1997: Jaguars Avoid Defeat with Blocked FG Return Against Steelers

The Jacksonville Jaguars were 2-0 and coming off of their bye week as they hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 22, 1997. Moreover, Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s team had won those games with two different backup quarterbacks at the helm due to a knee injury suffered by QB Mark Brunell (pictured above), who led the NFL with 4367 passing yards in 1996, and he was now returning to action. Overachievers who went all the way to the AFC title game the previous year, the third-year expansion team had won six straight regular season games dating back to the previous November.

Pittsburgh, coached by Bill Cowher, was accustomed to contending. Third-year QB Kordell Stewart was new to the starting lineup but the ground game was led by dependable RB Jerome Bettis and the defense was typically tough. The Steelers split their first two games.

There were 73,016 fans in attendance at Alltel Stadium for the Monday night game. The Jaguars had the game’s first possession and drove 68 yards in ten plays. Mark Brunell converted a third-and-10 situation with a pass to WR Keenan McCardell for 15 yards and RB Natrone Means ran for five yards on a third-and-three play. Consecutive throws by Brunell were complete to McCardell for 15 yards and to WR Jimmy Smith for 23 to reach the Pittsburgh three yard line and two plays later Means gained the final yard for a touchdown. Mike Hollis added the extra point.

Pittsburgh WR Will Blackwell returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards, but the play was nullified by a holding penalty. However, the Steelers proceeded with an 80-yard scoring series that took six plays. The biggest was a third down throw by Kordell Stewart to WR Charles Johnson that picked up 49 yards to the Jacksonville 12 and, following a six-yard run by RB Jerome Bettis, Stewart scrambled for a six-yard TD. Norm Johnson’s kick tied the score at 7-7.

A short Jacksonville series ended with a punt but the Jaguars got the ball back three plays later when Stewart fumbled when sacked by DE Tony Brackens and LB Eddie Robinson recovered at the Pittsburgh 38. In a possession that stretched into the second quarter, Means ran for nine yards on first down and Brunell completed three passes, the last to Smith for an 11-yard TD. Hollis converted to give the home team a 14-7 lead.

The Steelers started off with the ball at their 42 following a 40-yard kickoff return by Blackwell, but after reaching the Jacksonville 39 they were forced to punt. A long series by the Jaguars started off with Brunell being sacked by LB Levon Kirkland for a loss of 11 yards but Brunell threw to Smith for 29 yards and, a few plays later and facing third-and-20, connected with RB James Stewart for 29 yards to the Pittsburgh 43. It appeared that the drive was finally thwarted when Brunell was sacked for a seven-yard loss by DT Oliver Gibson and then threw an incomplete pass when facing third-and-15 at the Pittsbugh 38. But punter Bryan Barker passed instead of kicking and it was complete to DB Dana Hall for a 22-yard gain. However, after getting to the 11, the home team came up empty when Hollis missed a 29-yard field goal attempt.

Jacksonville got the ball back two plays later when Stewart’s pass was intercepted by CB Aaron Beasley, who returned it five yards to the Pittsburgh 35 with 1:21 remaining in the first half. Brunell completed four passes and Hollis was successful on a 20-yard field goal to give the Jaguars a 17-7 halftime lead. Jacksonville had thus far dominated time of possession, holding onto the ball for 21 of the game’s first 30 minutes.

Down by ten, the Steelers started off the third quarter with a 13-play, 80-yard drive. Bettis (pictured at right) ran for 44 yards on 7 carries, with a long of 16, RB George Jones contributed an 18-yard run, and Stewart completed three passes, the last to WR Yancey Thigpen for a four-yard touchdown. Norm Johnson’s point after narrowed the score to 17-14.

The Jaguars, helped along by a pass interference penalty on the Steelers, came back with a series that resulted in Hollis kicking a 45-yard field goal. Another long Blackwell kickoff return that covered 52 yards put the Steelers at the Jacksonville 48 and, on a seven- play drive that featured a 19-yard run by Bettis and a Stewart toss to Charles Johnson for 26 yards, they scored on the first play of the fourth quarter as Stewart connected with TE Mark Bruener for a one-yard TD. Norm Johnson’s extra point put the visitors in front by 21-20.

The Jaguars again reached Pittsburgh territory as Brunell passed to Smith for a 41-yard pickup but, after the drive was stopped at the 19, Hollis failed on a 38-yard try for a go-ahead field goal. The Steelers had to punt on their next series and Jacksonville again had a long possession that ran over six minutes off the clock and was helped along by a critical unnecessary roughness penalty on DE Nolan Harrison to nullify a third down sack. Brunell completed six passes, three of them to Smith and the longest to WR Reggie Barlow for 18 yards, and this time Hollis came through with a 27-yard field goal that put the Jaguars back on top by 23-21 with 4:14 remaining to play.

