Pittsburgh Steelers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Rodgers throws 2 late TD passes as Steelers storm back to beat Buccaneers 26-19 in OT

“These are the most important moments for us as a team to grow. This is a trajectory win,” the 42-year-old, four-time NFL MVP said Sunday after throwing for 253 yards and two touchdowns to rally the Steelers from a 13-point, fourth-quarter deficit to a 26-19 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

With his two TD passes, Rodgers tied Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning for third on the NFL’s career list with 539. Only Tom Brady (649) and Drew Brees (571) have more.

Pittsburgh (4-2) began the day undefeated at home, but 0-2 on the road.

“You can go to 3-3 and then you've got a Paris trip ... and that's just not what you want to do, obviously,” Rodgers added. “To be 4-2, to win our first road game ... to beat a team we should've beat ... there's no two ways about it, you've got to beat teams like that if you want to get where we want to get.”

Rodgers shrugged off a slow start to lead four fourth-quarter scoring drives, then finished off a 12-play, 70-yard march with a 7-yard TD throw to Germie Bernard to give the Steelers the lead for good with 3:15 remaining in OT.

Rookie Jalon Daniels drove the Bucs (1-5) to midfield on the ensuing possession, but Tampa Bay could only get as close as the Steelers 48 before Jalen Ramsey sacked the undrafted free agent on fourth down for an 11-yard loss to end the game.

Rodgers finished 33 of 49 passing. He was sacked five times in the first three quarters and also tossed a first-quarter interception that led to the first of four field goals by Tampa Bay's Chase McLaughlin.

Chris Boswell also kicked four field goals for Pittsburgh, including a 20-yarder set up by former Buccaneer Jamel Dean's interception to give the Steelers a short-lived 19-16 lead with 1:21 left in regulation.

Daniels, who tossed a pair of fourth-quarter interceptions to help Pittsburgh get back in the game, promptly led the Bucs into field goal range with completions of 22 and 13 yards to fellow rookie Ted Hurst. McLaughlin, 14 of 14 this season, calmly booted a 53-yarder to force the extra period.

Daniels, making his third career start filling in for the injured Baker Mayfield, completed 22 of 43 passes for 164 yards and one touchdown. Daylen Everette's interception led to a field goal that enabled Pittsburgh to erase a 16-13 deficit, and Dean's pick and 40-yard return to the Bucs 2 set up another field goal.

“We feel like we gave that one to them. We've got to be able to execute better in the second half and make adjustments we need to make,” said Bucs receiver Emeka Egbuka, who had a 2-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. The Bucs were up 13-3 at halftime and took a 16-3 lead into the fourth quarter.

All five of Tampa Bay's losses have been by seven points or less.

“We've got to be able to finish games,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said.

Playing without injured receivers Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson, Rodgers struggled to consistently move the ball for three quarters against a Bucs defense that had five sacks and has played better the past two games after an 0-4 start.

Rodgers was coming off a stretch of three consecutive games with three TD passes. That streak not only was halted, but the Steelers didn't come anywhere close to getting the ball into the end zone until his 5-yard TD throw to Darnell Washington early in the fourth quarter.

DK Metcalf was a huge factor in the comeback, finishing with 11 catches for 93 yards overall. He was targeted 15 times a week after a season-low four during a home win over Indianapolis.

“Once we got DK involved, the offense shifted,” Rodgers said. “Maybe we can get that going a little earlier next time.”

Steelers' Mike McCarthy hobbled during game Steelers coach Mike McCarthy spent all of halftime in the injury tent while being evaluated for a sore ankle that was the result of being stepped on along Pittsburgh's sideline.

He was limping across the field toward the visiting locker room before turning back and continuing to the injury tent behind the Steelers' bench. McCarthy returned to the sideline for the start of the third quarter and finished the game.

“I got my foot stepped on," McCarthy said. “We've got a really good medical staff, so I just communicated from the tent to the locker room.”

This has been a lopsided series Pittsburgh has won 11 of 13 meetings between the teams all-time. Rodgers, however, is just 4-4 against the Bucs, including the playoffs.

Injuries Steelers: CB Brandin Echols (hamstring) limped off the field late in the first half and didn't return.

Buccaneers: Rookie LB Josiah Trotter (knee) played after being added to the injury report late in the week.

Up next Steelers: Travel to Paris to face the New Orleans Saints in the first NFL regular-season game in France.

Buccaneers: Play at NFC South-rival Carolina next Sunday.

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