In a much closer game than anticipated, the Pittsburgh Steelers held on to beat the Green Bay Packers, 31-28.
For the Steelers, a game-winning field goal by Chris Boswell to beat the injured Packers at the end of regulation is not how they envisioned this game. Looking for their sixth win in a row, Pittsburgh had high hopes of moving past Green Bay with ease.
It didn’t end up that way, as the Packers did everything they could to hold on to this one. Holding the lead for most of the first half, Brett Hundley and an explosive offense somehow found a way to stick around right to the very end.
For the most part, this game was a draw of quarterbacks. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 351 yards and four touchdowns. Despite his two interceptions, Roethlisberger appeared to be in check to lead this team for four quarters.
Hundley was the big story, though. After a sluggish start to his NFL career, the Aaron Rodgers replacement went on to throw for 245 yards and three scores. Despite a Steelers win, this was a major moral victory for Green Bay and Hundley.
On the defensive end, Pittsburgh could be looking at a huge loss. Ryan Shazier left in the second half of the game with an ankle injury that will remain the focal point of the week. With Pittsburgh finally starting to become fully healthy, losing a key player, especially in the front seven, will be crucial.
Pittsburgh moves on to Cincinnati where they’ll play the Bengals for the second time this season. Even with a less than impressive season, it’s never easy to say any AFC North game is a given. With the rivalry these two teams have had and the tension between Pittsburgh and Vontez Burfict, this game could be one of the more exciting ones of Week 13.
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