Plays of the Year: James Pierre seals Steelers victory with a redeeming INT

by Joe Kuzma (joe_kuzma) on April 9, 2022

Steel City Underground presents “Plays of the Year” featuring the top runs, catches, hits and everything else in-between from the Pittsburgh Steelers 2021 season.

The Pittsburgh Steelers returned home for their first game at Heinz Field in the month of October, following a tough road loss in Green Bay to the Packers which would see the Steelers fall to 1-3 on the season.

They would enter Week 5 with higher aspirations and hopes of breaking a three-game losing streak to a hot 3-1 Denver Broncos squad led by Teddy Bridgewater as their quarterback. With Ben Roethlisberger calling the shots on their side, Pittsburgh jumped out to a quick 7-0 behind a 50-yard connection to WR Diontae Johnson, but both offense would cool off, trading field goals until RB Najee Harris gave the Steelers a 17-6 advantage entering the half.

Late in the third quarter the Steelers secured a 24-6 lead over the Broncos. However, Denver QB Teddy Bridgewater wasn’t ready to quit yet, leading his team to a 14-play, 75-yard touchdown drive which closed the gap to 24-13. Bridgewater would strike again on the Broncos next possession, scoring in under two minutes when he connected with WR Courtland Sutton, who beat Steelers backup CB James Pierre, for a 39-yard touchdown pass.

Pierre, who had been playing in place of the injured Cameron Sutton, would have the last laugh however. But it would go all the way down to the wire as the Broncos attempted to tie the game on their final drive of the game.

Bridgewater would get his team down to the Steelers 3, as the clock ticked down to 17 seconds remaining and a do-or-die fourth down situation.

Bridgewater stepped back to pass and looked for his top receiver again, but Pierre wasn’t fooled by Sutton’s route, turning and sealing a Steelers victory with this interception.

Getting redemption with only 17 seconds left in the game, Pierre would help lift the Steelers out of their three-game losing streak as Pittsburgh would improve to 2-3 with the final score of 27-19.