 14–0 lead. Dustin Hopkins kicked a 49-yard field goal, making it 14–3 at halftime. Then in the third quarter, Peyton Barber ran for a 1-yard touchdown, making it 14–10. In the fourth quarter, the Steelers moved up by a touchdown after Matthew Wright kicked a 37-yard field goal, making it 17–10. However, Washington came back with 3 straight scores to win it 23–17, upsetting the Steelers.

With their 11-game winning streak snapped, the Steelers fell to 11–1. They also lost at home on Monday for the first time since 1991, which was also the last year that the Steelers lost to the Washington Football Team (then the Washington Redskins), who went on to win Super Bowl XXVI. With the New York Jets standing at 0–12, the Steelers' loss also ended the possibility of the 2020 season becoming the first to feature both an undefeated and winless team in one season.

With Robert Spillane's sack of Alex Smith in the first quarter, the Steelers tied the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' league record set in 2003 for the longest streak of games with at least one team sack, at 69 games.

Week 14: at Buffalo Bills

[edit]
Week Fourteen: Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Steelers 0 7 0815
Bills 0 9 14326

at Bills Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

  • Date: December 13
  • Game time: 8:20 pm. EST
  • Game weather: Cloudy with snow flurries, 35 °F (2 °C)
  • Game attendance: 0
  • Referee: Shawn Smith
  • TV announcers (NBC): Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Kathryn Tappen, and Terry McAulay
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

The game was a defensive struggle for most of the first half. Both teams combined for eight three-and-outs for the first twenty minutes of the game before a Dawson Knox fumble gave Pittsburgh the ball inside Buffalo territory, enabling Roethlisberger to find James Washington in the endzone. After an exchange of punts, Buffalo responded with their first red zone drive of the night producing a Tyler Bass 34-yard field goal, and a Taron Johnson 51-yard pick six shortly after Pittsburgh got the ball back, for a halftime score of 9–7 in favor of the hosts. Both teams improved offensively in the second half as the snow let up, but a fourth-quarter interception by the Buffalo defense was enough to seal a 26–15 Steelers loss, only their second of the season and their first loss by more than one score with Roethlisberger under center since Week 1 of 2019. This was their first loss at Buffalo since 1999.

With the loss, the Steelers fell to 11–2 and fell from first to second place in the overall AFC standings, even with their best win–loss record through thirteen games since 2017.

With Tyson Alualu's sack of Josh Allen in the second quarter, the Steelers passed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the league record for the longest streak of games with at least one team sack.

Week 15: at Cincinnati Bengals

[edit]
Week Fifteen: Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Steelers 0 0 10717
Bengals 3 14 01027

at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

Game information

After another loss, the Steelers traveled to Cincinnati for Round 2 against the Bengals. The Bengals would jump out to a 17–0 halftime lead, with all of their points coming off turnovers, before the Steelers came within 7 after a touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Diontae Johnson from 23 yards out, followed by Chris Boswell kicking a 25-yard field goal, making it 17–10. The Bengals pulled away in the fourth quarter when Ryan Finley ran for a 23-yard touchdown, making it 24–10. Benny Snell ran for a 1-yard touchdown to make it 24–17, but Austin Seibert kicked a 33-yard field goal to make the final score 27–17 in favor of the Bengals.

With their third straight loss, the Steelers fell to 11–3, and their lead in the AFC North shrunk to one game ahead of the Browns. They also had their 11-game winning streak against the Bengals snapped, having lost to them for the first time since Week 8 of 2015, which was at home. The Steelers were defeated by the Bengals in Cincinnati for the first time since Week 2 of 2013.

Week 16: vs. Indianapolis Colts

[edit]
Week Sixteen: Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Colts 7 14 3024
Steelers 0 7 71428

at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Date: December 27
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
  • Game weather: Sunny, 37 °F (3 °C)
  • Game attendance: 0
  • Referee: Alex Kemp
  • TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson and Gene Steratore
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

