Steelers rally past Raiders in final minute on 50th anniversary weekend of Immaculate Reception

The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t need a deflected pass to beat the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday night, but they did need some last-minute heroics to keep their faint playoff hopes alive.

On the Immaculate Reception anniversary weekend, when Pro Football Hall of Famer Franco Harris had his uniform number retired posthumously at halftime, the Steelers staged a comeback that had a few similarities to that memorable playoff win 50 years ago.

Held without a touchdown for the first 59 minutes — as was the case Dec. 23, 1972 — the Steelers used Kenny Pickett’s 14-yard touchdown pass to George Pickens with 46 seconds remaining to pull out a 13-10 victory.

An immaculate conclusion, right?

“I’m not going to try to put it in that neighborhood,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “Not even that city, OK? But it was a nice play.”

If the Steelers’ point total sounds familiar, it’s because they scored exactly that many in a 13-7 victory against the Oakland Raiders 50 years ago when Harris made his immaculate catch with five seconds to go.

Related:

• Feats of Strength: Dormant Steelers offense delivers late; defense responds to bad start
• Minus 'the big man,' Steelers retire Franco Harris' uniform number in emotional ceremony
• Steelers’ Christmas Eve game the 2nd-coldest home game in franchise history
• From ‘Franco!’ cadence to wearing ‘32’ jerseys, Steelers players relish honoring Harris with win
• Kenny Pickett proving he has some Big Ben in him in leading Steelers’ late-game heroics

“I feel like you can’t make it up,” said Pickett, who returned from a one-game absence due to a concussion and passed for 244 yards. “How the game went, the kind of conditions there were, how we won, it was incredibly special. I don’t think you can write it any better.”

This win was the fifth in the past seven games for the Steelers since the bye and improved their record to 7-8 with two games remaining. For the Raiders, who led from the first drive of the game until the final minute, the loss dropped their record to 6-9.

With the Steelers trailing 10-6 and out of timeouts, Pickett zipped a first-down pass into the back of the end zone, where fellow rookie Pickens grabbed it for a touchdown that gave the Steelers their first lead. Harris, don’t forget, also was a rookie when the Immaculate Reception vaulted the franchise to its first playoff victory.

In another nod to the 1970s, the Steelers played the Pittsburgh Polka on the sound system after Pickens’ touchdown.

“Some nights you get an opportunity to etch your small place in Steelers lore,” Tomlin said. “I’m so happy our young guys had an opportunity to do it in some small way.”

Harris’ presence was felt inside Acrisure Stadium even before defensive captain Cameron Heyward, the longest-tenured Steelers player, raced out to the tunnel in pregame introductions waving a giant No. 32 flag.

Tomlin and all of his players arrived at the stadium wearing No. 32 jersey to honor Harris, whose unexpected death earlier in the week jolted the franchise.

“We had a chance to be a part of Steelers history tonight,” Tomlin said, wearing his Harris jersey to the postgame press conference. “We don’t take that lightly. We’re so appreciative of the ground that has been laid by those that have come before us — like the man whose jersey I’m wearing right here.”

Much like Terry Bradshaw 50 years ago against the Raiders, Pickett couldn’t generate much offense until the fourth quarter in a game played in 8-degree weather, making it the second-coldest home game in franchise history.

The Steelers mustered only two field goal drives — Chris Boswell missed two other tries while kicking into 16 mph winds — until they got the ball back at their 24 with 2 minutes, 55 seconds remaining.

Pickett completed 7 of 9 passes on the drive. He had completions of 17 and 10 yards to tight end Pat Freiermuth. He also connected three times with running back Najee Harris, who bulled his way for 19 yards on one reception that moved the ball to the Raiders 24.

On a fourth-and-1 from the 15, Pickett got the first down on a sneak, and Tomlin called his third and final timeout.

Pickett then delivered a strike into the middle of the end zone. Pickens pulled it in for his third touchdown.

Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, already intercepted twice in the second half, threw his third when Cam Sutton picked off a desperation pass with 29 seconds remaining to seal the win for the Steelers.

“We showed poise and resolve and made the necessary plays,” Tomlin said. “We move forward. We move forward with a really good Christmas.”

In addition to the three interceptions, the Steelers broke up four other passes. They also had three sacks, including two by Heyward, who had seven tackles.

The defense held the Raiders to 201 yards — a week after they limited Carolina to 209. After the Raiders marched 72 yards on their opening drive for a touchdown — Hunter Renfrow caught a 14-yard TD pass from Carr — they managed 129 the rest of the way, including 50 after halftime.

“We settled in and tackled better,” Heyward said. “We tried to contain some of those explosive offensive players they have.”

Trailing 10-3 at halftime, the Steelers got interceptions from Arthur Maulet and Minkah Fitzpatrick in the third quarter. The offense wasn’t able to translate the turnovers into points. Boswell missed a 52-yard field goal try — his second miss of the game — after Maulet’s interception. Fitzpatrick’s was followed by a punt after a three-and-out.

The Steelers didn’t score again until Boswell kicked a 40-yard field goal with 9:47 to play. The decision to send Boswell out for a fourth attempt was met by boos from those who braved the cold to attend the game.

When the Steelers punted the ball back to the Raiders with 4:32 remaining, it put the onus on the defense one more time. The Steelers forced a three-and-out to allow Pickett and his young core of playmakers one more chance.

“We’ve been pretty clear if we were going to do something this season, they would have to play like that,” Tomlin said of his defense.

Pickett and the offense took care of the rest. The fourth quarter comeback was the rookie quarterback’s second since the bye week and kept the Steelers alive in the playoff hunt.

“We were kind of finding ourselves early on this season,” Pickett said. “I feel like we hit our stride after the bye week, and we’re finding our identity a little bit, believing in each other, believing in the plan and going out and executing it and finding ways to come out with a win.”