Getting hot: The Steelers trailed 16-3 entering the fourth quarter, and then the offense – Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf in particular – got hot.
Through three quarters, the Steelers had scored 3 points, converted 1 of 7 third downs, and compiled 145 yards of offense.
In the fourth quarter and overtime, they scored 23 points, converted 4 of 7 third downs, and compiled 155 yards of offense.
Rodgers, after compiling a passer rating of 53.8 through three quarters, posted a rating of 122.9 in the fourth quarter and overtime, and Metcalf, who caught 2 passes for 12 yards through three quarters, caught 9 balls for 81 yards in the fourth quarter and overtime.
What changed?
"Once we got DK involved, the offense just shifted," said Rodgers. "So, we can get that going a little earlier next time."
Halftime adjustments: Aside from head coach Mike McCarthy missing halftime in the locker room to have the medical team look at his sore foot, the Steelers didn't make many adjustments.
Rodgers took the question about adjustments from a reporter, paused, and chuckled at the mythology surrounding NFL halftimes.
"People don't realize what happens at halftime," Rodgers said. "There's like a huddle by the coaches in the back, and the players, we're just talking amongst ourselves about things that happened. There's some of those sandwiches getting eaten, and bananas. There's not a whole lot of stuff that happens at halftime, at least so far with this staff. Then there's usually a rush out, and it's like (OC Brian Angelichio) 30-second blurb, and I talked to (QBs coach) Tom (Arth) for 30 seconds. It's kind of real disjointed. So, there wasn't a whole lot different at halftime. It was still the same chaos, but people said, 'Hey, you know, Mike didn't come in.' And then people were wondering, 'What the heck's going on? Is he okay?'
"Glad he's okay. He's from Pittsburgh. He toughed it out."
What was it like for McCarthy spending that time in the medical tent along the sideline?
"Don't recommend it," he said. "It's really hot in there. I got my foot stepped on. We have a really good medical staff. I just communicated everything from the tent to the locker room. (Assistant head coach) Joe Whitt (Jr.) did a great job. Joe has head coach responsibilities normally, so they didn't miss a beat. The adjustments were made. Halftime's quick anyways. Frankly, the biggest part was really just getting the offensive conversations to me when the guys came out. But, yeah, I thought the guys did what they needed to do."
Rookie heroics: Germie Bernard made a rookie mistake early in the game, when he appeared to have converted a fourth-down play but was tackled running backward and trying to make a bigger play. Bernard redeemed himself by catching a 6-yard touchdown pass in overtime for the game-winner.
He and Metcalf both caught 11 passes to lead the Steelers. The 11 receptions were a career-high for the rookie, and also the most receptions by any rookie receiver while playing with Rodgers.
"There comes a time when the confidence starts to match the potential, and I think we're reaching that time with Germie," said Rodgers. "Very proud of him. Obviously, the fourth down, he probably should just catch it and back up. But he made a lot of nice plays today, a lot of smart plays, a lot of good catches. Obviously, super smart there ... to reach out for the game-winning touchdown. We had to have it."
"I just love everything he's doing," said McCarthy. "He's accepted the challenge. We have a lot on his plate, and he's handling it. Yes, decision-making, that's why we break decisions up, whether it's in assignment or decision-making, and that's football. If he breaks that tackle, then you're applauding him. But, we have fundamentals that we practice in those situations, and he'll learn from that particular one. But he's playing really good football for us."
Victorious homecoming: Jamel Dean spent his first seven NFL seasons with the Bucs, but returned this year as a starting cornerback for the Steelers. And he nearly made a tie-breaking play with his interception and return to the Tampa Bay 3 late in the fourth quarter of a 16-16 game. Dean intercepted a Jalon Daniels pass at the Tampa Bay 43 and returned it 40 yards to set up the go-ahead field goal with 1:21 to play. The Bucs did tie the game again before the Steelers won in overtime.
"That's awesome, dude," said linebacker Nick Herbig. "That's like a storybook ending for that to happen in your own place that drafted you. You've got a lot of emotional connections here, and for him to have that moment is super special. I'm super happy for him."
Rookie replacement: When Daylen Everette replaced Dean at cornerback late in the first quarter, the Bucs went right at the Steelers rookie on their way to a 10-0 lead. But Everette found redemption in the fourth quarter when he intercepted Daniels on a 3rd-and-7 pass. The interception put the Steelers at the Tampa Bay 45 to set up a 39-yard Chris Boswell field goal that cut the Steelers' deficit to 16-13 with 8:08 left to play.
"That was part of the rotation," said McCarthy. "I don't wrestle with the play time as much, especially early in the year. Some people don't want to hear that. You've got to do whatever you need to do to win a game, don't get me wrong, but I prefer when everybody gets to play and contribute. ... If you can get everybody on the 48 contributing, there's a lot of energy that comes out, there's a lot of experience that comes out of that, and I do really feel it pays forward. It definitely pays forward when you win games like this."
Defensive slog: The Bucs entered the game with a 1-4 record and an undrafted rookie quarterback playing in place of injured starter Baker Mayfield, but McCarthy didn't take the rugged Tampa Bay defense for granted. He respected the Bucs entering the game.
"Tough defense. You don't see them all the time. The pressure is real," McCarthy said. "I thought our guys did a really good job running the ball. Could've probably used some more attempts at the plate there, but tough win. They're never easy. Most important, the crowd was phenomenal. Just seeing the Terrible Towels show up, especially at the key parts of the game in the fourth quarter and overtime, that is special. That's a special headwind."
On being 4-2: "You are what your record is. I believe that. I live that," McCarthy said. "And I pay close attention to that. We needed a win on the road; we got it done today. So, this is a big step for us. We needed to stack two wins in a row. That's another big step. Those are chunks of confidence that you gain as a football team.
"We've had two weeks of practice preparation where the head coach is watching everything and he feels that's the way it's supposed to look. Those are hurdles you get over in the first year of your program. We've had two good weeks of prep. We've won our first away game. We've stacked two in a row. And now we've got a very unique challenge going to Paris, and we're excited. We're excited for the personal part of it, for us to take our game and represent the Steelers over there in Paris. And we're excited to get three in a row, and stacking two road wins in a row would be huge for us. You've got the schedule challenge, like everybody does to go over there, so we feel like we've got a good plan."
