3 Takeaways from Steelers' Week 6 Win vs. Buccaneers

Talk about a way for the Pittsburgh Steelers to bounce back from a huge loss. And there likely weren't many people who saw this coming.

On Sunday, the Steelers held on for a 20-18 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Acrisure Stadium, snapping a four-game losing streak to improve to 2-4. It came a week after Pittsburgh suffered a lopsided 38-3 road loss to the Buffalo Bills and appeared to be trending in the wrong direction.

The Steelers overcame the early exit of rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett, who departed in the third quarter with a concussion. Mitchell Trubisky took over and threw a six-yard touchdown pass to Chase Claypool in the fourth that pushed Pittsburgh's lead to 20-12.

The Steelers came away with the win after a two-point conversion attempt for the Bucs that would have tied the game with four minutes and 38 seconds to go was unsuccessful.

Here are three takeaways from Pittsburgh's Week 6 win.

Trubisky Makes QB Situation More Interesting

AP Photo/Matt Durisko

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mitch Trubisky (10) signals for a first down during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022, in Pittsburgh, PA. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)

Trubisky didn't play well enough early in the season to keep the starting job he won during training camp and the preseason. That led to the Steelers making a change in Week 4, when they turned to Pickett.

Now what should Pittsburgh do? Pickett has struggled a bit (as to be expected for a rookie), throwing four interceptions through his first three games.

Meanwhile, Trubisky looked great when thrust back into action on Sunday, going 9-for-12 for 144 yards and a touchdown.

"I just wanted to come in and help the team win any way I could," the 28-year-old told reporters. "I just tried to come in, do my role and lead the guys. Everybody stuck together, and they had my back when I came in as well."

Considering the Steelers are still only 2-4, it's likely best for their long-term future for Pickett to take over again once he clears the NFL's concussion protocol. He's gaining valuable experience on a team that likely isn't going to be a playoff contender this season.

However, Trubisky proved he's capable of doing a strong job when called upon. And that's a valuable type of player for a team to have, especially when they face situations like Sunday's.

Running Game Still Isn't Working

AP Photo/Matt Durisko

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (22) rushes during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022, in Pittsburgh, PA. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)

Although the Steelers' offense fared well enough for them to take down the Bucs, not everything was working against a solid Tampa Bay defense.

Pittsburgh's running game has been struggling in recent weeks, and that was again the case in Sunday's matchup.

Najee Harris scored a six-yard receiving touchdown in the first quarter, but he wasn't effective on the ground, rushing 14 times for 42 yards. As a whole, the Steelers averaged only 2.7 yards per carry (29 attempts for 27 yards), continuing their running woes.

After an impressive 2021 rookie season, Harris hasn't been as effective in 2022. Through six games, he has only 264 yards on 83 carries. But he's scored three total touchdowns, and there's reason to believe he might fare better in the near future.

However, the 24-year-old played the first five weeks with a steel plate in his cleat because of a Lisfranc injury he suffered in the offseason. He didn't wear it on Sunday, and he told Brooke Pryor of ESPN that it felt much better.

If the Steelers can get a now-healthier Harris going, it would be huge for their offense. He's shown what he's capable of when he gets going on the ground.

Shorthanded Defense Delivers Impressive Performance

AP Photo/Barry Reeger

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) forces a fumble as he hits Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) during the first half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)

It didn't seem like Pittsburgh was in a great spot on defense heading into Sunday's game.

The unit was missing four key defensive backs due to injury (cornerbacks Levi Wallace, Ahkello Witherspoon and Cameron Sutton, as well as safety Minkah Fitzpatrick). The Steelers were also without rookie defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal.

Yet, Pittsburgh limited the production of Tampa Bay's Tom Brady-led offense. The Buccaneers had 304 total yards and didn't get into the end zone until their final possession. They punted five times and were held to a field goal on four of their drives.

The Steelers relied on defensive backs Josh Jackson, Quincy Wilson and Elijah Riley, all of whom were on the practice squad earlier in the week, to play significant snaps.

“The game plan was pretty simple, and we executed as best we could," Riley said, per Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Pittsburgh's defense will be better when it gets its key starters back, but its reserve players proved they can fill in adequately when needed.