Getty Taron Johnson avoids Pittsburgh's Taron Johnson as he returns an interception 51 yards for a touchdown.
The first half of the Sunday Night Football matchup between the Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers was a defensive battle and the Bills did something for the first time in three years.
With 52 seconds remaining in the first half, the Steelers were driving down the field to answer a 34-yard field goal by Buffalo. On 2nd and 5, on their own 47, Roethlisberger zoned in on JuJu Smith-Schuster and tried to throw a short-yardage pass. Little did Roethlisberger know, Bills cornerback Taron Johnson jumped the route and took the interception 51 yards for a touchdown.
To. The. House.
Trailing 7-3 in the first half, with no offensive production to really speak of, Johnson’s play on the defensive side gave the Bills the lead and momentum going into halftime. But it was also the first time the Bills defense has scored a touchdown since 2017.
The Bills were playing the New England Patriots late in the season and Bills safety Jordan Poyer picked off Patriots quarterback Tom Brady with 10:28 left in the second quarter and returned it 19 yards for a touchdown.
It’s the only pick-six of Poyer’s tenure in Buffalo.
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Punt Happy in the First Half
The Bills came into Sunday night’s matchup with the lowest amount of punts this season with 29 but they punted four times in the first half and ended one drive with an interception and another with a wild fumble.
Bills punter Corey Bojorquez averaged 47.3 yards per punt with a long of 54 and pinned the Steelers inside their own 20 once. He’s had the best punt average in the NFL with 50.5 yards per punt and also leads the league in touchbacks.
The amount of punts came from the lack of offensive production in the first half as Allen struggled to find open receivers and move the ball. One drive ended when Allen’s arm was hit on a throw and Mike Hilton came down with the interception for Pittsburgh. Another drive ended as Allen hit Dawson Knox with a pass and the ball popped out for a fumble which the Steelers recovers.
What in the world?! 🤯
(via @thecheckdown)
Pittsburgh also marched down the field with three plays and Roethlisberger hit wide receiver James Washington with a 19-yard pass with 8:21 left to do in the half to put the Steelers up 7-0.
Finding Diggs to End the First Half
All season long, Stefon Diggs has been a big supporter of getting the ball to Cole Beasley because “He’s always open.” But at the end of the first half, Allen started to find Diggs and the Bills offense started to finally move the ball.
First, he found Diggs for a 23 yard gain, then found him again for a seven-yard gain. With 2:10 to go in the half, he hit for 18 yards and the final completion of the first half to set up Tyler Bass’ 34-yard field goal.
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Bills Accomplish Impressive Feat for 1st Time Since 2017 in Win