Two of the NFL’s top five in career field-goal percentage were on the field for Sunday’s AFC North showdown at Acrisure Stadium.
Only one of them kicked like an all-time great.
Whereas Baltimore’s Justin Tucker missed two field goals, the Steelers’ Chris Boswell was a perfect 6 for 6 and accounted for all his team’s scoring in an 18-16 victory.
“I am just here to do my job, and we needed six today,” said Boswell, who improved to 49 for 50 on placekicks this season. “We didn’t need any (field goals) last week. As long as you get the (win), who cares about the rest?”
Seven days after going 4 for 4 on extra points in a 28-27 victory at the Washington Commanders, Boswell against Baltimore made field goals of (in chronological order) 32, 52, 32, 57, 27 and 50 yards.
It was the second time this season Boswell made six field goals in a game and accounted for all the points in a win — he likewise made three field goals of 50-plus yards among a 6 for 6 outing in a 18-10 triumph at the Atlanta Falcons in the season opener.
“I love ‘Bos,’ ” coach Mike Tomlin said, “and I’m tired of him getting (AFC special teams player of the week). He’ll probably get player of the week again this week. He is deserving of it, but it reminds us of our warts (offensively). It reminds us of the work that we need to do. But, man, no doubt I’m thankful that he’s on our team.”
If you count a playoff win in Kansas City at the end of the 2016 season, Sunday was the fourth time Boswell went 6 for 6 in a game. This was the first time he’d done so at Acrisure Stadium.
Boswell entered the game No. 5 in NFL history in FG rate (87.89%); the Ravens’ Justin Tucker was the all-time leader at 89.72%. But Tucker has missed six field goals this season.
Benton injured
Defensive tackle Keeanu Benton left the game after a play with 9 minutes and 23 seconds left in the fourth quarter because of an apparent lower-body injury. After the game, Tomlin described Benton as “a guy who probably needs further evaluation.”
The Steelers are already out an interior defensive tackle in Montravius Adams (on injured reserve, knee). Not counting Benton, that leaves four defensive linemen on the active roster: starters Cam Heyward and Larry Ogunjobi and reserves Dean Lowry and Isaiahh Loudermilk.
Play was stopped during the third quarter when starting cornerback Joey Porter Jr. suffered an undisclosed injury, but Porter returned to the game. James Pierre briefly replaced him at outside cornerback.
