Ben Roethlisberger was injured midway through the fourth quarter, but Antonio Brown carried the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 38-35 win over the Oakland Raiders in Week 9. Here's what we learned:
- This could be the ultimate Pyrrhic victory. The Steelers' offense we expected all season showed up with 597 yards of offense, but Ben Roethlisberger's left foot injury will determine this team's fate. The Steelers are up to 5-4 after a win over an AFC wild-card competitor, but Roethlisberger couldn't put any pressure on his foot before being carted off. He eventually left the stadium for more tests, which revealed a mid-foot sprain that could keep him out a few weeks at least. Landry Jones made enough plays to get the win, but this team is going nowhere without Roethlisberger.
- Antonio Brown put together the best game by a wide receiver all season with 17 catches for 284 yards. The crazy part: Brown's numbers could have been even bigger if Roethlisberger didn't miss him wide open for a potential long score early. Brown showed off the whole arsenal. He burned Oakland deep multiple times and his 57-yard catch-and-run late in regulation was an exercise in breaking ankles. He also showed off a stiff arm and made multiple tough grabs. No receiver in the NFL is this versatile.Â
Brown and DeAngelo Williams (225 yards from scrimmage) combined for 519 yards from scrimmage alone!
- Even in a loss, the Raiders' offense looked more legit than ever. Now 4-4, Derek Carr overcame a rare up-and-down day from Amari Cooper to score 21 points in the second half. (Cooper still finished with 88 yards but had a few drops and mental mistakes.) Carr is so calm and reliable on third-and-long. His one interception came on an apparent miscommunication, and he took advantage of some blown coverages by a confused Steelers secondary.
- Michael Crabtree has been one of the best free-agent signings in the entire NFL. He caught seven passes for 108 yards and two scores, including the game-tying touchdown in the fourth quarter. His hands are unquestionable and he knows how to make grabs in tricky spaces.
- Raiders running back Latavius Murray left the game in the second half to be evaluated for a concussion after fumbling the ball. He never returned from the injury. The Raiders' offensive line did a fantastic job all day, helping Murray run for 96 yards in three quarters. They also protected Carr well.
- The Steelers don't have a great backup situation at quarterback. Running back is a different issue. DeAngelo Williams finished with 225 yards from scrimmage, including 170 on the ground. He continues to run well on the outside.
- Pittsburgh's offensive line did a great job all day. Khalil Mack was almost entirely erased and Roethlisberger had tons of time to throw throughout the game.
