PITTSBURGH, Oct. 16 (UPI) -- Rashard Mendenhall's 146 rushing yards staked Pittsburgh to an early lead Sunday and the Steelers held on to defeat Jacksonville 17-13.
Pittsburgh did not score a point during the second half, but the Jaguars could not finish off a comeback bid and lost their fifth straight game after opening the season with a victory. The Steelers improved to 4-2.
Jacksonville closed within 17-13 with 4:22 to play when Josh Scobee kicked a 45-yard field goal. The Jaguars settled for three points instead of going for it on 4th-and-6 from the Pittsburgh 27.
The Steelers picked up one first down on their ensuing possession, but punted the ball away with 61 seconds to go. Jacksonville took over at its own 23-yard line and got as far as the Pittsburgh 48 before a desperation deep pass on the game's final play fell incomplete.
Mendenhall opened the scoring with an 8-yard run with 4:23 to go in the first period and the Steelers added to their lead on a 28-yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Mike Wallace and a 21-yard field goal by Shaun Suisham.
The only Jacksonville touchdown came on an 18-yard throw from Blaine Gabbert to Jason Hill late in the third quarter that cut the Jaguars' deficit to 17-10.
Roethlisberger completed 12-of-23 passes for 200 yards without an interception. Gabbert was just 12-of-26 for 109 yards.