After another tough loss, the Steelers went back home to take on the Colts in their final home game of the season. The Colts scored the only points of the first quarter when Jonathan Taylor ran for a 6-yard TD to make it 7–0. The Steelers would tie it up in the second quarter when James Conner ran for a 1-yard TD. The Colts would go up 21–7 at halftime after Taylor ran for another TD, followed up by Philip Rivers finding Zach Pascal on a 42-yard pass. In the third quarter, the Colts moved up by 17 after Rodrigo Blankenship kicked a 28-yard field goal for a 24–7 lead. Starting in the third quarter and info the fourth, the Steelers went on a 21–0 run, with Ben Roethlisberger finding 3 different receivers for TD passes: a 39-yard pass to Diontae Johnson late in the third; a 5-yard pass to Eric Ebron in the fourth; and then finally a 25-yard pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster to take a 28–24 lead. Getting the ball back with a little over two minutes in the game, the Colts were able to drive into Steelers' territory after a pass interference penalty on the defense. However, the Colts would eventually wind up with a turnover on downs, giving the ball and the game to the Steelers, snapping the team's losing streak.

With their 3-game losing streak snapped, the Steelers improved to 12–3 and won the AFC North division title.

The Steelers defeated the Colts for the 7th consecutive time and improved to 25–6 all-time against the Colts, with a 16–2 record in Pittsburgh (both including playoffs). The win ensured the team of entering the playoffs as the #3 seed.

Week 17: at Cleveland Browns

[edit]
Week Seventeen: Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Steelers 0 6 31322
Browns 7 3 7724

at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Date: January 3, 2021
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 38 °F (3 °C)
  • Game attendance: 11,989
  • Referee: Jerome Boger
  • TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Charles Davis and Evan Washburn
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

After a tough win at home, the Steelers traveled to Cleveland for their regular season finale and Round 2 against the Browns. Having already clinched the AFC North, the Steelers rested many of their starters. In the first quarter, the Browns made it 7–0 after Nick Chubb ran for a 47-yard TD. They then made it 10–0 in the second quarter after Cody Parkey's 23-yard field goal. The Steelers then scored 3 times in a row; Matthew Wright kicked two field goals from 29 and 46 yards out to make it 10–6 at halftime and hit a 46-yarder to make it 10–9 in the third quarter. But the Browns quickly went back ahead by double digits with two touchdowns: Baker Mayfield found Austin Hooper on a 2-yard pass later on in the third, while in the fourth, Jarvis Landry ran for a 3-yarder, making the score 24–9. The Steelers then scored two straight touchdowns of their own: Mason Rudolph found Chase Claypool on a 28-yard pass, followed by JuJu Smith-Schuster catching a 2-yard pass to make it 24–22. After the second touchdown, the Steelers attempted to tie the game by going for a 2-point conversion, but they failed as Mason Rudolph's pass was incomplete. The Steelers defense was unable to stop the Browns with just under two minutes left and the Browns were able to kneel out the clock for the win.

With the loss, the Steelers finished 12–4 and ended up with the #3 seed in the AFC.

Standings

[edit]

Division

[edit]
AFC North
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
(3) Pittsburgh Steelers 12 4 0 .750 4–2 9–3 416 312 L1
(5) Baltimore Ravens 11 5 0 .688 4–2 7–5 468 303 W5
(6) Cleveland Browns 11 5 0 .688 3–3 7–5 408 419 W1
Cincinnati Bengals 4 11 1 .281 1–5 4–8 311 424 L1

Conference

[edit]
AFC
# Team Division W L T PCT DIV CONF SOS SOV STK
Division leaders
1 Kansas City Chiefs West 14 2 0 .875 4–2 10–2 .465 .464 L1
2 Buffalo Bills East 13 3 0 .813 6–0 10–2 .512 .471 W6
3 Pittsburgh Steelers North 12 4 0 .750 4–2 9–3 .475 .448 L1
4[a] Tennessee Titans South 11 5 0 .688 5–1 8–4 .475 .398 W1
Wild Cards
5[b][c] Baltimore Ravens North 11 5 0 .688 4–2 7–5 .494 .401 W5
6[c][d] Cleveland Browns North 11 5 0 .688 3–3 7–5 .451 .406 W1
7[a][b][d] Indianapolis Colts South 11 5 0 .688 4–2 7–5 .443 .384 W1
Did not qualify for the postseason
8 Miami Dolphins East 10 6 0 .625 3–3 7–5 .467 .347 L1
9 Las Vegas Raiders West 8 8 0 .500 4–2 6–6 .539 .477 W1
10[e] New England Patriots East 7 9 0 .438 3–3 6–6 .527 .429 W1
11[e] Los Angeles Chargers West 7 9 0 .438 3–3 6–6 .482 .344 W4
12 Denver Broncos West 5 11 0 .313 1–5 4–8 .566 .388 L3
13 Cincinnati Bengals North 4 11 1 .281 1–5 4–8 .529 .438 L1
14 Houston Texans South 4 12 0 .250 2–4 3–9 .541 .219 L5
15 New York Jets East 2 14 0 .125 0–6 1–11 .594 .656 L1
16 Jacksonville Jaguars South 1 15 0 .063 1–5 1–11 .549 .688 L15
Tiebreakers[f]
  1. ^ a b Tennessee finished ahead of Indianapolis based on division record.
  2. ^ a b Baltimore finished ahead of Indianapolis based on head-to-head victory. Division tiebreaker used to eliminate Cleveland (see below).
  3. ^ a b Baltimore finished ahead of Cleveland based on head-to-head sweep.
  4. ^ a b Cleveland finished ahead of Indianapolis based on head-to-head victory.
  5. ^ a b New England finished ahead of the LA Chargers based on head-to-head victory.
  6. ^ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.

