Titans vs. Steelers final score, results: Kenny Pickett's fourth-quarter heroics propel Pittsburgh to 'TNF' win

David Suggs

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Titans vs. Steelers final score, results: Kenny Pickett's fourth-quarter heroics propel Pittsburgh to 'TNF' win image

Kenny Pickett isn't fazed by the pressure.

As a matter of fact, the Steelers QB lives for the spotlight. He tends to bask in it, allowing it to glimmer across his countenance during the game's final moments.

Pickett entered Thursday night's contest vs. the Titans with five, fourth-quarter comebacks to his name. He added number six in the brisk November wind, lacing an arrow to Diontae Johnson in the game's waning minutes. It was enough to give Pittsburgh a momentous 20-16 win, one that helps it keep pace with AFC North leaders Baltimore.

Thursday's game featured a pair of young quarterbacks with plenty to prove in Pickett and Tennessee rookie Will Levis. Neither is the fully-developed article yet — Pickett isn't a particularly prolific passer, coming into Thursday's affair with a measly 12 touchdowns in 19 starts. And although he has proven himself to be a winner, perhaps that was due to a host of extenuating circumstances: namely, a fervent defense and multi-faceted run game.

Pickett did little to dispel those notions in the early portions of Thursday's game. He was solid, if unspectacular, managing the game with the poise of a man many years his elder. But he hadn't exactly taken the game by the scruff of its neck.

Then came the fourth quarter. With the game hanging in the balance, Pickett came to life, leading the Black and Yellow on a 10-play, 78-yard drive to vanquish their weary foes.

Levis did his best Pickett impression shortly thereafter, skewering Pittsburgh's secondary to bring Tennessee on the brink of the end zone. But his final throw of the night proved costly: Kwon Alexander snagged Levis effort, sealing the Steelers win.

Still, it was a strong display by the rookie, who certainly cemented his place as Tennessee's starter — both of the present and the future.

MORE: Why Titans didn't trade Derrick Henry before deadline

The Sporting News tracked live updates and results from Thursday night's clash between the Titans and Steelers on Amazon Prime Video. Scroll below to see all the action as it happened at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh.

Titans vs. Steelers score

   1   2   3   4   F 
Titans 3 7 6 0 16
Steelers 7 3 3 7 20

Titans vs. Steelers live updates, highlights from Thursday Night Football

(All times Eastern)

End of fourth quarter: Steelers 20, Titans 16

11:28 p.m.: INTERCEPTION! Kwon Alexander rips Levis' effort out of the sky, giving Pittsburgh the win. Strong showing by the rookie, but he just wasn't able to get it done in the final moments. Plenty to like if you're a Titans fan, however.

11:25 p.m.: Levis finds Kyle Phillips in the underneath, nabbing 29 yards in the process. Tremendous patience by Levis there. Follows it up with a delicate throw to Chig Okonkwo for another 12. The rookie is showing tremendous moxie in the pocket at the moment. Could have had a couple of his throws picked off. But he's giving the Titans a chance.

11:23 p.m.: Hopkins has had his way with Porter, coaxing the rookie corner into yet another defensive holding penalty, this time on fourth down. That will give the Titans a new set of downs. Costly penalty there for Porter, who has looked ill-disciplined when matched up against Tennessee's No. 1 at times.

11:20 p.m.: Highsmith sends Levis to the canvas on first down, forcing Tennessee to burn its last timeout. The rookie has much to learn. He's got to avoid a sack there, especially with the clock dwindling down.

11:19 p.m.: Hopkins saves Levis from an interception, turning into a defender to deny Levi Wallace of a game-sealing interception.

11:17 p.m.: Tennessee holds strong, taking the ball back via punt. Levis has 1:44 left to add to his growing legacy.

11:14 p.m.: A real silence has fell over Acrisure Stadium as Burks departs the field. One gruesome injury in a game is far too many. Two? Well, that's hard to stomach. The Steelers have two minutes to kill to secure their fifth victory of the season.

