Titans – Steelers LIVE: Derrick Henry puts Tennessee ahead in 2nd quarter – Marca English
Week 9 of the 2023 NFL season begins with Thursday Night Football live from Pittsburgh, where the Steelers host the Tennessee Titans at Acrisure Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 8:15 ET.
It hasn’t always been pretty for the 4-3 Steelers, who were held to 260 yards of offense in a loss to Jacksonville on Sunday, but Pittsburgh enters this matchup in possession of a playoff berth in the AFC. However, the 3-4 Titans are riding a wave of momentum thanks to a rookie quarterback’s heroics last weekend and are seeking consecutive wins for the first time this season.
Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers – NFL Week 9 Thursday Night Football, live updates from Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA:
The Steelers have won the past four meetings with the Titans, who last won this matchup in 2013. Pittsburgh is a three-point favorite on Thursday night and could strengthen its grip on an AFC wild-card spot with a bounceback victory.
Nashville surrenders to Will Levis
Have the Titans found their new franchise quarterback? It’s probably too early to tell, but few NFL debuts in recent memory have been as impressive as the performance Will Levis put together in a win over the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday.
Levis, a second-round pick in April out of the University of Kentucky, threw four touchdown passes in the 28-23 win — including three to marquee wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins — and might have just gotten Tennessee‘s season back on track. The Titans would be firmly in the playoff hunt if they can win in Pittsburgh for just the second time since 2003.
Although the Titans have traded star safety Kevin Byard, coach Mike Vrabel‘s defense held up just well enough against Atlanta and has yet to allow more than 27 points in a game this year — despite ranking 22nd in yards allowed.
Steelers defense gets back a key cog
Star defensive lineman Cameron Heyward has been activated off injured reserve following groin surgery, and he will take his first snaps since Week 1 in a huge boost to the Steelers’ defense.
Although Defensive Player of the Year candidate T.J. Watt is in the midst of another brilliant season, the Steelers rank toward the bottom of the NFL in most defensive categories and — somehow — have a winning record despite fielding an offense that has rung up 300 yards of offense only twice this year.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett will play despite suffering a rib injury on Sunday, and his connection with wide receiver George Pickens will be crucial. Pickens is averaging nearly 19 yards per catch this season, and he is on pace for 1,268 receiving yards in his second NFL campaign.
