The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to escape Week 1 with a 34-32 win over the New York Jets, but it took a career-long 60-yard Chris Boswell field goal late. On the play before Boswell’s field goal, QB Aaron Rodgers threw a well-placed ball to WR Calvin Austin III that would’ve been good for a first down, but with a defender draped on him, Austin couldn’t make the play. After the incompletion, Austin was visibly frustrated looking for a flag, but it never came. After the game, Rodgers said he thought the Steelers got “hosed” by the no-call.
“We got hosed on a call there that would’ve been able to run the clock out probably, but \[Boswell\] bailed us out with an amazing kick,” Rodgers said in a press conference after the game [via the team’s YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLWogqPRo5o).
It sure looked as if Jets CB Brandon Stephens made contact early on Austin, but the officials didn’t seem to agree. There were only 11 accepted penalties all game, and it seemed as if throughout the game, defensive backs were getting away with more contact than usual. Still, it was a big moment, and it’s one that could’ve been a deciding factor in the outcome had Boswell not been able to hit from 60 yards out.
Had Austin caught the ball, the Steelers would’ve been set up inside the Jets’ 30-yard line with just over a minute left and it would’ve allowed the team to run the ball down and set up a shorter field goal from Boswell. Instead, New York got the ball back with 56 seconds left following the kickoff and had a chance to drive down the field and set up a game-winning field goal. But the Steelers defense, which had struggled all game, held on as Jalen Ramsey delivered a blow to Garrett Wilson to force a fourth-down incompletion.
While not calling pass interference might have been a missed call, the Steelers still held on for a win. Had they not, it’s a play that would get looked at with a lot more scrutiny. Given the AFC’s talent, a single loss could be the difference between the Steelers making or missing the playoffs. Losing a game on a play that Rodgers and likely others believe they got “hosed” on would’ve been a frustrating start to the season.
There’s still a whole lot to work on, but the Steelers can take solace in the fact they overcame the no-call to start the season 1-0.