Feats of Strength: Steelers defense, running game come up big in much-needed win over Saints

Even in a season when optimism has been scarce for the Steelers, there was plenty of reason for some heading into Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints.

The 2-6 Steelers were playing at home, in the cold, after a bye. Star outside linebacker T.J. Watt was scheduled to suit up for the first time since getting injured near the end of the season opener in Cincinnati.

Meanwhile, the 3-6 Saints were flying up to Pittsburgh on a short week after a “Monday Night Football” loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Their injury list was extensive, and the team appeared to be hunting for answers on both sides of the ball.

They didn’t find them in Pittsburgh, as the Steelers won 20-10, claiming victory for the first time in almost a month.

And that gives us an all-too-rare opportunity to highlight some “Feats of Strength” while only grumbling a little bit in our “Airing of Grievances.”

Feats of Strength

Renegade resonates: The last time “Renegade” was played in a Pittsburgh sports venue, it was at PPG Paints Arena during the Penguins’ “Pittsburgh Night” game against the Boston Bruins on Nov. 1.

Not long after it was played, Boston’s Brad Marchand scored a goal, and the Penguins blew a 5-2 lead. Based on how things had been going at Acrisure Stadium this year, the bad vibes felt contagious.

On Sunday, however, the Steelers rallying-cry fight song paid off as safety Damontae Kazee intercepted a deflected Andy Dalton pass on the drive right after Styx was piped through the speakers.

KAZEEEEEEEEE @DamontaeKazee

Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/E0NYNURgPa pic.twitter.com/1Rk8kfOyhb

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) November 13, 2022

Cornerback Levi Wallace had tight coverage on intended receiver Jarvis Landry on the play. He’d add an interception later in the game as well, to go along with five tackles for what may have been his most impactful game in Black and Gold.

Kazee had been on injured reserve to start the season. He suffered a wrist injury in the preseason. That stint coincided with a suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on substance abuse. So this was Kazee’s first interception in his first game as a Steeler. It led to a Kenny Pickett touchdown run that gave the Steelers a 20-10 lead.

“It was just a great play by Levi tipping the ball. We work on tips and overthrows, so you’ve got to get those,” Kazee said. “I think I was more excited about playing with my brothers out there. It’s been a long time.”

More from Tim Benz:

• Madden Monday on Kenny Pickett: 'Right now, I think he stinks'
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The pick atoned for an earlier unnecessary roughness penalty that set up New Orleans’ only touchdown of the game. He also added four tackles.

There was no warming up to the moment for Kazee as he had to start in place of Minkah Fitzpatrick, who was unable to play because of an appendectomy.

Riding the wave: If a rising tide really does raise all boats, then even the Gateway Clipper may have been buoyed by T.J. Watt’s return.

The star outside linebacker didn’t have a sack. But he had a quarterback hit and four tackles and was active in the Saints backfield on run plays. Plus, his presence seemed to lift the energy of the crowd and the rest of the defense.

The defense’s collective effort was perhaps most noticeable when the Saints had the ball the series after Kazee’s interception. Dalton began the drive with a 9-yard completion to Landry.

But on second down, Wallace was in coverage on an incompletion to Juwan Johnson. Cameron Heyward and Larry Ogunjobi were credited with the tackles as Alvin Kamara was stuffed for no gain on third-and-1.

Then Robert Spillane polished off a tackle of Dalton when the interior of the Steelers defensive line pushed back on an attempted quarterback sneak.

“T.J. means everything to our defense. He is the best player in the league. Defensive Player of the Year. Whenever you get a player like that (back), he is going to make special things happen. We love having him,” Spillane said.

The turnover on downs gave the Steelers the ball on the New Orleans’ 34-yard line. Even though the offense went three-and-out and Matthew Wright missed a field goal, Wallace followed with his interception on the next defensive series.

What a pick by Levi Wallace! @steelers

: #NOvsPIT on FOX
: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/L6Q6sHvUpI pic.twitter.com/2cYLVbJG2w

— NFL (@NFL) November 13, 2022

In all, the Steelers held New Orleans to 186 yards. It’s the first time a Steelers defense held an opposing offense to fewer than 200 yards in a game since holding the Bengals to 175 yards in September 2019.

High on Highsmith: Perhaps no one benefited more from Watt’s return than fellow outside linebacker Alex Highsmith.

With Watt drawing attention on the left side of the Steelers defense, Highsmith was creating chaos on the right side. Highsmith had two sacks, a tackle for loss, a forced fumble and five tackles.

“I wanted to have an attack mindset. The past couple games I wasn’t able to get home. That is something I wanted to get back on track,” Highsmith said.

Highsmith now has 8 1/2 sacks. Five have come in the two games Watt has played this season.

Dynamic duo: Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren took turns doing damage out of the Steelers offensive backfield.

Harris totaled 99 yards rushing on 20 carries, including a rare chunk play that went for 36 yards in the first half.

Najeeeeeeee

Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/E0NYNURgPa pic.twitter.com/bHnvEyKU6e

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) November 13, 2022

That was Harris’ longest run of the season. Meanwhile, Warren had 40 yards receiving and 37 rushing. On a third-and-8 immediately following the two-minute warning, Warren went on a 21-yard jaunt that essentially iced the game for the Steelers.

OK, Okorafor: Give a tip of the hat to the offensive line for the run blocking. The Steelers gobbled up 217 yards on the ground. It was the first 200-yard rushing game since the Steelers gained 240 yards against Buffalo in December 2016.

More on the Steelers' win over the Saints:

• Steelers right ship with win over Saints
• Steelers come out running vs. Saints, finish with their best rushing game in 6 years
• Returns of T.J. Watt, Damontae Kazee contribute to Steelers’ dominant defensive effort
• Steelers injury report: Myles Jack cleared, but held out of Steelers’ victory as precaution
• Minkah Fitzpatrick underwent appendectomy soon after Steelers’ Saturday walkthrough

Chuks Okorafor deserves special recognition. On the first snap after Kazee’s interception, the offensive tackle pounced on a Harris fumble. That allowed the offense to maintain possession at the New Orleans’ 44-yard line.

The Steelers held onto the ball for another three-and-a-half minutes before Pickett scored to stretch the lead to 20-10.

Airing of Grievances

Wright was wrong: Not everything was perfect for the Steelers, especially in the kicking game. Matthew Wright missed field goals of 39 and 48 yards. Also, he managed just one touchback on five kickoff attempts.

While the offensive line had its best day of the year in terms of run blocking, Pickett was sacked six times for a second straight week. Although Pickett may have played a role in some of those.

And Pickett was just 18 of 30 for 199 yards with a 6.4 yards per attempt average, missing some open receivers along the way. However, he played turnover-free football and ran well, gaining 51 yards.