Starting from their 40 following Blackwell’s 30-yard kickoff return, the Steelers kept the ball on the ground and also received help with a five-yard penalty on the Jaguars on a fourth-and-one play. Stewart threw to Thigpen for a 21-yard gain to the Jacksonville 25 and Pittsburgh was at the 22 when Norm Johnson came on to attempt a final-play field goal from 40 yards to win the game. However, the snap was low and the holder, QB Mike Tomczak, had difficulty in getting the ball set, placing it at a bad angle. Johnson’s kick was blocked by DE Clyde Simmons and safety Chris Hudson recovered and ran 58 yards for a touchdown. Hollis added the superfluous extra point and the Jaguars not only avoided a last-second defeat but won in stunning fashion by a final score of 30-21.

Jacksonville led in total yards (343 to 306), first downs (23 to 19), and time of possession (33:55 to 26:05), although Pittsburgh was much better at controlling the ball in the second half. The Jaguars were stifled on the ground as Pittsburgh outgained them, 153 to 40, but had a big lead in net passing yards (303 to 153). The Steelers turned the ball over twice, to none by Jacksonville. Pittsburgh led in sacks (three to two) but also in penalties (6 for 82 yards, against four for 35 yards against Jacksonville). The teams combined for just three punts (two by Pittsburgh, one for the Jaguars) although both clubs had trouble on field goals, with Mike Hollis missing two from under 40 yards and Norm Johnson’s lone attempt being botched at the end.

Mark Brunell completed 24 of 42 passes for 306 yards and a touchdown with none intercepted. Jimmy Smith had a big performance with 10 catches for 164 yards and a TD and Keenan McCardell contributed 6 receptions for 51 yards. Natrone Means rushed for 40 yards on 24 carries that included a score.

For the Steelers, Kordell Stewart was successful on 11 of 16 throws for 155 yards and two TDs while giving up an interception, and also ran the ball 7 times for 19 yards and a touchdown. Jerome Bettis, who came on strong in the second half, gained 114 yards on 21 rushing attempts. Yancey Thigpen caught 5 passes for 53 yards and a TD and Charles Johnson gained 88 yards on his four receptions. Will Blackwell averaged 37.8 yards on four kickoff returns. 

“This was a big win for us because it was on Monday night, it was against the Steelers, and because of the way we won,” said Mark Brunell.

“We just found a way to win,” said Coach Coughlin. “I told the team on Sunday night to never take anything for granted because a lot of teams had trouble this season with field goals.”

Jacksonville lost the following week but was at 5-1 before losing two more, including the rematch with the Steelers. The pattern of a flashy passing game and mediocre ground attack held throughout the season. The Jaguars ended up with an 11-5 record, as did Pittsburgh, and the Steelers won the AFC Central title due to the net division points tiebreaker. Jacksonville was demolished by Denver in the Wild Card playoff round while Pittsburgh reached the AFC Championship before also losing to the Broncos in a closer contest.

Mark Brunell went on to lead the AFC in passing with a 91.2 rating as he completed 60.7 percent of his passes for 3281 yards and 18 touchdowns while giving up just seven interceptions. He was selected to a second straight Pro Bowl where he was joined by Jimmy Smith, who accumulated 82 catches for 1324 yards (16.1 avg.) and four TDs.

1996: Steelers Overcome Upstart Colts for AFC Title

The Pittsburgh Steelers were hosting the AFC Championship game for the second straight year as they faced the Indianapolis Colts on January 14, 1996. Head Coach Bill Cowher’s team had been upset in stunning fashion by San Diego in the conference title game following the 1994 season and was looking to erase that memory. The conservative offense was efficiently directed by QB Neil O’Donnell (pictured at right), but it was the strong defense that was the key to success, despite the loss of star CB Rod Woodson in the season’s first game. Outside linebackers Kevin Greene and Greg Lloyd were both Pro Bowlers, as was CB Carnell Lake, who had been shifted from strong safety, and CB Willie Williams led the AFC with seven interceptions. After getting off to a 3-4 start, the Steelers hit stride by reeling off eight straight wins to top the AFC Central with an 11-5 record and defeated Buffalo in the Divisional playoff round.

Indianapolis was in the playoffs for the first time since 1987. Coached by Ted Marchibroda, who was in the fourth season of his second stint with the franchise, the Colts placed second in the AFC East at 9-7 and defeated San Diego and Kansas City on the road to reach the conference title game. QB Jim Harbaugh, formerly of the Bears and relegated to the bench early in the ’95 season in Indianapolis, had a career year, leading the NFL in passing and earning Pro Bowl honors. RB Marshall Faulk gained 1553 yards from scrimmage and also was a Pro Bowl choice, but he was out for the postseason with a knee injury. The defensive line was tough with DE Tony Bennett and tackles Tony Siragusa and Tony McCoy and the corps of linebackers, led by OLB Quentin Coryatt, was a good one. Still, the Colts had the look of an overachieving team and were 11-point underdogs against the Steelers.

