Carolina
Panthers
2-12
21
FINAL
35
Pittsburgh
Steelers
6-8
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a decisive Week 16 matchup, the Pittsburgh Steelers topped the Carolina Panthers with a final score of 35-21, solidifying their playoff aspirations as the season winds down. The victory not only boosts the Steelers’ momentum but also puts pressure on the Panthers, who are fighting to stay relevant in the postseason conversation.
Drew Allar was the standout performer for Pittsburgh, throwing for 344 yards and three touchdowns, showcasing his ability to command the offense effectively. He connected with DK Metcalf for a stellar performance, as Metcalf racked up 135 receiving yards. Meanwhile, Rico Dowdle added a strong ground game with 84 rushing yards, contributing significantly to the Steelers’ offensive explosion.
Pittsburgh's defense played a crucial role in the outcome, with T.J. Watt leading the charge, notching 1.5 sacks and disrupting the Panthers' rhythm. Jamel Dean's interception was a pivotal moment, halting a potential scoring drive from Carolina and shifting momentum firmly in the Steelers' favor. As the game wore on, Pittsburgh's defensive intensity and key plays allowed them to maintain control and secure the win.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drew Allar | QB | 37 | 29 | 78% | 344 | 3 | 0 | 132.4 |
| Bryce Young | QB | 32 | 21 | 66% | 204 | 2 | 1 | 91.1 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rico Dowdle | HB | 15 | 84 | 5.6 | 51 | 0 | 34 | 0 |
| Chuba Hubbard | HB | 13 | 55 | 4.2 | 24 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| Bryce Young | QB | 10 | 45 | 4.5 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Germie Bernard | WR | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | — | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| Drew Allar | QB | 3 | 5 | 1.7 | — | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Jaylen Warren | HB | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | — | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| DK Metcalf | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Darnell Washington | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Brazzell II | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Darren Waller | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kareem Hunt | HB | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DK Metcalf | WR | 8 | 135 | 16.9 | 60 | 2 | 44 | 1 |
| Michael Pittman | WR | 7 | 87 | 12.4 | 32 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Germie Bernard | WR | 8 | 70 | 8.8 | 24 | 1 | 16 | 1 |
| Darren Waller | TE | 7 | 65 | 9.3 | 21 | 1 | 16 | 0 |
| Jalen Coker | WR | 5 | 55 | 11.0 | 17 | 1 | 18 | 0 |
| Darnell Washington | TE | 5 | 48 | 9.6 | 33 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Chris Brazzell II | WR | 4 | 42 | 10.5 | 6 | 0 | 17 | 1 |
| Tory Horton | WR | 2 | 28 | 14.0 | — | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Chuba Hubbard | HB | 2 | 12 | 6.0 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| Rico Dowdle | HB | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Tommy Tremble | TE | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | — | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamel Dean | CB | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Jackson | CB | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.J. Watt | LEDG | 3 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joey Porter | CB | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bud Clark | FS | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylen Everette | CB | 4 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Highsmith | REDG | 2 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DeShon Elliott | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sebastian Joseph-Day | DT | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaquan Brisker | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Simmons | WILL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tre'von Moehrig | FS | 3 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaelan Phillips | REDG | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Ramsey | FS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lee Hunter | DT | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Will Lee III | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaycee Horn | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Devin Lloyd | WILL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Patrick Queen | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DeMarcus Lawrence | LEDG | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cam Heyward | DT | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Payton Wilson | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Derrick Harmon | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Asante Samuel Jr | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyrel Dodson | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Derrick Brown | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bobby Wagner | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Boswell | K | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Ryan Fitzgerald | K | 2 | 2 | 1 | 49 |

