Dowdle rushes for 236 yards as Steelers beat Eagles 34-27

Philadelphia, PA - Rico Dowdle rushed for 236 yards, Aaron Rodgers threw four touchdown passes and the Pittsburgh Steelers upset the Philadelphia Eagles 34-27 in Week 11. Pittsburgh entered the game at 2-7 but left Philadelphia with a victory over an Eagles team that came in at 6-3.

The Steelers built their offensive production around a massive advantage on the ground. Pittsburgh finished with 324 rushing yards to Philadelphia's 68, a 256-yard difference that defined the statistical contrast between the teams. The Steelers also recorded 26 first downs and 419 offensive yards, while the Eagles finished with 20 first downs and 349 offensive yards.

Dowdle supplied most of that rushing output on 22 carries, the most attempts in the game, and scored one touchdown. His 236 yards were the game high, and his longest run covered 24 yards. Jaylen Warren added 89 yards on 11 attempts and produced the game's longest rush at 28 yards.

"The rushing total tells you we were getting something out of those opportunities," Dowdle said. "My job was to keep finishing runs and give the offense another productive snap. There was a lot of room for us to stay involved in the ground game."

Rodgers' passing line was unconventional but productive where it counted most on the scoreboard. He completed 9 of 16 attempts for 95 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions, finishing with a 73.6 passer rating. His longest completion went for 20 yards.

Warren caught two of Rodgers' touchdown passes while finishing with two receptions for 23 yards. Dowdle added two catches for 21 yards and another touchdown, giving him one score as a runner and one as a receiver. Pat Freiermuth accounted for Rodgers' other touchdown pass with a 3-yard reception.

"Four touchdown passes is good production, but the two interceptions are part of the evaluation too," Rodgers said. "We had a very different kind of offensive game with the rushing numbers we put up. The important part is that we finished with 34 points and got the result."

Philadelphia produced the much larger passing performance. Jalen Hurts completed 28 of 33 attempts for a game-high 296 yards and two touchdowns, posting a 124.2 passer rating. His longest completion covered 39 yards, also the game's longest completion.

Marquise Brown led all receivers with 75 yards on four catches, including the game-long 39-yard reception. Dallas Goedert caught five passes for 57 yards and a touchdown. Hurts also contributed 28 rushing yards on six carries, but Philadelphia's primary rushing production remained limited compared with Pittsburgh's. Saquon Barkley finished with 40 yards on 13 carries, though he reached the end zone twice.

"We moved the ball and completed a lot of passes, but the result is what we have to own," Hurts said. "There were productive parts of the performance. We also know 27 points wasn't enough today, so that's where the disappointment is."

The efficiency numbers revealed a game of sharp contrasts. Philadelphia converted 7 of 11 third downs, compared with Pittsburgh's 2-for-5 showing. The Steelers were stopped on their lone fourth-down attempt, but they scored touchdowns on five of their six red-zone trips. The Eagles also finished efficiently inside the 20, scoring four touchdowns across five red-zone possessions.

Philadelphia's defense intercepted Rodgers twice, with Ronnie Hickman recording one of those takeaways and returning it 18 yards. The Eagles did not sack Rodgers. Pittsburgh finished with two sacks on defense but did not intercept Hurts.

That collection of numbers made Pittsburgh's path to the seven-point win stand out. The Steelers finished well behind the Eagles in passing production and threw the game's only two interceptions, while Philadelphia owned the third-down advantage. Pittsburgh's 324 rushing yards and five touchdowns in six red-zone trips provided the clearest statistical strengths in a road result against a team that entered with four more victories.

For Dowdle, the performance included the game high in rushing yards, the heaviest workload and two total touchdowns. For Pittsburgh, it ended with 34 points and a Week 11 victory that looked markedly different from Philadelphia's pass-oriented production.

Up Next

The Pittsburgh Steelers will return home in Week 12 to host the Denver Broncos, while the Philadelphia Eagles will look to rebound on the road against the Dallas Cowboys.