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    Lions at Steelers Score: Live updates, highlights for tonight's Week 2 preseason game
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    Lions at Steelers Score: Live updates, highlights for tonight’s Week 2 preseason game

    Lions at Steelers was one of 10 games being played Saturday -- here are the live score, results, and highlights for the preseason action.

    By Cam Mellor

    The Pittsburgh Steelers played their third game of the 2021 NFL preseason as they hosted the Detroit Lions on Saturday night — scroll down for scores and highlights!

    Hoping to learn more about their backup quarterback situation, the Steelers were actually presented with a vintage Ben Roethlisberger performance, giving hope for 2021 after all.

    Pittsburgh has had a mixed bag of success so far this preseason, winning all three games against the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, and now the Lions. While they entered the game wanting to answer their backup quarterback quandary, Roethlisberger put that question in the rearview.

    Roethlisberger, playing in his first action of this preseason, completed 8-of-10 passes for 137 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. He took incredible care of the ball and made multiple plays in the pocket where he extended the action and found a receiver downfield. Roethlisberger’s arm looked terrific in the process, showing little cause for concern with him leading the show this season.

    They still have to answer questions about their offensive line before they vault up too many power rankings, but one thing is for sure: Big Ben is back. It also helped that Roethlisberger was able to clearly show a great rapport with a new tight end. Second-round draft pick Pat Freiermuth hauled in 2 catches for scores in the outing, providing a great red-zone target for Roethlisberger.

    Fellow rookie Najee Harris proved what made him such a highly sought-after prospect at running back. Harris carried the ball just 4 times for 10 yards but caught 2 passes for 53 yards out of the backfield. He’s a dynamic threat with the ball in his hands, no matter how he gets it.

    As for the Lions, they are left with more questions than answers following this matchup. Starting quarterback Jared Goff did not play in this one while David Blough fared much better than Tim Boyle, perhaps securing himself a backup quarterback job for the season. No matter how much coffee Dan Campbell can drink, even he has yet to put firepower in this offense, apparently.

    Lions vs. Steelers score

    Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 F
    Lions 0 0 0 20 20
    Steelers 14 6 3 3 26

    Lions and Steelers highlights and updates

    10:24 PM ET: As great as the Blough-led comeback attempt was for the Lions, it came to an end when Haskins hit Trey Edmunds for a 19-yard pass to ice the game with under 2:00 in the game. Haskins finishes the night 4 of 7 for 56 yards. Blough, on the other hand, finished the evening by completing 12-of-17 passes for 143 yards and 1 touchdown. Pittsburgh gets the victory to improve to 3-0 this preseason.

    10:18 PM ET: David Blough has absolutely earned himself more time with the Lions after this. This time, situational football has come to the forefront as Blough led Detroit on a 7-play, 54-yard drive in all of 1:15 off the clock. Craig Reynolds punches in the TOUCHDOWN from 3 yards out to cut the lead to 26-20 for Pittsburgh.

    10:07 PM ET: Blough successfully leads the Lions down for another scoring drive. This time he hits WR Javon McKinley for a 10-yard TOUCHDOWN toss to close the gap. Blough may have earned himself a backup quarterback job after this performance and how it stacks up to Boyle’s. Lions still trail, 26-13.

    9:54 PM ET: Dwayne Haskins entered the game for Pittsburgh, completing 3-of-6 passes for 37 yards. He led the Steelers down for a field goal to increase their lead. Boswell hits his fourth of the game, this time from 42 yards out. Rudolph exits having completed 13-of-18 passes for 138 yards and three drives ending in field goals. Steelers lead, 26-6.

    9:42 PM ET: The Lions get on the board with the first play of the final quarter. Running back Godwin Igwebuike plunges it in from 7 yards out for Detroit’s first TOUCHDOWN of the game. Blough moved them down the field on a 14-play, 82-yard drive that actually looked somewhat like a professional offense. Lions still trail Pittsburgh, 23-6.

    9:36 PM ET: David Blough entered the game for Tim Boyle and the Lions’ offense finally found something of a groove. It hasn’t ended in points just yet, but Blough finally has Detroit in scoring position as the third quarter comes to an end. Pittsburgh still leads, 23-0.

    9:24 PM ET: The game continues to be all Pittsburgh as Rudolph once again leads a long drive against Detroit. This drive goes for 10 plays, 42 yards, and 3 points as Boswell nails his third field goal of the game. Steelers lead, 23-0.

    9:13 PM ET: It’s the preseason, so you have to look for positives in places you didn’t expect to. That’s exactly what Jack Fox has been for the Lions in this one. Fox once again put his all into an impressive boot, knocking the third quarter’s opening punt 60 yards. This one, however, outkicked his coverage unit and allowed a 47-yard return.

    8:50 PM ET: A long drive comes to a close for the Steelers as Boswell nails a 23-yard field goal just before half. Rudolph led an impressive 14-play, 93-yard drive that ate up 5:38 off the clock. It didn’t result in a touchdown, however, as Pittsburgh settles for 3 points. Steelers lead at half, 20-0.

    8:34 PM ET: Finally a good Lions moment in this game! Punter Jack Fox drills a 70-yard boot, swapping field position for the teams. Fox kicked it from his own 27-yard line all the way to the Pittsburgh 3-yard line. It’s so far the lone positive for Detroit this evening.

    8:23 PM ET: A Rudolph-led drive comes to a halt in the red zone with an incomplete pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster. Chris Boswell hits a 35-yard field goal to increase Pittsburgh’s lead over the Lions, 17-0.

    8:14 PM ET: Roethlisberger’s night is done as Mason Rudolph has entered the game. Perhaps shedding light on who may be the team’s QB2 entering the regular season. On the flip side of the coin, the Lions may be looking for a new backup quarterback if Boyle can’t step it up. Boyle is currently 2 of 8 for just 14 yards and hasn’t looked comfortable at all.

    8:06 PM ET: Roethlisberger has looked absolutely terrific in this game. He once again finds Freiermuth in the red zone, this time for an 8-yard TOUCHDOWN. Likely the last bit of work for Roethlisberger as he has completed 8-of-10 passes for 137 yards and 2 touchdowns, both to the second-round tight end out of Penn State.

    8:02 PM ET: The Lions continue to struggle offensively while the Steelers have found their groove. Roethlisberger hits rookie first-round pick Najee Harris for a big gain out of the backfield. Harris ran a flat route through the middle of the line and Big Ben hit him perfectly. Harris did the rest after the catch for 46 yards.

    7:52 PM ET: Roethlisberger continues some of the vintage Big Ben moments, hitting second-round TE Pat Freiermuth for an 11-yard TOUCHDOWN. Roethlisberger stepped up in the pocket, pump-faked, then hit his rookie tight end for the TD over the middle. Steelers lead the Lions, 7-0, early.

    7:44 PM ET: After a quick five-play drive from Detroit, Big Ben continues some to flash what he’s still got. He hits Diontae Johnson for a big gain down the field.

    7:37 PM ET: Ben Roethlisberger starts his first preseason game of the season, flashing some vintage Big Ben moments. He rolls out of the pocket left, then right, before unleashing a strike to TE Eric Ebron which was unfortunately dropped.

    Cam Mellor is the Senior Director of NFL News/Analysis for Pro Football Network. He is also the co-host of Between the Hashes, a college football and NFL draft podcast. You can find his writing here. Follow him on Twitter @CamMellor

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