11:07 p.m.: TURNOVER ON DOWNS! Levis tosses a leaflet to the heavens, hoping to hit Treylon Burks on the left sidelines. He gave himself a chance with an impressive toss. However, Burks was unable to bring the ball down cleanly. He seems to have gotten the worst of the arrangement, as well; he's down after landing awkwardly on the turf. Looks like he took a pretty significant shot to the head while going down. Multiple carts on the field now.

11:04 p.m.: Impressive return by Spears sets the Titans up just outside midfield. That will give Levis a short field to work with as he attempts to lead Tennessee to a late-game comeback win.

11:00 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN! Pittsburgh's finishes its 92-yard drive with a strike; Johnson reels in Pickett's laser to give the Steelers their first lead since the first quarter! It's Johnson's first touchdown in 119 catches. He'll certainly cherish that one!

Steelers 20, Titans 16

10:59 p.m.: Warren does it again, bouncing off contact to strike fear in Tennessee's backline! The Steelers are cooking with fish grease.

10:55 p.m.: Big completion between Pickett and Diontae Johnson! Looks like Johnson evaded his marker with aplomb before stretching out to reach Pickett's lofted effort.

10:53 p.m.: Jaylen Warren frolics down the left sideline after taking handoff from Pickett. Just picked up a gob of yardage. Pittsburgh looking menacing as we approach the final five minutes of the game.

10:50 p.m.: Harris whittles down some of the yardage with a pair of strong carries through the tackles. He's up to 68 yards on just 13 carries today.

10:46 p.m.: Tennessee sees its drive dry up as it approaches Pittsburgh territory. But the Titans were able to milk a few minutes off the clock. Swings and roundabouts, I suppose. Nevertheless, a booming punt will set the Steelers up inside their own 10-yard line.

10:41 p.m.: The Terrible Towels are out and about as the Titans prepare to take the ball down the field from outside the shadow of their own end zone. First throw of the drive is delicate as could be; Levis hits Treylon Burks with a feather to silence the crowd and bring the ball to the Titans 29-yard line.

End of third quarter: Titans 16, Steelers 13

10:31 p.m.: FIELD GOAL! Another successful Levis-led drive results in points, with Folk sinking his effort for distance to give Tennessee the lead (again).

Titans 16, Steelers 13

10:26 p.m.: By air or by foot, Henry just continues to produce. Just put the finishing touches on a 23-yard dash after bobbling Levis' screen pass. The Titans are surging as the quarter nears its conclusion.

10:21 p.m.: Levis continues to seek out Hopkins, even under duress from the likes of Watt and Alonzo Highsmith. His latest effort is under thrown and perhaps a bit misguided. But it looks like it could have worked out; Patrick Peterson was docked yardage for illicit contact, giving Tennessee an automatic first down. The saga continues...

10:16 p.m.: FIELD GOAL! Oh so close for Pickens and Pittsburgh! Delicate throw falls into the lap of Pickens, who does well to snag it in one motion. However, Pickens wasn't able to get one of his feet down. Pittsburgh has to settle for the game-tying chip shot instead.

Titans 13, Steelers 13

10:14 p.m.: It's been one-way traffic in the third, with the Steelers taking clear control of the time of possession. Steelers beginning to push towards the end zone; they find themselves just outside pay dirt.

10:08 p.m.: Pickett making things shake partway through the third frame, helping bring the Black and Yellow down deep into Tennessee territory. Hasn't necessarily been a classic affair for the Pittsburgh hurler, But if he could make things more effective, that could make the difference.

9:45 p.m.: FIELD GOAL! Pittsburgh answers right back with three points, the piece de resistance after another impressive Steelers possession.

Titans 10, Steelers 10

9:19 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN! Great extra effort by Henry; the burly back romps through the contact to give Tennessee the lead. 11 plays for 73 yards ends in style. Great showcase by Henry, Levis and the whole Titans offense.

Titans 10, Steelers 7

9:17 p.m.: D-Hop nabs his third catch of the day, moving the chains in the process. He's already up to 51 yards on the day. That toe injury doesn't look to have impacted him all that much.

