Steelers-Raiders: Gerry Dulac's quarterly analysis

Gerry Dulac / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

LAS VEGAS — Steelers insider Gerry Dulac shares his real-time notes from each quarter of Steelers-Raiders:

Fourth quarter

• And there he is again at the biggest moment — T.J. Watt forcing a fumble at the Steelers 1 that DeShon Elliott recovered. He really is something in these situations.

• The Raiders really are a pathetic bunch.

• Jaylen Warren not the same Jaylen Warren, that’s apparent.

• Again ... good thing Justin Fields can run. 13 of 22 for 114 yards. Last two games up to this point, his longest completion has been 21 yards.

• Big series by 35-year-old Cam Heyward: Sack Aidan O’Connell for a 9-yard loss on first down, force an incompletion with a quarterback hit and hurry O’Connell into an interception by cornerback Donte Jackson.

• Nice fake toss and misdirection run by Fields to score on a 7-yard run. That’s what he does best. He has 61 yards on nine runs.

• Steelers already have a season-high 174 yards rushing, thanks to Najee Harris and Fields.

• That 31-yard completion to George Pickens to set up another field goal was the longest in the past two games.

Third quarter

• That Elliott is a really good tackler.

• Jeremiah Moon with the blocked punt sets the Steelers up at the Raiders 9. But that’s not a good thing because of the offense.

• Two bad plays by Fields — a lateral pass that Warren had to recover for a 9-yard loss and an illegal forward pass that wiped out a great catch in the end zone by Pat Freiermuth.

• Thank goodness for Chris Boswell. But it’s still a one-possession game.

• More importantly for the Steelers, thank goodness they’re facing O’Connell. Raiders have two first downs since the start of the second quarter.

• Whoa, that was a nifty move by Harris on his 26-yard run. Don’t see that shimmy from him very often, if at all.

• Just like the Cowboys, the Raiders are trying to give the game to the Steelers. Not sure they can take it.

• Another roughing the passer call against the Raiders on a third-down incompletion. Dumb.

• This is as nimble as I’ve ever seen Harris run. He bounced it outside on his 36-yard touchdown and beat the defense to the end zone.

• Harris has 102 yards on 12 carries. That will help his 3.3-yards per carry average, lowest among the league’s top 33 rushers with at least 200 yards.

• Two roughing the passer penalties against the Raiders on third down cost them 10 points by the Steelers. Like I said, dumb.

• The Raiders should be sick after all these penalties. That’s 17 points as a result of their mistakes.

Second quarter

• I don’t know, Warren looks rusty and a step slow, which is understandable after all the missed time.

• Now that’s a tough run by Harris, moving the pile for 15 yards.

• Well, those were three of the most consecutive erratic throws Fields has made all season. Not even close.

• Roman Wilson got in for one play on that field goal drive. Just tellin’ ya.

• Two holding penalties on the same drive — good way to kill momentum. That’s three already in the first half.

• In a game without three of your top four outside linebackers, Watt has to make a difference. Like he did punching that ball out and setting the Steelers up at the Raiders 30.

• Another poor throw by Fields was intercepted at the Raiders 17 by safety Tre’von Moehrig, but a roughing the passer penalty negated the pick and kept the touchdown drive alive.

• Good thing Fields can run.

• Makes no sense to go for the two-point conversion after the touchdown. None. Even if they made it. But they didn’t. Too early for that.

First quarter

• Good afternoon from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, where another Terrible Towel-waving contingent has descended on the desert.

• Wow, the WWE ring announcer just nailed the national anthem. Whoa!

• I know they missed Warren, but four consecutive plays to him? For a total of 4 yards?

• That’s six field goals of at least 50 yards for Boswell this season. League high is eight, in case you were wondering.

• Talk about winning on first down: The Raiders gained 8, 7, 10, 8 and 19 yards on first down on their opening touchdown drive.

• Aidan O’Connell was 4 of 4 for 45 yards on the opening drive. Aidan O’Connell!