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 by four in the fourth quarter, then capped a 12-play, 70-yard march with a 7-yard touchdown throw to Germie Bernard to give the Steelers (4-2) the lead for good with 3:15 left in overtime.
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 threw a first-quarter interception that led to the first of four field goals by Tampa Bay’s Chase McLaughlin.
Chris Boswell also made 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 threw two interceptions in the fourth quarter to help Pittsburgh get back into the game, quickly 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 replacing the injured Baker Mayfield, completed 22 of 43 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown. Daylen Everette’s interception led to a field goal that allowed 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 move the ball consistently through three quarters against a Bucs defense that has played better over the past two games.
Not only did the 42-year-old, four-time NFL MVP’s streak of three straight games with three TD passes end, but the Steelers failed to get 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 did not return.
Buccaneers: Rookie LB Josiah Trotter (knee) played after being added to the injury report late in the week.
Steelers: Travel to Paris to take on the New Orleans Saints in the first NFL regular season game in France.
Buccaneers: Play NFC South rival Carolina next Sunday.
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