Written by Chris Wessling at NFL.com
Antonio Brown hauled in three touchdown passes to lead the Pittsburgh Steelers (8-2) to a 40-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans (6-4) in Week 11. Here’s what we learned in Thursday night’s action:
1. Thanks to three consecutive touchdown drives to start the second half, the underachieving Steelersoffense finally reached the 30-point mark for the first time this season. That accomplishment leaves the Browns, Giants, Bears and Chargers — four teams with fewer combined wins than Pittsburgh’s eight — as the only clubs yet to record a 30-point game. Although the league’s premier receiver had his way with Tennessee’s overmatched secondary, the ostensible breakout performance masked the same problems that have plagued this attack all season long.
The offense lacked rhythm for long stretches, resulting in zero net yards over four possessions immediately following the scripted no-huddle touchdown drive to start the festivities. Le’Veon Bell was shut down and abandoned for three quarters, Ben Roethlisberger’s timing and pocket presence feature a troubling come-and-go inconsistency and the enigmatic Martavis Bryant continues to struggle with drops and contested passes. If coach Mike Tomlin’s troops are going to shake the New England monkey from their backs this January, they are going to have to start playing up to their talent level over the final six games.
2. After accounting for a staggering 74.2 percent of Pittsburgh’s yards in the first half, Brown bent the game to his will in the second half, turning a close game into a laugher. Leading the NFL in receptions (70) and receiving yards (1,026), Roethlisberger’s go-to target has carried the offense for large stretches of the season in yet another All Pro-level campaign. Brown is on pace for 1,642 yards and 10 touchdowns on 112 catches, which would give him a five-year stretch statistically superior to any such half-decade span in the careers of future Hall of Famers such as Randy Moss and Calvin Johnson.
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