TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns to rally the Pittsburgh Steelers from a 13-point, fourth-quarter deficit to a 26-19 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
Rodgers shrugged off a slow start to lead four fourth-quarter scoring drives, then finished off a 12-play, 70-yard march with a 7-yard TD throw to Germie Bernard to give the Steelers (4-2) the lead for good with 3:15 remaining in OT.
Rookie
Jalon Daniels drove the Bucs (1-5) to midfield on the ensuing possession, but Tampa Bay could only get as close as the Steelers 48 before Jalen Ramsey sacked the undrafted free agent on fourth down for an 11-yard loss to end the game.
Rodgers finished 33 of 49 passing. He was sacked five times in the first three quarters and also tossed a first-quarter interception that led to the first of four field goals by Tampa Bay's Chase McLaughlin.
Chris Boswell also kicked four field goals for Pittsburgh, including a 20-yarder set up by former Buccaneer Jamel Dean's interception to give the Steelers a short-lived 19-16 lead with 1:21 left in regulation.
Daniels, who tossed a pair of fourth-quarter interceptions to help Pittsburgh get back in the game, promptly led the Bucs into field goal range with completions of 22 and 13 yards to fellow rookie Ted Hurst. McLaughlin, 14 of 14 this season, calmly booted a 53-yarder to force the extra period.
Daniels, making his third career start filling in for the injured Baker Mayfield, completed 22 of 43 passes for 164 yards and one touchdown. Daylen Everette's interception led to a field goal that enabled Pittsburgh to erase a 16-13 deficit, and Dean's pick and 40-yard return to the Bucs 2 set up another field goal.
Playing without injured receivers Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson, Rodgers struggled to consistently move the ball for three quarters against a Bucs defense that has played better the past two games.
The 42-year-old, four-time NFL MVP's string of three consecutive games with three TD passes not only ended but the Steelers didn't come anywhere close to getting the ball into the end zone until his 5-yard TD throw to Washington early in the fourth quarter.
Steelers: CB Brandin Echols (hamstring) limped off the field late in the first half and didn't return.
Buccaneers: Rookie LB Josiah Trotter (knee) played after being added to the injury report late in the week.
Steelers: Travel to Paris to face the New Orleans Saints in the first NFL regular-season game in France.
Buccaneers: Play at NFC South-rival Carolina next Sunday.
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