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PITTSBURGH, Oct. 18 -- Third-string quarterback Landry Jones came off the bench to lead the Steelers to a 25-13 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at Heinz Field. Jones, subbing for injured backup Mike Vick, led the Steelers to four second-half scoring drives, including an 88-yard touchdown pass to Martavis Bryant with 1:58 remaining that put the contest out of reach.
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After Vick completed only 3 of 8 passes for six yards, he was replaced by Jones, who was 8 for 12 for 168 yards and two touchdowns. Jones entered the game early in the third quarter when Vick exited the game with a hamstring injury.
Bryant had six receptions for 137 yards and two scores.
The Steelers, playing their third consecutive game without starter Ben Roethlisberger, got a big boost from Jones, who threw an 8-yard touchdown to Bryant on only his second NFL pass attempt. That touchdown came after Steelers linebacker James Harrison forced a fumble by wide receiver John Brown at the Arizona 32-yard line.
Jones' second drive ended in more points when Chris Boswell booted a 51-yard field goal. Boswell's third field goal of the game gave the Steelers a 15-10 lead with 2:32 left in the third quarter.
After Arizona cut the lead to 15-13 with a Chandler Catazaro 39-yard field goal, Jones led a 13-play, 68-yard drive that ended with a Boswell 28-yard field goal.
The Cardinals entered the game averaging 38 points per game. The 190 points through five games were the most seventh-most in the history of the NFL.
Against the Steelers, however, the Cardinals committed three turnovers and could not do much damage to a Steelers defense that played without three starters due to injury.
Carson Palmer threw for 421 yards in a losing effort, and Brown had 10 receptions for 196 yards.
Arizona took a 10-3 lead into halftime after Catanzaro made a 31-yard field goal with 47 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
Michael Floyd gave the Cardinals a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter when he caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Palmer, completing a six-play, 47-yard drive that started in Steelers territory after Jordan Berry's 31-yard punt.
Boswell accounted for the only points of the half for the Steelers when he made a 47-yard field goal in the second quarter. On the scoring drive, the Cardinals committed a personal foul penalty and were called for off sides, aiding an otherwise ineffective offense that managed just six yards passing in the first two quarters under the direction of Vick.
The Cardinals outgained the Steelers, 279-59, in the first half.
NOTES: Steelers LT Kelvin Beachum left the game with a left knee injury in the second quarter. He was helped off the field and later carted to the locker room for further examination. ... LB Lawrence Timmons became the ninth Steelers linebacker to record 10 career interceptions since the merger in 1970. ... Cardinals TE Darren Fells left the game in the third quarter with a shoulder injury and did not return.
