Steelers vs. Raiders Sunday Night Football highlights: Defense fuels Pittsburgh's win

Editor’s note: Look back at all the NFL Week 3 action with USA TODAY Sports’ live coverage.

The Pittsburgh Steelers survived in Las Vegas to get their first road win of the season.

After trailing 7-0 in the first quarter, the Steelers scored 23 unanswered points to beat the Raiders, 23-18, at Allegiant Stadium.

Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett played an efficient game. Pickett went 16 of 28 passing for 235 yards and had two touchdown passes.

Pittsburgh got huge contributions from its defense. Cornerback Levi Wallace had two interceptions, veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson had a pick and outside linebacker T.J. Watt had two of the team’s four sacks in the win. 

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

The Raiders tried to rally back. Las Vegas scored 11 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough.

Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams produced 13 receptions, 172 yards and two touchdowns in the defeat. 

Steelers-Raiders highlights

In the first meeting between the franchises in Las Vegas, the Steelers earned their first road win against the Raiders since 1995.

Steelers 23, Raiders 18: Las Vegas settles for field goal

The Raiders have scored 11 unanswered points to cut their deficit 23-18.

The Steelers were called for a personal foul on a Las Vegas field goal attempt that gave the Raiders another chance to get into the end zone, but their drive stalled in the red zone and they settled for a field goal.

Daniel Carlson easily made a 26-yard field goal with under three minutes to play in the fourth quarter. — Tyler Dragon

Steelers 23, Raiders 15: Davante Adams scores second TD

The Raiders still have some life.

Raiders QB Jimmy Garoppolo engineered an 11-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that was capped off by a 1-yard touchdown catch by wide receiver Davante Adams.

Las Vegas’ scored cut its deficit to 23-15 with 5:41 remaining in the contest.

Adams is having a big game. The Raiders wideout has tallied 12 catches, 160 yards and 2 touchdowns. — Tyler Dragon

Steelers 23, Raiders 7: Pittsburgh converts INT into TD

The Steelers offense capitalized off the defense’s interception.

Pittsburgh went on a six-play drive that was capped off by a 13-yard touchdown catch by tight end Pat Freiermuth.

The interception and ensuing touchdown increased the Steelers’ lead to 23-7 late in the third quarter. — Tyler Dragon

Steelers pick off Jimmy G for second time

Jimmy Garoppolo had all the time in the world in the pocket, but the Raiders quarterback was unable to find anybody open.

Instead of throwing the ball out of bounds and out of harms way, Garoppolo inexplicably heaved a pass near the sideline that was picked off by Steelers cornerback Patrick Peterson. Peterson’s interception was his first as a member of the Steelers and the veteran’s 35th career INT. He leads all active players with 35 interceptions.

Garoppolo has two interceptions Sunday night. — Tyler Dragon

Steelers 16, Raiders 7: Chris Boswell makes third field goal

Steelers kicker Chris Boswell might earn himself a game ball tonight.

Boswell converted a 57-yard field goal right between the uprights to push Pittsburgh’s advantage to 16-7.

Boswell is a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals Sunday night. His 57-yard field goal is a season-long. — Tyler Dragon

Jimmy Garoppolo hurt right before halftime

Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo headed to the locker room just before halftime.

Garoppolo was sandwiched by T.J. Watt and DeMarvin Leal as he was sacked to the ground on third down. The Raiders quarterback got up gingerly before he limped to the tunnel.

The Raiders haven’t had much success outside of Davante Adams. The star wideout has seven catches, 97 yards and a touchdown in the field half.

The Steelers got a pair of field goals by kicker Chris Boswell, including a 42-yard field goal late in the second quarter to extend their lead to 13-7.

Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt has two sacks and cornerback Levi Wallace has one interception.

Pittsburgh’s lone touchdown came on a 72-yard reception by WR Calvin Austin III. — Tyler Dragon

Steelers 10, Raiders 7: Turnover leads to field goal

After the Levi Wallace interception, Pittsburgh went on an eight play, 44-yard drive to get into field goal range. The Steelers were unable to find the end zone, but kicker Chris Boswell made a 43-yard field goal to give Pittsburgh a 10-7 lead with 8:33 left in the second quarter. — Tyler Dragon

Steelers pick off Jimmy G

The Raiders were in the middle of a promising drive until Jimmy Garoppolo tried to force a pass to tight end Michael Mayer that was intercepted by Steelers cornerback Levi Wallace in Pittsburgh territory.

The interception was Garoppolo’s first of the night and his fourth overall this season. — Tyler Dragon

Raiders 7, Steelers 7: Kenny Pickett finds Calvin Austin III for long TD

The Steelers answered Las Vegas touchdown with a touchdown of their own.

With less than a minute off the game clock after the Raiders’ touchdown, Steelers QB Kenny Pickett threw a deep pass to receiver Calvin Austin III for a 72-yard touchdown. The football hit Austin right in stride.

The long touchdown pass was Pickett’s first completion of the game.