Postseason

[edit]
See also: 2020–21 NFL playoffs

Schedule

[edit]
Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue Recap
Wild Card January 10, 2021 Cleveland Browns (6) L 37–48 0–1 Heinz Field Recap

Game summaries

[edit]

AFC Wild Card Playoffs: vs. (6) Cleveland Browns

[edit]
AFC Wild Card Playoffs: (6) Cleveland Browns at (3) Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Browns 28 7 01348
Steelers 0 10 131437

at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Game information

After falling behind 28–0 in the first quarter, the Steelers were knocked out the Wild Card round and lost to the Browns in Pittsburgh for the first time since 2003.[8]

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger completed an NFL record 47 passes, which passed Drew Bledsoe and Jared Goff's joint record of 45 passes, for 501 yards and 4 touchdowns, but also threw 4 costly interceptions and lost a fumble.

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e Due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the Tennessee Titans' organization, the Steelers–Titans game, originally scheduled during Week 4 (October 4), was moved to Week 7 (October 25), which originally would have been the Titans' bye week. The Steelers–Ravens game in Baltimore, originally scheduled during Week 7, was moved to Week 8 (November 1), which was the original bye week for both teams.[6]
  2. ^ a b c d The Steelers' home game vs. the Baltimore Ravens, originally scheduled for November 26 on Thanksgiving, was delayed three times: first to November 29, then to December 1, and then finally to December 2. The scheduling change was made due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the Ravens' organization as at least twelve players were tested positive. This also caused the Steelers game against the Washington Football Team to be moved from December 6 to December 7.[7]

Awards

[edit]

The following Steelers were awarded for their performances:

AFC Offensive Player of the Week/Month

[edit]
W/M Player Line
5 WR Chase Claypool 7 rec, 110 yds, 3 TD; 3 rush, 6 yds, 1 TD
10 QB Ben Roethlisberger 27–46, 333 yds, 4 TD

AFC Defensive Player of the Week/Month

[edit]
W/M Player Line
2 OLB T. J. Watt 4 TKL, 2.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks
Sept. OLB T. J. Watt 9 TKL, 3 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 2 PD, 1 INT
8 DE Stephon Tuitt 9 TKL, 3 TFL, 2 sacks
Nov. OLB T. J. Watt 18 TKL, 5 TFL, 5.5 sacks
16 CB Mike Hilton 4 TKL, 2 PD, 1 INT, 1 FR

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Chiefs clinch fifth straight AFC West title with win over Dolphins; Steelers secure playoff berth".
  2. ^ "Pittsburgh Steelers clinch first playoff berth since 2017 with Miami Dolphins' loss". December 13, 2020.
  3. ^ "Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers to Play in 2020 Hall of Fame Game". NFL Communications. March 10, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Shook, Nick (July 27, 2020). "Roger Goodell writes letter to NFL fans as training camps start across U.S." NFL. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  5. ^ Schefter, Adam (June 25, 2020). "Cowboys-Steelers Hall of Fall Game being called off; enshrinement ceremony postponed". ESPN. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  6. ^ "Week 7 and Week 8 Schedule Changes". NFL Communications. October 2, 2020. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  7. ^ "Ravens-Steelers game moved from Thursday to Sunday". NFL. November 25, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  8. ^ Selbe, Nick. "Browns Ambush Steelers for First Playoff Win Since 1994". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
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