Week after career game, Diontae Johnson not on field late for Steelers

A week after he made the two biggest plays of the game for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Diontae Johnson wasn’t given a chance to make the biggest play of Sunday’s game.

Johnson was not on the field for the Steelers on fourth down at the two-minute warning late during the 17-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills. A rookie who had 11 catches over the previous seven-plus quarters watched from the sideline as Devlin Hodges threw an interception in the end zone that was intended for Deon Cain on fourth-and-7 from the Bills 23.

The eligible receivers available to Hodges for the crucial play were Cain, James Washington, Nick Vannett, Zach Gentry and James Conner.

Conner, a running back, stayed in to block and picked up a blitzer on the play. Other than Washington, the other three receivers running routes combined for 19 catches for the Steelers this season.

“It’s not my call,” Johnson said about the sequence. “I can only do what the coaches tell me to do.”

Johnson fumbled twice Sunday to give him five for the season (two lost), although the first of which wasn’t all his fault (it was a botched snap and exchange from Maurkice Pouncey to Conner to him in the wildcat).

Kevin Gorman: Making moves and whatnot, Steelers' Diontae Johnson brings big returns

(Via TribLive) https://t.co/9J2I04Ce7Z

— Kevin Gorman (@KGorman_Trib) December 9, 2019

Johnson leads the team in catches (47) and receiving touchdowns (four). He had six catches for 60 yards, a receiving touchdown and a punt-return touchdown in the Dec. 8 win at the Arizona Cardinals.

On Sunday against the Bills, Johnson played 75% of the Steelers’ offensive snaps, the third-most he has all season. He had five receptions on seven targets for 62 yards in addition to punt returns of 13 and 7 yards.

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