Punt return, Conner spark Steelers rally in victory over Falcons
Steelers punt returner Trey Williams breaks away from the Falcons’ Marcelis Branch on his way to returning a punt for a third-quarter touchdown Sunday afternoon at Heinz Field.
Steelers running back James Conner is tackled by Falcons defensive end Courtney Upshaw in the first half of a preseason game Sunday at Heinz Field.
PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Steelers broke training camp at Saint Vincent College Saturday.
For a half Sunday, it appeared they had left their game in Latrobe.
The Steelers spent the first half having issues both offensively and defensively before running back Trey Williams broke off a 64-yard punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter to spark a comeback and lead Pittsburgh to a 17-13 win over Atlanta in the second preseason game for both teams.
“(There was) not enough execution in some instances, particularly on (third) downs,” said head Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin referring to both his offense and defense.
“The first half of the game was really defined by our inability to execute on possession downs. We did not convert any third downs and they converted quite a few or just about most of theirs.”
It added up to a 13-3 halftime deficit as Atlanta passed for 224 yards and rushed for 48.
The Steelers, meanwhile, had only 76 total yards and three first downs.
The Pittsburgh defense got some stops in the second half, but the offense continued to stall until Williams, a running back who is on his sixth NFL team, collected a punt at his own 36-yard line, broke an arm tackle and headed for the middle of the field with only punter Matt Bosher to beat.
“After the first wave, I saw the punter. That was the last guy. I couldn’t let that guy get me,” said Williams, who does not have a rushing attempt this preseason. “Everybody would just clown. I would catch all kinds of heck for that. I knew what I have and I just burned him. He had a nice angle on me but the momentum was going to take me into the end zone.”
Williams cut to his left, slowed down enough to jump back inside of Bosher, then fought through a tackle attempt by long-snapper Josh Harris to get into the end zone and cut Atlanta’s lead to 13-10.
From there, the Steelers rode the legs of rookie running back James Conner to their second-straight preseason victory.
Conner, who had missed the preseason opener with a shoulder injury, rushed for 98 yards on 20 carries.
The third-round pick out of Pitt was at his best in the fourth quarter, when he gained 68 yards on 10 carries, helping set up fourth-string quarterback Bart Houston’s 6-yard TD pass to Justin Houston with 6:35 remaining, putting the Steelers ahead to stay.
“Plays were working; everybody was blocking,” said Conner. “I was just running hard.”
Pittsburgh’s defense did its part in the fourth quarter, getting an interception from Jordan Dangerfield – one of two he had in the game – and a pair of sacks to keep the Falcons backed up.
It was a far cry different in the first half, when Atlanta starting quarterback Matt Ryan picked part the Steelers on the Falcons’ opening possession, completing 4 of 6 passes for 57 yards and leading a 91-yard TD drive capped by a five-yard run by Terron Ward.
Third-stringer Matt Simms, who played most of the rest of the half after a brief appearance by Matt Schaub, kept the momentum in Atlanta’s favor, completing 11 of 19 passes for 157 yards and leading a pair of field-goal drives.
The only signs of life showed by Pittsburgh’s offense in the first half was helped by a 24-yard pass interference penalty, drawn by Darrius Heyward-Bey, and a nice 23-yard catch by Martavis Bryant down the sideline while working against former California University player C.J. Goodwin.
That set up a 42-yard Chris Boswell field goal early in the second quarter.
Bryant was playing for the first time in nearly 20 months after being suspended for the 2016 season for violation of the league’s substance abuse policy. He had two receptions for 20 yards.
“I feel like I did OK,” said Bryant. “You have to be able to not get tired and play at full speed. As far as the contact, it comes with it.”
Quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger and Landry Jones, wide receivers Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Shuster and DeMarcus Ayers and linebackers Ryan Shazier, James Harrison and Bud Dupree were among the Steelers who did not play. … Atlanta held out Pro Bowl receiver Julio Jones and running back Devonta Freeman. … The Falcons outgained the Steelers 318-189. … Anthony Chickillo had two of the Steelers’ four sacks. … Linebackers Vince Williams and L.J. Fort and safety Sean Davis tied for the Steelers’ lead in tackles with five each. … Jordan Berry punted eight times for the Steelers, placing seven inside the 20.