There were 61,062 fans in attendance on a sunny and mild day at Three Rivers Stadium. The Steelers had the ball first but, on their third play from scrimmage, a pass by Neil O’Donnell was tipped by DT Tony Siragusa and intercepted by LB Jeff Herrod, who returned it 17 yards to the Pittsburgh 24. Three running plays netted seven yards and Cary Blanchard kicked a 34-yard field goal that gave the Colts an early 3-0 lead.

The teams traded punts before the Steelers put together a 40-yard drive in 11 plays. O’Donnell converted a third-and-six situation with a throw to RB John L. Williams for seven yards and he completed four other passes before the advance stalled at the Indianapolis 13 and Norm Johnson tied the game with a 31-yard field goal.

The Colts had the ball as the game headed into the second quarter. Jim Harbaugh (pictured at left) completed his first four passes, the longest to WR Sean Dawkins for 30 yards, and after a third down toss into the end zone under pressure from Kevin Greene was incomplete, Blanchard came on again to boot another field goal, this time from 36 yards.

Each team had a short series that resulted in a punt before Pittsburgh put together an 80-yard possession in 17 plays. O’Donnell had eight completions along the way, only one of which was longer than ten yards, during the methodical drive in which the Steelers converted four third downs. The last was on a five-yard touchdown pass from O’Donnell to QB/WR Kordell Stewart with 13 seconds remaining in the first half, although replays indicated that Stewart appeared to have stepped out of the back of the end zone before making the catch. Johnson added the extra point and the home team took a 10-6 lead into halftime.

Indianapolis took the second half kickoff and drove 61 yards in 10 plays. Harbaugh started off with a pass to TE Ken Dilger for 30 yards and followed up with a 14-yard completion to Dawkins. After reaching the Pittsburgh 12, Harbaugh was sacked by Greg Lloyd for a loss of eight yards on second down and, two plays later, Blanchard kicked a 37-yard field goal that made it a one-point contest at 10-9.

A short series by the Steelers ended with a punt and the Colts put together another promising drive. Harbaugh converted a third-and-six situation with a throw to Dawkins for 13 yards and converted another with a two-yard run. This time the advance was halted at the Pittsburgh 30 and the visitors came up empty when Blanchard was wide to the left on a 47-yard field goal attempt.

The Steelers responded by moving 44 yards in seven plays. O’Donnell threw to WR Yancey Thigpen for 14 yards and a pass interference call was good for 16 yards. The series resulted in a 36-yard Johnson field goal and Pittsburgh took a 13-9 lead into the fourth quarter.

Indianapolis went three-and-out on its next possession and WR Andre Hastings returned the resulting punt 33 yards to the Colts’ 42. O’Donnell passed the Steelers to the 22, but Johnson failed on a 40-yard field goal try. The Colts came back with Harbaugh firing two passes to RB Lamont Warren for a total of 13 yards and a completion to RB Zack Crockett gained another 10 before Harbaugh connected with WR Floyd Turner for a 47-yard touchdown. Blanchard converted and the visitors were back in the lead by a 16-13 score.

The teams exchanged punts, with Indianapolis failing to convert a third-and-one situation thanks to an alert play by Willie Williams to tackle Warren for no gain, and the Steelers, regaining possession at their 33, advanced 67 yards in eight plays. O’Donnell hit on his first two passes, missed on two (one of which was nearly intercepted), and then threw complete to Hastings for nine yards to convert a fourth-and-three situation. O’Donnell’s next pass was to WR Ernie Mills, who just beat CB Ashley Ambrose and kept his feet inbounds for a 37-yard gain to the Indianapolis one and, two plays later, RB Bam Morris scored from there. Johnson added the point after and Pittsburgh was ahead by four points with 1:34 remaining to play.

Starting from their 16 after the ensuing kickoff, the Colts moved down the field as Harbaugh went to the air on every play. A third-and-three pass to WR Brian Stablein gained 18 yards and, facing fourth-and-two at the Indianapolis 49, Harbaugh connected with Dawkins for 13 yards. Harbaugh ran for nine yards and then had to spike the ball with six seconds left at the Pittsburgh 29. A final throw into the end zone was tipped by FS Darren Perry and fell onto WR Aaron Bailey, who was on the ground. However, he was unable to maintain possession and the Steelers came away with a closely-fought 20-16 win.

The Colts had more total yards (328 to 285) but Pittsburgh led in first downs (21 to 16). The Steelers had three sacks, to one by Indianapolis, but also gave up the game’s only turnover.

Neil O’Donnell completed 25 of 41 passes for 205 yards and a touchdown while being intercepted once. Yancey Thigpen had 6 catches for 65 yards and Ernie Mills gained 52 yards on three receptions that included the big one to set up the game-winning TD. RB Erric Pegram topped the Pittsburgh rushers with 46 yards on 10 carries.

