Steelers vs. Raiders, Week 2: 2nd quarter in-game update

1st Quarter In-Game Update

After big plays to Najee Harris and JuJu Smith-Schuster, the Steelers had the ball at the Las Vegas 44 to start the second quarter. Getting the football on the cusp of field goal range, the Steelers elected to go for it on 4th and 4, but Ben Roethlisberger’s pass fell incomplete, turning it over on downs.

A questionable personal foul call on Robert Spillane hitting Derek Carr put the Raiders right back in field goal range. As Las Vegas worked their way into the red-zone, the Steelers’ defense stiffened and forced another Carlson field goal. The kick was good, making the score 6-0 with 9:34 left in the first half.

The Steelers’ offense turned to the no-huddle offense on their ensuing drive to jump start their production, and it worked. Two straight plays resulted in two first downs, and a 41-yard completion to Dionate Johnson moved the ball inside the 5-yard line. Two plays later the Steelers capped off the drive with a JuJu Smith-Schuster rushing touchdown, the first of his career, to take the lead.

The Chris Boswell point after was good, making the score 7-6 with 6:25 left in the second quarter.

Derek Carr and the Las Vegas offense matched the Steelers’ 75-yard drive with one of their own. Carr mixed up his targets as he had the offense in the red-zone at the two-minute warning of the first half. After a QB sneak on 4th and 1, the Raiders started moving in the wrong direction. A false start, holding and illegal man downfield penalty were forced to turn to Carlson again for a field goal. The kick made the score 9-7 at halftime.