ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Steelers’ offensive woes continued as Pittsburgh scored on just one lengthy drive while the team dropped its second straight game in a 26-15 loss at the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
The Steelers got a first-half touchdown after a Cam Sutton fumble recovery set the offense up in good field position at the Buffalo 30-yard line and Ben Roethlisberger found James Washington in the end zone to give Pittsburgh a lead.
But when asked to create drives on their own, the Pittsburgh offense was largely unable. The return of James Conner and Maurkice Pouncey did not spark the Steelers’ rushing attack, which finished with just 47 yards — 18 of them Conner’s on 10 carries.
The Steelers converted just 10% of their third downs and critically turned the ball over twice, including a Roethlisberger interception that was returned 51 yards by Taron Johnson in the final minute of the first half to give Buffalo a 9-7 lead, one that the Bills never relinquished.
After standing up to Josh Allen and company for most of the first half, the Pittsburgh defense broke down in the second, allowing scoring drives of 68 yards, capped by a 19-yard touchdown pass from Allen to Stephon Diggs and 57 yards, finished by a 13-yard pass from Allen to Davis.
Pittsburgh got back into the game with a 10-play, 81-yard drive that ended with Roethlisberger finding JuJu Smith-Schuster for a 3-yard touchdown and an Eric Ebron 2-point conversion to bring the game to within one possession.
But the defense gave up another long Buffalo drive, with Tyler Bass hitting a chip-shot field goal after two critical Buffalo third-down conversions had the Bills deep into the red zone. Buffalo converted 50% of its third-down conversions.
With one final chance to get the game back within reach, Roethlisberger underthrew James Washington on a deep pass down the right sideline and was intercepted by Levi Wallace to secure the game for Buffalo.
The Steelers (11-2), secured a playoff berth earlier in the day with Miami’s loss. Pittsburgh will travel to Cincinnati in Week 14 for a Monday night game against the Bengals.