For the Colts, Jim Harbaugh was successful on 21 of 33 throws for 267 yards and a TD with none picked off and ran the ball six times for 29 yards. Sean Dawkins (pictured at right) caught 7 passes for 96 yards and Lamont Warren had 7 receptions as well, for 37 yards, in addition to leading the club in rushing with 53 yards on 15 attempts.

Pittsburgh went on to lose the Super Bowl to the Dallas Cowboys. While there were significant personnel changes during the offseason, the Steelers came back to top the AFC Central again in 1996 but lost in the Divisional playoff round. The Colts also underwent changes, most notably the departure of Coach Marchibroda, but they again compiled a 9-7 record and qualified for a Wild Card playoff spot. They met up with the Steelers in the first round and were soundly defeated.

2000: Taylor Rushes for 234 Yards & Scores 4 TDs as Jaguars Defeat Steelers

Following four consecutive playoff seasons, including a 14-2 record in 1999, the Jacksonville Jaguars were struggling at 3-7 as they faced the Steelers in Pittsburgh on November 19, 2000. Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s team had run into injury problems, particularly along the offensive line. Third-year RB Fred Taylor (pictured at right) missed the first three games with a torn ligament in his knee, but was coming off of four straight 100-yard rushing performances and the offense also still contained strong performers in QB Mark Brunell and wide receivers Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell.

The Steelers were a streaky 5-5, having lost their first three games, won five straight, and then been beaten in their last two contests. QB Kordell Stewart regained the starting job after starting out behind journeyman QB Kent Graham. RB Jerome Bettis was a potent power runner and overachieving WR Hines Ward the most reliable receiver. As was typically the case under Head Coach Bill Cowher, the defense was stingy.  Pittsburgh had already beaten Jacksonville on the road.

There were 50,925 fans in attendance for the Sunday night contest at Three Rivers Stadium. The teams traded punts for most of the opening period until the Jaguars turned the ball over when Mark Brunell fumbled while being sacked by SS Lee Flowers. LB Jason Gildon recovered at the Jacksonville 37. Two plays later, Kordell Stewart threw to Hines Ward for a 32-yard touchdown. Kris Brown added the extra point and the Steelers took a 7-0 lead into the second quarter.

The Jaguars, who had been losing the battle for field position as the teams continued to exchange punts, finally got a break when LB Kevin Hardy intercepted a Stewart pass at his own 44. Facing second-and-19 after a penalty backed the visitors up, Brunell completed a pass to Jimmy Smith for 20 yards and, two plays later, he connected with Keenan McCardell for 17 yards to the Pittsburgh 28. Fred Taylor finished the six-play possession off with a 25-yard run for a TD. Mike Hollis converted to tie the score.

The Steelers moved well on their next series. Stewart passed to Ward for 22 yards and Jerome Bettis had runs of 16 and 17 yards. The drive stalled at the Jacksonville 22 and Brown kicked a 40-yard field goal to move Pittsburgh back in front by 10-7. Jacksonville responded with an eight-play, 65-yard series. Taylor had a 31-yard carry along the way and, in a third-and-12 situation, caught a pass from Brunell for a 16-yard touchdown. Hollis added the point after and the visitors were in the lead by 14-10.

Pittsburgh appeared to be on the move when a Stewart pass to RB Richard Huntley gained 18 yards to the Jacksonville 42, but on the next play the quarterback was sacked by DT Gary Walker and fumbled, giving the ball to the Jaguars at the Pittsburgh 39 with 39 seconds remaining in the first half. Jacksonville extended its lead to 17-10 on a 36-yard Hollis field goal.

The Steelers had the first possession of the third quarter and punted. Brunell completed four passes, three of them to Smith, with the longest covering 21 yards to the Pittsburgh 15. However, another pass to Smith for an apparent touchdown was overturned upon replay review and the Jaguars had to settle for a 33-yard Hollis field goal that put them 10 points ahead.

Jacksonville got another opportunity in short order when WR Troy Edwards fumbled while returning the ensuing kickoff and FB Daimon Shelton recovered for the Jaguars at the Pittsburgh 36. Taylor immediately took off for a gain of 34 yards and, on the next play, carried again for a two-yard touchdown. Hollis kicked the extra point to give the visitors a commanding 27-10 lead.

The Steelers were on the move on the next series before WR Bobby Shaw fumbled after gaining 15 yards on a pass from Stewart. FS Rayna Stewart recovered at the Jacksonville 42. It took just four plays for the Jaguars to advance 58 yards as Brunell converted a third-and-eight situation with a completion to TE Kyle Brady for 30 yards and Taylor ran 26 yards up the middle for another TD. Hollis again converted and the Jaguars, taking good advantage of opportunities presented by turnovers, were ahead by 34-10.

