Pittsburgh wins the battle of backups and GB comes out of the game with some injuries.
The transition from ebullient confidence to shock required but three minutes, seven plays and one long walk from sideline to locker room.
It happened early in the first quarter, on the opening drive for the Green Bay Packers, when quarterback Aaron Rodgers zinged a pass toward the right sideline. His intended receiver, Jordy Nelson, created separation the way he always does. Nelson jumped to make the catch; something went wrong.
He landed near the Pittsburgh 19-yard line, his back to the end zone, and attempted to spin upfield. But Nelson’s body crumpled to the grass untouched by defenders, and he half-ran-half-staggered to the sideline. He later walked to the locker room under his own power for further evaluation.
But cautious optimism began to crumble at 12:53 p.m., when a gut-wrenching report from NFL Network said the initial diagnosis on Nelson was a torn ACL. The report, which was not confirmed by the Packers, immediately hung an ominous cloud over a season many believed could reach the Super Bowl.
Fifty-seven minutes of football remained after the Nelson injury, though the importance of anything else on Sunday afternoon felt almost trivial. The Packers lost, 24-19, on a day that is likely to be defined by injury. And unfortunately for the Packers, Nelson was not the only player to leave Heinz Field wounded.
Starting right guard T.J. Lang left the game near the midway point of the second quarter, flanked by trainers, as he walked slowly across the field to the sideline. Like Nelson, he later made the concerning journey to the locker room and was evaluated for a concussion.
Damarious Randall, a rookie cornerback drafted in the first round by the Packers, and Adrian Hubbard, an outside linebacker, were both carted off the field. Randall, who earlier made a beautiful interception in the third quarter, eventually returned to the game. Hubbard, who previously recovered a fumble, returned to the sideline in the fourth quarter.
The snakebitten afternoon — Pittsburgh lost starting center Maurkice Pouncey and starting defensive end Stephon Tuitt to injuries — overshadowed what was a promising display from the Packers’ first-team offense a little more than a week after red-zone inadequacies against New England.
Rodgers, who played two series on Sunday, opened the game with a 10-play, 80-yard drive in which he completed all four of his passes. Deep completions to Nelson (16 yards, before the injury) and Randall Cobb (30 yards) easily moved the ball across midfield, where tailback Eddie Lacy accounted for the final 12 yards and a touchdown.
The Steelers, who recorded a safety on Rodgers’ second and final possession after the offense was pinned at the 1-yard line, took the lead early in the second quarter on an 51-yard touchdown drive. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, operating mostly from the shotgun, accounted for 48 of the 51 yards through the air, connecting with receiver Markus Wheaton, who lined up in the backfield, for a 5-yard score
And then it was Scott Tolzien’s turn late in the second quarter, with the Packers assumed possession with 1:27 remaining in the half. Tolzien, efficient for the second consecutive outing, led a no-huddle drive deep into Pittsburgh territory as the clock dwindled. He connected with tight end Richard Rodgers for a 21-yard touchdown over the middle
The Packers’ lead, which stood at 16-9 after a second consecutive 2-point conversion, held for the majority of the game. Pittsburgh added a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns to earn a come-from-behind victory.
But all that anyone could think about was No. 87.
The transition from ebullient confidence to shock required but three minutes, seven plays and one long walk from sideline to locker room.
It happened early in the first quarter, on the opening drive for the Green Bay Packers, when quarterback Aaron Rodgers zinged a pass toward the right sideline. His intended receiver, Jordy Nelson, created separation the way he always does. Nelson jumped to make the catch; something went wrong.
He landed near the Pittsburgh 19-yard line, his back to the end zone, and attempted to spin upfield. But Nelson’s body crumpled to the grass untouched by defenders, and he half-ran-half-staggered to the sideline. He later walked to the locker room under his own power for further evaluation.
But cautious optimism began to crumble at 12:53 p.m., when a gut-wrenching report from NFL Network said the initial diagnosis on Nelson was a torn ACL. The report, which was not confirmed by the Packers, immediately hung an ominous cloud over a season many believed could reach the Super Bowl.
Fifty-seven minutes of football remained after the Nelson injury, though the importance of anything else on Sunday afternoon felt almost trivial. The Packers lost, 24-19, on a day that is likely to be defined by injury. And unfortunately for the Packers, Nelson was not the only player to leave Heinz Field wounded.
Starting right guard T.J. Lang left the game near the midway point of the second quarter, flanked by trainers, as he walked slowly across the field to the sideline. Like Nelson, he later made the concerning journey to the locker room and was evaluated for a concussion.
Damarious Randall, a rookie cornerback drafted in the first round by the Packers, and Adrian Hubbard, an outside linebacker, were both carted off the field. Randall, who earlier made a beautiful interception in the third quarter, eventually returned to the game. Hubbard, who previously recovered a fumble, returned to the sideline in the fourth quarter.
The snakebitten afternoon — Pittsburgh lost starting center Maurkice Pouncey and starting defensive end Stephon Tuitt to injuries — overshadowed what was a promising display from the Packers’ first-team offense a little more than a week after red-zone inadequacies against New England.
Rodgers, who played two series on Sunday, opened the game with a 10-play, 80-yard drive in which he completed all four of his passes. Deep completions to Nelson (16 yards, before the injury) and Randall Cobb (30 yards) easily moved the ball across midfield, where tailback Eddie Lacy accounted for the final 12 yards and a touchdown.
The Steelers, who recorded a safety on Rodgers’ second and final possession after the offense was pinned at the 1-yard line, took the lead early in the second quarter on an 51-yard touchdown drive. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, operating mostly from the shotgun, accounted for 48 of the 51 yards through the air, connecting with receiver Markus Wheaton, who lined up in the backfield, for a 5-yard score
And then it was Scott Tolzien’s turn late in the second quarter, with the Packers assumed possession with 1:27 remaining in the half. Tolzien, efficient for the second consecutive outing, led a no-huddle drive deep into Pittsburgh territory as the clock dwindled. He connected with tight end Richard Rodgers for a 21-yard touchdown over the middle
The Packers’ lead, which stood at 16-9 after a second consecutive 2-point conversion, held for the majority of the game. Pittsburgh added a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns to earn a come-from-behind victory.
But all that anyone could think about was No. 87.
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