Steelers Trounced By Packers 51-34 In Second Preseason Game
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GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP/KDKA) - Aaron Rodgers needed just one drive to look at home in his first action at Lambeau Field in almost a year.
Rodgers connected with tight end Jimmy Graham for an 8-yard score, and Tramon Williams had a 25-yard interception return for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage of the Green Bay Packers' 51-34 win Thursday night over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Five minutes after throwing the pick, Mason Rudolph found JuJu Smith-Schuster for a 4-yard touchdown pass. Rudolph, who is competing with Joshua Dobbs for a backup job, was just 5 of 12 for 47 yards in playing the first half.
Dobbs didn't look much better after throwing a 22-yard interception returned for a touchdown by rookie cornerback Josh Jackson in the third quarter. But Dobbs finished strong and connected with rookie receiver James Washington for two second-half touchdowns.
Starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger watched from the sideline in shorts and a T-shirt. He and second-stringer Landry Jones had already been ruled out for the game when Roethlisberger left a training camp practice on Tuesday with a possible concussion.
Big Ben looked just fine while chatting with Rodgers as they walked to their respective locker rooms at halftime.
Rodgers was done for the night after one series, but he was much more productive.
"I thought Aaron did a heck of a job the little time he was in there," coach Mike McCarthy said.
Rodgers was 2 of 4 for 35 yards in his first game at Lambeau since Sept. 28. He broke his collarbone two weeks later at Minnesota, an injury that doomed the Packers in a 7-9 season.
Green Bay is always a threat in the NFC as long as Rodgers is healthy. This year, he has an intriguing option in the red zone in the 6-foot-7 Graham, who signed as a free agent in the offseason.
Rodgers drew the Steelers offside on third-and-10 from the 13 for a 5-yard penalty.
On the next play, he stood tall in the face of a rush before throwing a high pass into the middle of the end zone for Graham. He spiked the ball before heading into the stands for his first Lambeau Leap.
"That was fun. Those two have been having a great camp," McCarthy said.
Besides Roethlisberger, the Steelers didn't have two other stars. Receiver Antonio Brown sat out, while running back Le'Veon Bell still hasn't signed his franchise tender.
But Smith-Schuster is picking up where he left off following a promising rookie year after scoring his second preseason TD. The score wrapped up a wild opening 5 minutes in which the Packers raced out to a 14-point lead before the Steelers scored two straight touchdowns.
Green Bay's backups pulled away from there.
Second-string quarterback Brett Hundley was 6 of 9 for 77 yards. He also scored on a 10-yard run . Third-stringer DeShone Kizer connected with receiver Jake Kumerow for an 82-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter.
James Conner had a 26-yard touchdown run for the Steelers in the first quarter while the Packers still had many starters on the field. Washington scored on a 19-yard pass from Dobbs after turning and extending his arms past a defender to retrieve the ball.
A fan ran onto the field towards the end of the game. He was quickly corralled by security.
This is what happens when you run on the field during an NFL game pic.twitter.com/VaWtuMTllU
— Rich Walsh KDKA (@RichieWalsh) August 17, 2018
INJURIES
Steelers: Backup C Patrick Morris left in the third quarter with an undisclosed injury.
Packers: RG Justin McCray (calf) and RB Jamaal Williams (ankle), both starters, left the game in the second quarter. ... Kumerow left in the third quarter with a shoulder injury.
NATIONAL ANTHEM
There were no apparent displays of protest by players on either team during the national anthem.
UP NEXT
Steelers: Host the Tennessee Titans on Aug. 25.
Packers: Visit the Oakland Raiders on Aug. 24.
(TM and © Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