Pittsburgh drove to a score on the next series, with Stewart running for a two-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. The try for a two-point conversion failed. The Jaguars came back with a solid drive into Pittsburgh territory that included a 19-yard run by Taylor, but CB Chad Scott picked off a Brunell pass and the Steelers drove 56 yards in seven plays. The biggest was a 45-yard touchdown run by Stewart and this time the try for two points succeeded. Pittsburgh had narrowed the margin to ten points with 7:56 remaining in regulation.

The Jaguars were forced to punt following a short possession and the Steelers, helped by a 15-yard penalty tacked on to the punt return, started from the Jacksonville 49. Stewart completed a pass to Shaw for 18 yards, but the drive stalled at the 24 as Ward, wide open at the goal line, dropped a pass after slipping and Brown’s 42-yard field goal attempt was unsuccessful.

With 4:39 left to play, the Jaguars kept the ball on the ground and Taylor had runs of 15 and 25 yards to advance into Pittsburgh territory and run the clock down. They finally turned the ball over on downs at the 24 with the time remaining now down to 1:02. SS Donovin Darius intercepted a Stewart pass to clinch the 34-24 win for Jacksonville.

The Jaguars had the edge in total yards (417 to 302), first downs (20 to 15), and time of possession (34:20 to 25:40). They also recorded five sacks, to three for the Steelers, and Pittsburgh turned the ball over five times, four of which led to Jacksonville scores, against two suffered by the visitors. The Jaguars were penalized eight times, at a cost of 55 yards, to four flags thrown on the Steelers. The 34 points surrendered marked the highest point total that Pittsburgh gave up during the season, by far (and it would not be exceeded in the remaining contests).

Fred Taylor had a huge performance as he rushed for 234 yards on 30 carries that included three touchdowns, and he added a fourth TD on one of his three pass receptions for 14 yards. Mark Brunell completed 17 of 31 passes for 190 yards and a touchdown while giving up one interception. Jimmy Smith had 6 catches for 85 yards and Kyle Brady contributed 62 yards on his five receptions.

For the Steelers, Kordell Stewart (pictured above) was successful on 13 of 27 throws for 188 yards and a TD while being intercepted twice. He also rushed for a team-leading 59 yards on 6 attempts that included two scores. Jerome Bettis was right behind with 57 yards on 12 carries. Bobby Shaw topped the receivers with 5 catches for 81 yards, although he also had a costly fumble.

The big win over Pittsburgh was the first of four straight for the rejuvenated Jaguars, but they finished the season with two narrow losses to end up at 7-9 and fourth in the AFC Central. It was their first losing record since their inaugural season in 1995. The Steelers won four of their last five games for a 9-7 tally that put them in third place in the division.

Fred Taylor’s yardage total set a still-standing franchise record (to date) and also was a new high for an individual performer against the Steelers. He went on to rush for 1399 yards in 13 games, averaging 4.8 yards-per-carry and scoring 12 touchdowns.       

1992: Steelers Score 2 TDs in 4th Quarter to Rally Past Oilers

The Pittsburgh Steelers were off to a good 5-2 start under new head coach Bill Cowher as they hosted the Houston Oilers on November 1, 1992. QB Neil O’Donnell was a good fit in the conservative offense and RB Barry Foster (pictured at right) had five hundred-yard rushing games thus far. The defense blitzed heavily and was strongest at linebacker and in the backfield, which featured CB Rod Woodson and SS Carnell Lake. The overachieving Steelers had beaten Houston in their opening game and were looking to sweep the season series.

Much was expected of the Oilers, who had been to the playoffs following each of the previous five seasons and breezed to the AFC Central title in ’91. Houston, coached by Jack Pardee, was also 5-2 and featured a pass-heavy run-and-shoot offense directed by QB Warren Moon, who had a fine group of receivers available. The defense was anchored by DT Ray Childress, LB Al Smith, and SS Bubba McDowell.

There were 58,074 fans in attendance on an overcast day with light rain at Three Rivers Stadium. The Steelers had the first possession and Barry Foster ran the ball on each of the first six plays, picking up 27 yards. The drive stalled at the Houston 48 and resulted in a punt, and the Oilers punted in turn following a short series.

After the Steelers kicked the ball away again, Houston advanced 57 yards in nine plays. Warren Moon completed three passes along the way but two throws from the Pittsburgh 12 fell incomplete and Al Del Greco kicked a 29-yard field goal.

Neil O’Donnell completed passes to WR Dwight Stone for 20 yards and Foster for 16 but gave up an interception to Al Smith on a throw that was tipped. However, Smith fumbled on the return and O’Donnell recovered to regain possession for the Steelers. As the game entered the second quarter, WR Ernie Mills fumbled after gaining 18 yards on a reception and Bubba McDowell recovered for the Oilers at the Pittsburgh 44.

