PITTSBURGH _ The Steelers offense that was supposed to take the NFL by storm has instead turned into one big hot air balloon.
They lost to another heavy underdog Sunday when the Jacksonville Jaguars stunned them, 30-9, at Heinz Field, and the offense again failed miserably.
Ben Roethlisberger threw a career-high five interceptions _ two were returned for Jacksonville touchdowns and a third set up another Jaguars touchdown. In the meantime, the Steelers could do little more than produce three Chris Boswell field goals, failing to hit the end zone on three trips inside the 20, one dying at the two. They did get there with 3:29 left when Antonio Brown caught a 28-yard pass, but that score was nullified by a holding call.
Rookie halfback Leonard Fournette ran 90 yards for a touchdown with 1:47 left in the game for the final score. He finished with 181 yards on 28 carries.
Jacksonville came in as 9-point underdogs at one time last week and left with a victory and a 3-2 record. The Steelers dropped to 3-2 also. Their other loss came to the Chicago Bears, who were 7-point underdogs when they upset them.
Roethlisberger had one of the worst games of his career. Many of his passes were short ones, check downs or sideways throws that gained little. He previously threw four interceptions in two games, losses to Oakland in 2006 and the New York Giants in 2008.
Even Mike Tomlin went 0 for 2 on replay challenges.
The game turned around in the third quarter when Jacksonville intercepted two passes on successive series for touchdowns to jump in front 20-9.
The Steelers made it three trips to the red zone, three field goals as their offense came up with some plays, just not scoring plays early into the third quarter.
They drove 73 yards on 14 plays to open the second half but could not cross the goal line after reaching a first down at the 5. They made it all the way to the 2, before Boswell kicked a 20-yard field goal to give them the lead back, 9-7.
Rookie T.J. Watt came up with his third sack of the season to stymie Jacksonville's next series, putting the Steelers offense back on the field.
And that turned disastrous for them. After completing his first pass of the series for a 1-yard loss to Martavis Bryant, Roethlisberger dropped back on second down and threw toward Brown. However, defensive tackle Abry Jones tipped it at the line and the ball diverted directly to linebacker Telvin Smith. He returned it 28 yards for a touchdown.
Jacksonville reclaimed the lead, although missing the extra point kick, 13-9 with 6:38 left in the third quarter.
And so, the Steelers offense took the field again, and again Roethlisberger was the victim of a pick-six. This throw was for Brown. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey broke it up, the ball popped into Ramsey's hands and he returned it 51 yards for a touchdown.
Jacksonville now led 20-9 with 3:59 to go in the third quarter and that's how it stood entering the final period.
The Steelers trailed 7-6 at halftime.
Linebacker Ryan Shazier saved them from a larger deficit when he ripped the ball away from James O'Shaughnessy for an interception at the Steelers' 39 with 41 seconds left in the half.
They moved to the 16 from there and Boswell kicked a 34-yard field goal with three seconds to go.
Jacksonville took a 7-3 lead on rookie Fournette's 2-yard dive into the end zone with 12:19 left in the half.
It capped a 47-yard drive after Roethlisberger was intercepted on the Steelers' second offensive series.
The Steelers led 3-0 after one quarter, scoring on their first possession of the game but only three points after they had a first down at the Jaguars' 13. This time, Roethlisberger saw Brown open. He threw deep on the first play from the 28, and Brown caught it down the right sideline for a 49-yard pickup.
Le'Veon Bell ran 10 yards to the 13, but that was it as Boswell kicked a 29-yard field goal.
The Steelers moved from their 4 to the 46 on their next drive, but then Roethlisberger was picked off by Ramsey, who dove in front of tight end Vance McDonald to grab the ball.
