Trends Steelers need to avoid to get first Thanksgiving win

Thanksgiving 1998

The Steelers entered this game eerily similar to 1983’s contest, as they were slight favorites due to their superior record. The real talk entering this game was the battle of the running games, as the Steelers entered the game with Jerome Bettis and Kordell Stewart at quarterback. Meanwhile, the Lions had Barry Sanders at the helm. Surprisingly enough, neither running back did much. Bettis logged 67 yards on 26 carries while Sanders was held to 33 yards on 20 carries.

This game was dominated by two storylines and both bad for the Steelers. First, Charlie Batch had a great day connecting with Herman Moore. Moore put up eight receptions for 148 yards and the lone touchdown on the day. The second issue was that while the Steelers dominated in terms of time of possession, they still came out the losers as their offense (once again) struggled to move the ball.

This game was the closest Thanksgiving bout for the Steelers yet, as it wasn’t until an overtime field goal from Jason Hanson that the game ended in a Lions win. Despite the offensive struggles, this game was one that should have ended in a Steelers win. They did most things right but still came out with the short end of the stick.