Houston drove 43 yards in eight plays that included a third-and-nine throw by Moon to WR Ernest Givins for 17 yards to the Pittsburgh six. Three running plays got the ball down to the one and Del Greco kicked another field goal, this time of 19 yards to stake the visitors to a 6-0 lead.

The Steelers responded with a long possession of 14 plays that covered 82 yards. O’Donnell had completions to TE Eric Green for 23 yards, Mills for 15, and RB Leroy Thompson for 20 yards in a third-and-10 situation, and Foster ran eight times, the last for a one-yard touchdown. Gary Anderson added the extra point and Pittsburgh went ahead by 7-6, which remained the score at halftime.

On the first series of the third quarter, Moon suffered a concussion when he was hit hard by blitzing CB Rod Woodson and was replaced by backup QB Cody Carlson (pictured below). Carlson, who had led the Oilers to a win in Pittsburgh two years earlier when Moon went down, completed four passes during the nine-play, 76-yard drive, including the last to WR Webster Slaughter for an 11-yard TD. Del Greco converted and Houston was back in front at 13-7.

On the second play following the ensuing kickoff, O’Donnell fumbled while being sacked by DT Jeff Alm and Ray Childress grabbed the loose ball and returned it eight yards for a touchdown. Del Greco added the point after and the Oilers’ lead was extended to 20-7, the visitors having scored two TDs in the span of just over a minute.

The teams traded punts, but as the period was winding down, the Steelers were at the Houston 13 yard line. O’Donnell completed three straight passes to start the drive, hitting FB Merrill Hoge for 20 yards, WR Jeff Graham for another 11 yards, and then Mills for 20. Foster ran on the next three plays and picked up 11 yards and O’Donnell followed up with a completion to Mills for eight yards. Four plays into the fourth quarter, O’Donnell tossed a pass to TE Adrian Cooper for a two-yard TD to complete the 11-play, 75-yard series. Anderson’s PAT narrowed the gap to six points.

The Oilers backed themselves up with penalties on the next series before Carlson completed two passes to get a first down, but he fumbled on a third-down play and LB Greg Lloyd recovered for the Steelers at the Houston 38. Following a run by Foster, DE Sean Jones sacked O’Donnell for a loss of 10 yards to put Pittsburgh in a third-and-16 hole, but O’Donnell completed a pass to Green for 24 yards to climb out of it and reach the Houston 20. Foster ran three times to get inside the ten and then O’Donnell again threw to Green, this time for a five-yard touchdown. Anderson kicked the extra point and the home team was ahead by a point.

The teams exchanged punts and the Oilers found themselves with the ball at their 14 with 3:53 left to play. Carlson completed six passes to get to the Pittsburgh 27 and, after two short carries by RB Lorenzo White, Del Greco came in to attempt a 39-yard field goal with the clock down to six seconds. The kick was wide to the left and the Steelers held on to win by a final score of 21-20.

Pittsburgh had the edge in total yards (302 to 283) while the Oilers had more first downs (21 to 20). The Steelers turned the ball over three times, to two by Houston, and were also penalized nine times at a cost of 101 yards, to five flags thrown on the Oilers.

Neil O’Donnell (pictured below) completed 14 of 22 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns while giving up one interception. Barry Foster rushed for 118 yards on 31 carries that included a TD. Ernie Mills caught four passes for 61 yards and Eric Green contributed 52 yards and a score on his three receptions.

For the Oilers, Warren Moon was successful on 13 of 19 throws for 104 yards with no TDs or interceptions before leaving the game and Cody Carlson went 15-of-23 for 137 yards and a touchdown while also giving up no interceptions, although he did fumble the ball away once. Lorenzo White ran for 44 yards on 12 carries and added 32 yards on six catches. Haywood Jeffires had 9 receptions for 68 yards and Webster Slaughter gained 71 yards on his five catches that included a touchdown.

“We were down 20-7, but we’ve been there before,” said Pittsburgh’s Coach Cowher. “That was a great game, a classic, and it was decided by inches.”

The win put the Steelers in first place in the AFC Central at 6-2 and they went on to finish on top with an 11-5 record, their best since 1979. The sweep of the Oilers was critical in the division race as Houston placed second at 10-6 and qualified for the postseason as a Wild Card. Both teams lost to Buffalo in the playoffs, the Oilers in epic fashion in the Wild Card round and Pittsburgh at the Divisional level.

Barry Foster went over a hundred yards 12 times as he led the AFC in rushing with 1690 yards on 390 carries (4.3 avg.). He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection as well as Pro Bowl choice. Neil O’Donnell finished third in passing in the AFC (83.6 rating) and was named to the Pro Bowl for the only time in his career.

Warren Moon came back from the concussion suffered against the Steelers but was lost for five games with a broken arm. He still led the AFC with a passer rating of 89.3. Cody Carlson remained effective in relief, completing 65.6 percent of his passes for 1710 yards and 9 touchdowns, as opposed to 11 interceptions.

