With NFL Week 9 set to kick off tonight, this is your one-stop shop for all the Thursday Night Football highlights from the game between the Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Tonight’s matchup between the Titans and Steelers will feature a pair of teams in the thick of the playoff chase in the AFC. Pittsburgh owns a one-game lead over the Titans and currently owns the last spot in the AFC Playoffs. It all means that this is a major matchup for both squad’s playoff hopes as they begin this week’s NFL schedule.
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When it comes to the Titans, after a slow start to the season, there is renewed hope that they can better position themselves for a return to the postseason due to a dynamite debut from rookie Will Levis last week. With starter Ryan Tannehill sidelined, and backup Malik Willis performing poorly again in 2023, Levis tallied four touchdowns in the team’s 28-23 win over Atlanta last week.
However, there are some worries for Pittsburgh when it comes to their QB spot. Second-year man Kenny Pickett took a nasty hit that knocked him out of an eventual loss last week and it’s unclear how healthy he is for their game on Thursday. How the two QBs perform could decide who walks away with a W in what will likely be a defensive battle tonight.
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With all of that in mind, get a look at some of the players who are hobbled or expected to miss tonight’s game to kick off Week 9 in the NFL.
Tennessee Titans injury report
- Chris Hubbard (concussion) – Out
- Ryan Tannehill (ankle) – Out
- Roger McCreary (hamstring) – Out
- Mike Brown (ankle) -Out
- DeAndre Hopkins (toe) -Questionable
Pittsburgh Steelers injury report
- Minkah Fitzpatrick (hamstring) – Out
- Levi Wallace (foot) – Questionable
Thursday Night Football highlights in NFL Week 9
Below you can find all the top highlights from the Thursday evening clash on Amazon Prime between the Titans and Steelers as they happen throughout the course of the game.
The Steelers got the ball first and drove right down the field on the Titans. Over nearly five minutes, the team used 10 plays to move 78 yards down the field and take an early lead off a Najee Harris 10-yard touchdown run.
The Titans responded to the touchdown with a drive that lasted just over seven minutes and 14 plays and included a wild moment where a busted trick pass to Deandre Hopkins led to a big gain to extend the drive. In the end, the Steelers were able to limit the damage to three points and retain a 7-3 lead.
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After both teams put points on the board, their defenses began to settle in. Each team got the ball a couple of times, was easily turned away, and forced to punt. However, Levis did show the nice touch he has on his passes on a throw to Hopkins from his own endzone.
After the Titans forced a second straight punt from the Steelers, they again had a long, time-draining drive. Tennessee shed over six minutes off the first half clock with an 11-play series, but unlike earlier they were able to put it into the end zone off a Derrick Henry run that gave them their first lead of the game.
After the TD, the Steelers were able to respond by pushing the ball down the field and getting a few points in their final drive before the half. Tying things at 10-10. In the final drive of the half, Levis hit a few beautiful passes to get his team down the field with limited time and regain the lead at 13-10 after another Nick Folk field goal.
Once the second half started, both teams were able to move the ball on their opponent, however, neither was able to get close enough to score a TD. Both had to settle for just three points a piece from their third-quarter drives.
The team’s entered the fourth quarter with the Titans up 16-13.
After their struggles in the third, the Steelers finally broke through again in the fourth after an 11-play, 92-yard drive that ended with them punching it into the end zone for just the second time via a Diontate Johnson TD.
The action was interrupted late in the fourth when a failed deep pass led to a scary injury for Titans receiver Treylon Burks as he was carted off the field after laying prone after the play.
Despite their best efforts late in the fourth, Levis and the Titans saw their hopes dashed via a Kwon Alexander interception in the end zone with six seconds left. It was the only turnover in the entire game.
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