The 72-yard score is the Steelers' longest ever against the Raiders, per NFL Research. The previous long was the "Immaculate Reception" (60 yards) from Terry Bradshaw to Franco Harris in a 1972 AFC divisional playoff game. — Tyler Dragon

Raiders 7, Steelers 0: Las Vegas strikes first

Josh McDaniels’ gutsy fourth down play call paid off.

On fourth-and-1, the Raiders ran crossing routes, and Jimmy Garoppolo found star wide receiver Davante Adams who got behind the Steelers defense for a 32-yard touchdown.

The score gave the Raiders a 7-0 first-quarter lead.

Adams is on his way to having a big game. The Raiders receiver has four catches, 65 yards and a touchdown in the first quarter. — Tyler Dragon

What time is kickoff for Steelers at Raiders on 'Sunday Night Football'? 

The Steelers and Raiders kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sept. 24.

How can I watch Steelers at Raiders on 'Sunday Night Football'?

The Steelers-Raiders game will air on NBC. It is also available to stream for free on Fubo. 

Steelers at Raiders: Predictions and picks 

Here are the USA TODAY Sports’ staff picks for this game:  

• Lorenzo Reyes: Steelers 
• Tyler Dragon: Steelers 
• Victoria Hernandez: Steelers 
• Jordan Mendoza: Steelers 
• Jarrett Bell: Steelers 
• Safid Deen: Steelers 
• Nate Davis: Steelers 
• Chris Bumbaca: Raiders 
• Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz: Raiders 

Inactive players for Steelers-Raiders game

Steelers inactives:

• QB Mason Rudolph (third QB)
• RB Godwin Igwebuike
• OT Dylan Cook
• WR Dez Fitzpatrick
• WR Gunner Olszewski
• NT Breiden Fehoko

Raiders inactives:

• QB Aidan O'Connell (third QB)
• S Chris Smith II
• LB Amari Burney
• WR Kristian Wilkerson
• DT Nesta Jade Silvera

Steelers at Raiders odds 

Highlighting Sunday Night Football odds, the Las Vegas Raiders are among the best bets for NFL Week 3 as a home favorites against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Raiders are favored by 2.5 points, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering NFL betting promos in 2023. 

According to the top NFL betting apps, Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo certainly does not boast the best NFL MVP betting odds in 2023 (+10000), but Las Vegas has shown signs of life. Neither team is among those with the best early Super Bowl betting odds. 

The Steelers, meanwhile, are definitely not among the most popular NFL future bets after a rough few seasons and a rough start on offense in 2023. 

Not interested in this game? Our guide to the NFL betting odds, picks and spreads has you covered with Thursday Night Football odds, Sunday Night Football odds and more. 

 If you’re new to sports betting, don’t worry. We have tips for beginners on how to place bet online. And USA TODAY readers can claim exclusive promos and bonus codes with the online sportsbooks and sports betting sites. — Richard Morin 

All odds provided by BetMGM 

Who is the highest-paid NFL player? 

The NFL's top 15 players in average annual salary are all quarterbacks, according to OverTheCap.com. As Joe Burrow proved in his new deal with the Cincinnati Bengals, teams place a huge priority on having a top-flight QB under center. Burrow's five-year, $275 million contract extension made him the league's highest paid player at a staggering average annual value of $55 million. San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa is the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league after signing a five-year, $170 million extension. 

Here’s the complete list of the league’s highest-paid players. 

Who are the highest paid NFL players at each position? 

We have a complete list at every position: 

• Quarterbacks 
• Running back 
• Receivers 
• Tight ends 
• Offensive tackles 
• Offensive guards 
• Centers 
• Edge rushers 
• Interior defensive linemen 
• Linebackers 
• Cornerbacks 
• Safeties 
• Kickers 
• Punters 

How much does the average NFL ticket cost? 

The average price of a 2023 NFL ticket is $377, according to TicketSmarter data. It’s a major jump from last season, when the average price was $235. Leading the NFL in ticket costs is the Las Vegas Raiders, which has an average cost of $582 per ticket. Behind the Raiders are the Super Bowl 57 contestants: the Kansas City Chiefs at $578 and Philadelphia Eagles at $559. Here are the five highest ticket averages:  

• Las Vegas Raiders: $582 
• Kansas City Chiefs: $578 
• Philadelphia Eagles: $559 
• Dallas Cowboys: $545 
• New England Patriots: $534 

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Atlanta Falcons have the cheapest average price at $225. They are followed by the Houston Texans ($236) and Arizona Cardinals ($250). Here are the lowest five ticket averages: 

• Atlanta Falcons: $225 
• Houston Texans: $236 
• Arizona Cardinals: $250 
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $263 
• Tennessee Titans: $265 

— Jordan Mendoza 

NFL broadcast teams: Meet all the announcers for 2023 season 

The NFL is back, and with that, so are the announcing teams that will be the soundtrack of the games. 

Keeping track of who is behind the microphone for which game on what network can be difficult to keep track of. We’re here to help and break down the main broadcast players for the 2023 NFL season inside the booth. — Chris Bumbaca 

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