1996: Key Interceptions Propel Cowboys Over Steelers in Super Bowl XXX

Super Bowl XXX on January 28, 1996 featured the Dallas Cowboys, back after a one-year hiatus following back-to-back titles in 1992 and ’93, against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

While Barry Switzer had replaced Jimmy Johnson as head coach since the last two Super Bowl appearances, the Cowboys still relied on the offensive trio of QB Troy Aikman, RB Emmitt Smith, and WR Michael Irvin, and all three had excelled in 1995. TE Jay Novacek was also a Pro Bowl-quality player and the veteran offensive line was solid. The defense was anchored by aging but able DE Charles Haley and was particularly strong in the backfield, where flashy CB Deion Sanders was a dominant defender and had good company in SS Darren Woodson. Dallas won the NFC East for the fourth straight year with a conference-best 12-4 record and defeated the Eagles and Packers thus far in the postseason to reach the Super Bowl for the third time in four years.

Under Head Coach Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh had been in the playoffs for each of the past three seasons and barely missed going to the Super Bowl the previous year. QB Neil O’Donnell was a good fit in running a conservative offense, but it was the solid defense which ranked third overall in the NFL that made the Steelers a contender. Outside linebackers Kevin Greene and Greg Lloyd were both selected to the Pro Bowl, and big Levon Kirkland was a solid inside linebacker. Injuries to star cornerbacks Rod Woodson and Deon Figures could have been shattering blows, but replacements Carnell Lake, moved from strong safety, and Willie Williams rose to the occasion. After getting off to a 3-4 start, the Steelers won eight straight games and topped the AFC Central with an 11-5 record. They defeated the Bills in the Divisional round and held off the Colts to win the AFC title.

There was a crowd of 76,347 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona, supplemented by the usual mammoth television audience. The Cowboys had the first possession and drove 47 yards in six plays. Troy Aikman threw to Michael Irvin for 20 yards and Emmitt Smith followed up with a 23-yard carry to the Pittsburgh 28. They picked up four more yards on the next three plays and Chris Boniol kicked a 42-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

The Steelers went three-and-out on their first series and punted. Dallas put together another scoring drive, this time advancing 75 yards in eight plays. Following two carries by Smith that picked up eight yards, a false start penalty backed the Cowboys up and forced a third-and-seven situation. Aikman connected with Irvin for 11 yards and then went long on a post pattern to Deion Sanders, inserted as a wide receiver, for a gain of 47 yards to the Pittsburgh 14. Three plays later, Aikman converted a third-and-nine play with a pass to Jay Novacek for ten yards and then went to the tight end again for a three-yard touchdown. Boniol’s extra point made it a 10-0 game.

The Steelers responded with a long series that stretched into the early second quarter. Neil O’Donnell completed a pass to WR Ernie Mills for 11 yards in a third-and-eight situation and QB Kordell Stewart, coming in for the short-yardage play, ran for two yards to convert a fourth-and-one near midfield. O’Donnell completed another third-and-eight play with an 11-yard completion to WR Andre Hastings, but the drive finally stalled at the Dallas 39 and the Steelers punted into the end zone.

The Cowboys came back with another long scoring drive of 13 plays and 62 yards. Aikman completed six passes, but an apparent completion to Irvin at the goal line from 24 yards out was nullified by an offensive pass interference penalty and, after Aikman threw to Novacek for 19 yards, Smith ran twice and was stopped for a three-yard loss on a third-and-one play. Dallas settled for a Boniol field goal from 35 yards, but now led by 13-0.

The teams traded punts before the Steelers, taking over with 3:52 remaining in the half, put together a 13-play, 54-yard scoring drive. It didn’t look promising when O’Donnell was sacked by Charles Haley for a loss of 10 yards to bring up a third-and-20 play, but O’Donnell threw to Hastings for 19 yards and Stewart gained three yards over tackle on fourth-and-one. A 12-yard run by RB Bam Morris put the Steelers at the Dallas 30 at the two-minute warning and, after Morris ran for three yards and TE Jonathan Hayes dropped a pass, O’Donnell connected with Mills for seven yards and a first down. DT Chad Hennings sacked O’Donnell, but he came back with completions to Hastings for six yards, Mills for 17 on third-and-13, and then six yards to WR Yancey Thigpen for a touchdown with the clock down to 13 seconds. Norm Johnson added the extra point and the score was 13-7 at the half.

The teams exchanged punts to start the third quarter before the Steelers drove to their 48, but a misdirected O’Donnell pass was intercepted by CB Larry Brown (pictured at top), who returned it 44 yards to the Pittsburgh 18. The Cowboys made the most of the turnover as Aikman passed to Irvin for 17 yards and, on the next play, Smith ran the last yard for a touchdown. Boniol added the extra point and Dallas had an extended lead of 20-7.

