Geno Smith needed just one drive to give the New York Jets a lead they would hold all night. The veteran quarterback completed all seven of his passes and found tight end Jelani Woods for a touchdown in a 17–0 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on 21 August 2026.
The Pittsburgh Steelers vs New York Jets match player stats tell the story of an NFL preseason game that stayed within one score until the fourth quarter. Pittsburgh ran for more yards and picked up more first downs, but two first-half interceptions and four sacks kept its offence from scoring. New York finally pulled away in the fourth quarter, when a Jason Sanders field goal and a 31-yard touchdown catch by Quincy Skinner Jr. turned a narrow lead into a comfortable win.
How the Jets Built Their 17–0 Win
New York’s opening possession covered 69 yards in 10 plays. Smith converted two third downs on the drive before rolling left and finding Woods for a 13-yard touchdown. Sanders added the extra point, giving the Jets a 7–0 lead with 9:04 left in the first quarter.
That score held through the second and third quarters. The Jets eventually stretched their lead after Bailey Zappe found Junior Bergen for a 44-yard gain on third-and-eight. Sanders finished the drive with a 39-yard field goal. Brady Cook then found Skinner for the final touchdown with 1:53 remaining, and Cade York added the extra point. Both teams ended the game with a 1–1 preseason record.
Passing Stats and Quarterback Performances
| Quarterback | Team | Comp./Att. | Yards | TD | INT | Passer rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geno Smith | Jets | 7/7 | 65 | 1 | 0 | 144.9 |
| Cade Klubnik | Jets | 10/14 | 75 | 0 | 0 | 83.9 |
| Bailey Zappe | Jets | 6/8 | 68 | 0 | 0 | 100.0 |
| Brady Cook | Jets | 1/2 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 135.4 |
| Drew Allar | Steelers | 11/23 | 110 | 0 | 0 | 61.9 |
| Will Howard | Steelers | 10/15 | 74 | 0 | 2 | 38.6 |
Smith produced New York’s most efficient passing performance, while Cade Klubnik led the Jets with 75 passing yards. Zappe delivered the game’s longest completion, and Cook’s only completed pass went for a touchdown. The four Jets quarterbacks combined for 239 gross passing yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions.
Drew Allar led both teams with 110 passing yards. His best throw was a 38-yard completion to Lake McRee down the left sideline, but he also took three sacks. Will Howard completed a higher share of his passes and moved Pittsburgh into Jets territory on two first-half drives. Both possessions ended with interceptions.
Rushing Stats and Ground Game Leaders
| Player | Team | Carries | Yards | Avg. | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaleb Johnson | Steelers | 10 | 39 | 3.9 | 5 | 0 |
| Chip Trayanum | Jets | 6 | 20 | 3.3 | 8 | 0 |
| Rico Dowdle | Steelers | 5 | 18 | 3.6 | 6 | 0 |
| Jaylen Warren | Steelers | 5 | 17 | 3.4 | 6 | 0 |
| Cade Klubnik | Jets | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 16 | 0 |
| Sam Scott | Jets | 6 | 14 | 2.3 | 6 | 0 |
| Kene Nwangwu | Jets | 7 | 11 | 1.6 | 4 | 0 |
Kaleb Johnson led all rushers with 39 yards and added two catches for 15 yards. Pittsburgh finished with 98 rushing yards to New York’s 62, but its longest run went for just seven yards. Johnson’s longest was five, and neither team scored on the ground.
Chip Trayanum led the Jets with 20 rushing yards. Klubnik gained 16 yards on his only carry, the longest run of the night. That single play accounted for about a quarter of New York’s team rushing total.
Receiving Stats and the Biggest Catches
| Player | Team | Catches | Yards | Avg. | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quincy Skinner Jr. | Jets | 4 | 47 | 11.8 | 31 | 1 |
| Lake McRee | Steelers | 2 | 46 | 23.0 | 38 | 0 |
| Junior Bergen | Jets | 1 | 44 | 44.0 | 44 | 0 |
| Isaiah Winstead | Steelers | 2 | 32 | 16.0 | 17 | 0 |
| Adonai Mitchell | Jets | 2 | 29 | 14.5 | 21 | 0 |
| Ben Skowronek | Steelers | 3 | 26 | 8.7 | 16 | 0 |
| Malik McClain | Jets | 2 | 25 | 12.5 | 14 | 0 |
| Jelani Woods | Jets | 1 | 13 | 13.0 | 13 | 1 |
Skinner finished with four catches for 47 yards, both game highs. His late touchdown accounted for 31 of those yards. Bergen came within three yards of Skinner’s total on a single catch, turning a short pass from Zappe into a 44-yard gain that set up the field goal.
McRee finished one yard behind Skinner and gave Pittsburgh its biggest gain from scrimmage. Ben Skowronek caught three passes, including a 16-yard reception on third-and-eight that kept a first-half drive alive. Howard’s first interception ended that possession a few plays later.
The Two Interceptions That Kept Pittsburgh Scoreless
Andre Cisco made the first interception at the Jets’ eight-yard line early in the second quarter. Pittsburgh had reached the red zone and was threatening to answer Smith’s touchdown. Later in the half, Samuel Womack III picked off Howard at the Jets’ 23-yard line. Howard was looking for Roman Wilson on both plays.
New York also recorded four sacks for 40 yards in losses. Nate Lynn led the way with two sacks, both against Allar. David Bailey and Chase Wilson added one each. Pittsburgh generated some pressure of its own, with Jack Sawyer and Carson Bruener each sacking Klubnik.
The yardage totals show how much that pressure mattered. Pittsburgh had more first downs, 14 to 12, and ran 68 offensive plays to New York’s 57. Yet the Jets gained 288 net yards to Pittsburgh’s 242 and averaged 5.1 yards per play against the Steelers’ 3.6. Pittsburgh also went 0-for-2 on fourth down and missed its only field-goal attempt, a 44-yarder by Laith Marjan.
Conclusion
Smith’s opening drive put the Jets ahead, but their defence did most of the work while the game was still close. Cisco and Womack ended Pittsburgh’s two promising first-half drives, and Lynn’s second sack came on the Steelers’ first offensive play after New York went up 10–0. By the time Skinner caught the final touchdown, Pittsburgh’s edge in rushing yards and first downs had produced zero points.
Also read: Green Bay Packers vs Arizona Cardinals Match Player Stats: McCord’s 4 TDs Seal a 42–38 Comeback
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Steelers vs Jets preseason game?
The New York Jets beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 17–0 at Acrisure Stadium on Friday, 21 August 2026, local time. It was Week 2 of the NFL preseason.
How did Geno Smith play against Pittsburgh?
Smith completed all seven of his passes for 65 yards and one touchdown. He played one series and finished with a 144.9 passer rating.
Who led the game in passing and rushing yards?
Pittsburgh had both leaders. Drew Allar threw for 110 yards on 11 completions, while Kaleb Johnson ran for 39 yards on 10 carries.
Who scored the Jets’ two touchdowns?
Jelani Woods caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Geno Smith in the first quarter. Quincy Skinner Jr. caught a 31-yard touchdown pass from Brady Cook in the fourth.
Who intercepted Will Howard?
Andre Cisco and Samuel Womack III each intercepted Howard in the second quarter. Both turnovers came in Jets territory while Pittsburgh was trailing by seven.
