By: G.Stryker
Each and every game has a pivotal moment where victory is decided. Not always the game winning play, but a play that determines the outcome, and if it went differently, a different result could be likely. So each week we will explore the exact moment of drama where the game pivots on: As the Game Turns.
At the beginning of the 4th Quarter the Steelers held a one score lead at 20-13, received a punt, and was called for holding starting the drive at their own 15. A 5 yard run by James Conner was followed up by a 10 yard offensive pass interference call the very next play, by Antonio Brown.
Backed up to the 10 yard line, Ben Roethlisberger surveyed the field and decided to run for the first down. Old legs didn’t match his quick mind, and Ben was brought down from behind awkwardly by Ze’Darius Smith. Though a possible horse collar tackle was missed by the referees, the holding call by Alejandro Villanueva was not. Adding insult to injury, the Steelers were backed up to the 5 yard line on 2nd and 22, and Ben was forced to come off the field after staying down for just long enough, for Steeler fans to worry about the future of their franchise quarterback.
Josh Dobbs then entered the field for his first snap of the season that didn’t end in a kneel down. After flashing his talents this preseason, Dobbs earned the backup quarterback job and as a result, Landry Jones was released. It was now up to Dobbs to show why the Steelers chose to go with youth and ability over veteran experience. Instead of going conservative, the Steelers dialed up a pass. Play action fake to James Conner, and Dobbs quickly went through his receiver progressions, while standing in the end zone. His second read was open as he hit JuJu Smith-Schuster down the seam, for a 22 yard gain on his first career pass attempt.
Big Ben returned the very next play and continued the drive that ended in a field goal, giving the Steelers a 2 score lead with eight and a half minutes left to play. Josh Dobbs’ only play of the game, was its biggest conversion, to turn the tide of field position and advance the score. Give it up for the Rocket Scientist, who used his rocket arm, and helped his team win the game.
