4 things that shifted the momentum for the Steelers’ 31-28 win over the Packers

There were 126 plays in the Steelers’ Sunday Night Football win over the Packers. It took just four of them to decide the outcome of the game.

Momentum started to shift for the Steelers in the third quarter of Sunday Night Football against the Packers. It all started with an ill-advised 57-yard field goal attempt from the Packers.

The kick went extremely wide left, but the odds were stacked against Crosby on this one. Crosby’s longest field goal this season was a 50-yarder, so 57 yards was a stretch.

And Heinz Field is a particularly difficult venue for kickers. Only 35 percent of field goals made in the Steelers’ home stadium are 50 yards or longer, according to Fox 11’s Josh Moser.

The miss the gave the Steelers the ball on their own 39-yard line. They only needed six plays to turn that into a touchdown on a 33-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Antonio Brown. Just like that, the game was tied 21-21.

McCarthy’s decision to try a field goal let momentum swing in the Steelers’ favor.

The game was tied 28-28 with under two minutes to play. Brett Hundley took a sack from linebacker T.J. Watt that pushed the Packers back to their own 12-yard line. There was clear contact between Watt’s helmet and Hundley’s, but no flag was thrown.

It looks like the kind of hit that should draw a flag. But the refs were right to let this one go. Hundley’s a runner in this situation and doesn’t get defenseless player protection.

Green Bay went three-and-out, and the Steelers got the ball back with 17 seconds left to play.

The level of focus and body control it took for Brown to haul this ball in, get both feet down in bounds, and control it through the catch are unbelievable. That’s what sets Brown apart from most other receivers in the league.

Brown made this circus catch with just 13 seconds left to play.

The 23-yard completion put the Steelers on the Packers’ 47-yard line. Another 14-yard catch for Brown put the Steelers in range to at least try for a long field goal to win it.

This was the first time Boswell attempted a kick of longer than 50 yards this season. He put it right where it needed to be.

And that was it for the Packers. What started with a missed 57-yarder for the Packers ended on a made 53-yarder for the Steelers. Those four plays gave the Steelers a win.