The Pittsburgh Steelers built on their Week 15 win over the Carolina Panthers by defeating the Las Vegas Raiders, 13-10, at home in Week 16 of the 2022 NFL season. It was the Steelers' fourth win in their last five games, enabling them to stay alive for the 2023 NFL Playoffs. Pittsburgh trailed at halftime in this game, but the Steelers shut the Raiders out in the second half. Pittsburgh also scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. Right now, Pittsburgh carries a 7-8 record, which is good enough for third place in the AFC North. Incredibly enough, they currently sit in a five-team tie for seventh place in the entire AFC. Here we'll discuss the studs and duds from the Steelers' big Week 16 win versus the Raiders.

On Saturday, the Steelers celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception with a thrilling comeback win over the Raiders. This game, which was the second coldest Steelers home game ever, had a similar plot to the original Immaculate Reception game 50 years ago. Despite a slow start, Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (who had previously been out with a concussion) helped lead the team to victory by scoring the same number of points, thirteen, as they did in the original Immaculate Reception game.

This win kept Pittsburgh's playoff hopes alive and prevented head coach Mike Tomlin from having his first losing season for at least another week. Unfortunately, Franco Harris, the star of the historic Immaculate Reception play, did not get to see this victory. He passed away earlier in the week at the age of 72.

For now, let us look at the studs and duds from the Steelers' Week 16 win over the Raiders.

Steelers Studs

QB Kenny Pickett

Kenny Pickett, the first-round quarterback pick for the Steelers, faced high expectations and the difficult task of replacing veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in 2022. Despite the challenges, Pickett has continued to show that he is capable of handling the pressure and performing in crucial moments.

In Week 16, the Steelers offense struggled for most of the game and faced a four-point deficit late in the fourth quarter. Pickett then led a 10-play, 76-yard touchdown drive that left only 46 seconds on the clock, securing a victory for Pittsburgh.

While Pickett's overall performance in the game may not have been perfect, his ability to step up and deliver in the final minutes earned him a spot on our studs list. His performance in these high-stakes moments demonstrates that he is capable of rising to the occasion and leading the team to victory.

WR George Pickens

Steelers fans have been calling for more involvement from rookie receiver, George Pickens. While Pickens has faced some criticism for dropping a few passes, he has overall been a consistent and reliable force on the Steelers offense.

In the team's win over the Raiders on Saturday, Pickens recorded five catches on five targets for 57 yards and a touchdown. Although he was only the fourth-most targeted receiver in the offense, he made the most of his opportunities. He even recorded the Steelers' longest pass play of the game and scored the team's only touchdown in the final seconds. Despite some inconsistency in production, Pickens continues to demonstrate his ability to make big plays, as he has now recorded over 50 receiving yards in five of his last six games. These performances may actually increase calls for Pickens to receive more opportunities on a weekly basis.

TE Pat Freiermuth

Tight end Pat Freiermuth, who suggested that the Steelers all wear No. 32 jerseys in honor of the late Franco Harris, had a strong performance in Saturday's win over the Raiders. Despite a pass going through his hands, Freiermuth made up for it with several crucial conversion receptions in the second half.

He finished the game with seven receptions for 66 yards. He led the Steelers in catches and yards. Freiermuth's performance included 17- and 15-yard gains in the second half. He received a team-high eight targets after not getting any in the previous game. While Freiermuth's production has been somewhat inconsistent due to the Steelers' inconsistent offense, he has recorded over 50 receiving yards in three of his last seven games.

Steelers Duds

PK Chris Boswell

Kicker Chris Boswell's performance in the cold, sub-zero temperatures was a major disappointment in a game where points were scarce. Despite being a Pro Bowl kicker, Boswell went 2-of-4 on field goals in this game. He misfired on opportunities that could have made a significant impact on the outcome of the contest.

While kicking in such harsh conditions is not easy, it is expected that a kicker of Boswell's caliber should still make field goals from the 40-yard range. Head coach Mike Tomlin also made a questionable decision to attempt a 52-yard field goal, which is a difficult distance to accurately kick even under ideal conditions. Overall, Boswell and Tomlin must shoulder the blame for this poor performance, which was a significant blow to the kicking unit.

3rd Down Defense

The Steelers third-down defense had a subpar performance. It allowed the Raiders to convert 50 percent of their third downs. This was particularly frustrating to watch on long third downs, as the defense used to excel at putting the opposition in these difficult situations and causing them to fail. However, in this game, the defense struggled to prevent third-down conversions. This left many fans wondering how they would hold up against even stronger opposition, especially if they make the playoffs. Fortunately, the defense improved in the second half and made necessary adjustments. That helped shut out the Raiders offense in the final two periods.