With the Green Bay Packers trying to build on a four-point lead late in the first half, the Pittsburgh Steelers were intent on blunting the momentum heading into intermission.

They thought they accomplished it, too, when Joe Haden and Minkah Fitzpatrick broke through the line and blocked Mason Crosby’s 31-yard field goal attempt. Fitzpatrick picked up the loose ball and ran all the way to the end zone for an apparent 75-yard touchdown.

A flag back at the line of scrimmage killed a score that would have given the Steelers a 17-14 advantage. Haden was called for being offside.

The ball was moved five yards closer, and Crosby converted the 26-yard field goal to send the Packers in the locker room with a 17-10 advantage.

“It definitely would have helped us going into the second half,” linebacker Alex Highsmith said. “It definitely was a momentum swinger. We have to respond to that and do better.”

The Steelers never led again as the Packers scored on their first two possessions of the second half to take a 27-10 lead.

Coach Mike Tomlin said he didn’t have a good vantage point of the play and would be “just speculating” on whether Haden was offside. Neither Haden nor Fitzpatrick was made available to the media after the game.

Haden, though, took to his Twitter account Sunday night after the game to post, “I wasn’t offsides.”

— Joe Haden (@joehaden23) October 4, 2021

Not close enough

Ben Roethlisberger and JuJu Smith-Schuster each took responsibility for an incomplete pass that likely would have resulted in a touchdown with 6 minutes, 34 seconds left in the second quarter and the Steelers trailing, 14-10.

On first down from the Packers 32, Roethlisberger threw deep for Smith-Schuster down the seam. The pass was over the wide receiver’s head, and Smith-Schuster was late reaching up to make the catch. The Steelers eventually settled for a field goal.

“I just missed the throw,” Roethlisberger said. “I’ll take it. I got caught between putting air on it and letting him run under it or taking some air off it because you don’t want to get him hit. Either way, that’s on me. I’ll take those.”

It was one of several times Roethlisberger threw the pass over his intended target. He had only two pass plays for longer than 17 yards, and one was a 45-yard touchdown pass to Diontae Johnson that came on the first series when the Packers jumped offside.

“In order for the deep ball to be successful, both parties have to be on the same page,” Roethlisberger said. “But at the end of the day, I’m the one throwing it, and I’m the one that has to make it happen.”

Smith-Schuster expressed his displeasure on the bench by throwing down his iPad, an act of frustration that was captured by television cameras.

“I got upset with myself because I make those plays,” Smith-Schuster said. “I never show my emotions on the sidelines because I know I’m always being watched. In a game like that at a critical time, in a situation like that, I’m frustrated with myself.

“I’m not mad at the team. I’m not mad at the play calling. I’m not mad at Ben for the throw. It’s all on me.”

Walking wounded

The Steelers lost starting left guard Kevin Dotson to a hip flexor in the second half. He was replaced by B.J. Finney. Starting cornerback Cam Sutton also left in the second half because of a groin injury. Neither player returned.

Linebacker Devin Bush and defensive tackle Cameron Heyward also sustained injuries but returned to the game shortly after exiting for a few plays.

Inactives list

Wide receiver Chase Claypool, who was ruled out Saturday with a hamstring injury, led the list of players deactivated for the game. He was joined by backup offensive lineman Rashaad Coward (ankle) and reserve defensive lineman Carlos Davis (knee).

Healthy scratches were third quarterback Dwayne Haskins, reserve cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon and linebacker Buddy Johnson.

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