The Pittsburgh Steelers were content to kick a field goal facing fourth-and-goal at the Philadelphia Eagles’ two-yard line. Then Eagles’ defender Brandon Graham committed a bizarre penalty, the Steelers changed their mind and a wide receiver who may be on the trading block wound up throwing his first career touchdown.
Graham was flagged for a rare defensive delay of game penalty — a call described by referee Clete Blakeman as “delay of game, defense number 55, making a move that’s not necessary and unlike football.” That didn’t add much clarity to the decision until Tony Romo, handling Sunday’s broadcast duties for CBS, explained the defensive lineman was calling out fake snap cadences in an effort to confuse Pittsburgh and debuting fill-in rookie kicker Nick Sciba.
That pushed the ball one yard closer to the end zone and pushed head coach Mike Tomlin into going for it on fourth down. That decision paid off, thanks to a little trickeration.
.@ChaseClaypool ➡️ @DerekWatt34 for six!
📺 #PITvsPHI on CBS pic.twitter.com/WbBDnAeMnf
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 30, 2022
Wideout Chase Claypool, the subject of swirling rumors as the league’s trade deadline looms, took a jet sweep to his left, drew a swarm of Eagle defenders past the line of scrimmage, then calmly delivered a soft toss strike to an open Derek Watt for a touchdown. It was Claypool’s first pass in the NFL or college. It was Watt’s first touchdown since 2019 and the second of his seven-year NFL career.
Philadelphia never saw it coming. The Eagles never would have had to if not for the defensive delay of game penalty that goaded the Steelers into a reasonable risk early in Week 8.
