The Pittsburgh Steelers rallied from a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to score a 26-19 road victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in overtime on Oct. 18.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers bounced back from a rough first half with frequent contributions from receivers DK Metcalf and Germie Bernard.
Meanwhile, the defense forced Tampa Bay rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels into some costly mistakes that helped the offense adjust and climb back into the game late.
Here’s USA TODAY Sports' report card for the game.
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Quarterback - B-
Rodgers relied on short, quick throws that produced inconsistently until late in the game. That routine has worked very well at times in recent weeks, but it looked rushed and disrupted too frequently, with top targets including Michael Pittman Jr., Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek out with injuries. The second half brought noteworthy improvement as he held the ball longer and started finding guys further downfield. Still, Rodgers averaged just 5.2 yards per attempt. It wasn’t his best day, but credit him for finding a way late.
Running backs - B+
Rico Dowdle and Jaylen Warren combined for 54 yards and averaged better than five yards per carry in the first half. Then the offense became one dimensional with the pass because of playcalling in the second, limiting the duo’s opportunities until popping some nice runs in overtime. Warren also started to find holes in coverage in the extra session. He finished with two catches for 28 yards.
Receivers - A+
All eyes were on Germie Bernard and DK Metcalf as Rodgers' only two regular targets. Bernard responded with 11 catches for 87 yards and the game-winning touchdown in overtime. It was his best day as a pro and an encouraging step in his development, though he caused a costly turnover on downs in the first half when he caught a ball beyond the first-down marker, then backtracked on himself and was tackled short. Metcalf took control of the game late. He had 11 catches for 93 yards, with most of that coming to lead the fourth-quarter comeback bid.
Tight ends - C
Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington didn't contribute much in terms of yardage, though Washington broke free to score the Steelers’ first touchdown. Overall, McCarthy probably would have preferred to see more from these guys amid the injuries to the receivers.
Offensive line - C
Rodgers' protection wasn't as good as it has been in previous weeks. In addition to the five sacks allowed, he often felt sped up by a half second on most plays when pressure got close, even if it didn’t fully get home. The blocking for Warren and Dowdle was encouraging, but they weren’t getting the ball often enough to offset what was happening in pass protection.
Defensive line - B+
The front buttoned up lead Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving fairly well. He took his 19 carries for 46 yards for the afternoon. Quarterback Jalon Daniels slipped through the first wave of the rush a few times, adding 39 rushing yards of his own. Yahya Black added a sack for the group that got decent pressure on Daniels as a passer.
Linebackers - C+
T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith had quiet afternoons once again. The matchup with Daniels felt like a chance to deliver a knockout blow, but the highly paid duo was fairly well neutralized. Nick Herbig earned his first two sacks after his $100-million offseason extension. Payton Wilson was active in the middle, though counterpart Patrick Queen didn’t contribute much as trade murmurs again swirled around him after the team signed veteran Elandon Roberts this week.
Secondary - A
Tampa Bay was able to convert some pesky third downs against the group but ultimately looked like a rookie with a final stat line of 23 completions on 43 attempts for 164 yards and two costly interceptions. Rookie Daylen Everette picked up his first interception as a pro to atone for a costly pass-interference penalty that set up Tampa Bay’s only touchdown. Jamel Dean intercepted Daniels late to set up the go-ahead field goal late in the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay struggled to generate explosive plays as this group kept receivers in front. Jalen Ramsey had two huge sacks, including the game-winner in overtime.
Coaching - B
McCarthy’s game plan did not seem to account for the absence of the receivers well at first. The throws looked designed to be short and quick in the first half, which was OK given the success of recent weeks. He adjusted slowly, though, once it became clear Tampa Bay was sniffing things out. Credit the second-half adjustments that got Bernard and Metcalf more involved. DC Patrick Graham started forcing mistakes against Daniels as the game wore on.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Steelers report card: Germie Bernard, DK Metcalf ignite offense in win over Buccaneers