9:13 p.m.: Levis showcasing his golden arm. Looks like he's really enjoying things thus far, routinely peering back at his sideline after completing passes. Just lofted a 23-yard balloon, shortly after completing a 17-yarder. Decent showing for the youngster so far, all things considered.

End of first quarter: Steelers 7, Titans 3

8:55 p.m.: Impressive toss by Levis, who places a ball right over the defense's airfield to find Hopkins. The longtime All-Pro did the rest, trekking some 29 yards down the field to pick up the first down. 

8:48 p.m.: The Steelers see their second drive of the game end in smoke. Pickett's third down throw strays wide, bringing the punt team on the field.

8:41 p.m.: FIELD GOAL! Pittsburgh's defense firms up, prompting Nick Folk onto the field to hit his 17th straight field goal to start the campaign.

Steelers 7, Titans 3

8:38 p.m.: Another Porter penalty brings the Titans even closer to the end zone. Not the greatest start in terms of discipline for Pittsburgh's defense.

8:35 p.m.: Some decent completions by Levis, coupled with strong running from Tyjae Spears and Derrick Henry, brings Tennessee deep into Pittsburgh territory. Joey Porter Jr. yanked on Spears' face mask after a decent gain, taking the Titans on the brink of the red zone.

8:29 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN! Najee Harris scampers into the promised land from short distance! Pickett and Pittsburgh showed an impressive fluidity on the opening drive, marauding down the field both through the air and on the ground. The Steelers hurler connected with George Pickens for a sizable gain, one of the more momentous plays of the drive.

Steelers 7, Titans 0

8:18 p.m.: Pickett connects with Allen Robinson to move the chains on third down.

8:17 p.m.: The ball is kicked off and away we go! Pickett and the Steelers stream onto the field to start things up!

8:10 p.m.: High praise from J.J. Watt, who said his brother is going to smash all the marks he set over the course of his career. Given T.J.'s start, that seems a real possibility.

8:00 p.m.: The return of the Gangsta:

7:20 p.m.: Primetime Levis. Can't beat it. Or can you? The Steelers will find out soon enough.

7:00 p.m.: Look who's back in the saddle: Cam Heyward makes his return to the field after eight weeks away with a groin injury.

6:40 p.m.: Here's a look at those who will be watching today's game from the sidelines:

 

6:20 p.m.: Tailback Jonathan Ward will also take part in this one. Should offer some support for star running back Derrick Henry.

6:00 p.m.: Good news for Titans fans: DeAndre Hopkins IS playing tonight. His toe ailment won't keep him out of this one.

Titans vs. Steelers start time

  • Date: Thursday, Nov. 2
  • Start time: 8:15 p.m. ET

Thursday night's game between the Titans and the Steelers will feature in the primetime slot of 8:15 p.m. ET.

What channel is Titans vs. Steelers on today?

  • Game: Tennessee Titans vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
  • Date: Thursday, November 2
  • TV channel (Nashville): NewsChannel 5
  • TV channel (Pittsburgh): KDKA-2
  • Live stream: Amazon Prime Video | DAZN (in Canada)

For the masses of NFL fans across the U.S., Thursday's clash between the Titans and Steelers will be aired on Amazon Prime Video. The broadcast will be spearheaded by legendary play-by-play announcer Al Michaels. He'll be joined by longtime ESPN college football commentator Kirk Herbstreit, who will offer occasional musings as an analyst. Sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung will offer updates throughout the affair.

Fans in the Nashville and Pittsburgh markets can watch the Amazon broadcast over the air on local channels. 

Those in Canada can stream it on DAZN, which carries every NFL game all season.

David Suggs

David Suggs Photo

David Suggs is a content producer at The Sporting News. A long-suffering Everton, Wizards and Commanders fan, he has learned to get used to losing over the years. In his free time, he enjoys skateboarding (poorly), listening to the likes of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and D’Angelo, and penning short journal entries.