The Steelers again advanced toward midfield on their next series. O’Donnell completed three passes but, after reaching their 47, Morris was stopped for no gain on three straight carries, the last one while facing fourth-and-two. The Cowboys had a short series and punted and, with 33 seconds remaining in the period, Pittsburgh again had possession. The Steelers went 52 yards in 10 plays that started with O’Donnell passing to Mills for 12 yards, followed by two carries by Morris that picked up another 17. Mills fumbled after gaining 11 yards on a catch, but TE Mark Bruener recovered to keep the series going. Four straight short passes got the ball to the Dallas 19, but an incompletion was followed by a sack and the Steelers settled for a 46-yard Johnson field goal.

Down by 20-10, the Steelers went for an onside kick and it was successful when CB Deon Figures recovered at the Pittsburgh 48. O’Donnell went to the air for three straight completions to the Dallas 22, and after Morris (pictured above) picked up five yards on a run, two more passes got the Steelers to the five. Morris carried on the next three plays, the last for a one-yard TD and, with Johnson adding the extra point, Pittsburgh was back in the game at 20-17 and appeared to have the momentum.

The Cowboys had a short series that ended with a punt, and the Steelers again had the ball, starting off at their 32 with 4:15 left on the clock. But after an incomplete pass on first down, O’Donnell again threw for Hastings and his off-target pass was picked off by Brown for a second time, who returned it 33 yards to the Pittsburgh six. Smith ran for a four-yard TD two plays later, and for all intents sealed the win for Dallas.

O’Donnell passed the Steelers to the Dallas 40, but they got no farther as the next three tosses fell incomplete, the last on fourth down. The Cowboys were winners by a final score of 27-17.

It was the 12^th straight loss by an AFC team in the Super Bowl. However, the Steelers made a game of it, leading in total yards (310 to 254) and first downs (25 to 15). Pittsburgh’s defense did especially well against the run, holding the Cowboys to 56 yards on 25 running plays, but Dallas recorded four sacks, to two by the Steelers. However, the Steelers gave up three turnovers, two of which directly led to touchdowns, while the Cowboys didn’t turn the ball over at all.

Troy Aikman completed 15 of 23 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. Michael Irvin had five catches for 76 yards and Jay Novacek (pictured at left) also caught five, for 50 yards and a TD. Emmitt Smith was limited to 49 yards on 18 carries, but had the two short touchdowns. Larry Brown was the game’s MVP thanks to his two big interceptions, although in addition to that he had seven tackles, five of them solo.

For the Steelers, Neil O’Donnell was successful on 28 of 49 throws for 239 yards and a TD, but gave up three interceptions, two of which were critical. Andre Hastings had 10 receptions for 98 yards and Ernie Mills accumulated 78 yards on his 8 catches before leaving the game with a sprained knee. Bam Morris was the leading rusher with 73 yards on 19 attempts that included a score.

“I knew I was going to be the key today,” said Larry Brown. “I knew they would stay away from Deion (Sanders).”

“I’d like to commend Pittsburgh for the way they played,” commented Barry Switzer. “They dominated the second half.”

Several of the key players on both sides were wearing different uniforms in 1996, including Neil O’Donnell, who signed a big contract to play for the Jets, and Larry Brown, who moved on to Oakland. The Cowboys once again finished first in the NFC East but fell to the upstart Carolina Panthers in the Divisional playoff round. Pittsburgh, despite a tumultuous offseason, came back to top the AFC Central and thrashed the Colts in the Wild Card round before losing to New England.

2002: Bledsoe Comes Off Bench to Lead Patriots Over Steelers for AFC Title

The AFC Championship game on January 27, 2002 featured the overachieving New England Patriots against the defensively-solid Pittsburgh Steelers. In their second season under Head Coach Bill Belichick, and coming off a 5-11 record in 2000, the Patriots started off 2001 at 5-5 before reeling off six straight wins to finish first in the AFC East at 11-5. A key development along the way had been an injury to QB Drew Bledsoe that resulted in unheralded backup Tom Brady moving into the lineup and remaining there even after the 29-year-old veteran had recovered. Overall, the Patriots were not an overwhelmingly talented team, but they did jell under Belichick’s coaching. They defeated the Raiders in a snowy overtime Divisional playoff game that featured a controversial reversal of an apparent fumble due to the tuck rule to advance to the conference title game.

The Steelers, in their tenth year under Head Coach Bill Cowher, came into the game as nine-point favorites. After missing the postseason in the three previous seasons, Pittsburgh went 13-3 in ’01 to top the AFC Central and gain top seed in the playoffs. Guided on offense by talented but erratic QB Kordell Stewart, the Steelers were adept at running the ball, although Pro Bowl RB Jerome Bettis had been slowed by a groin injury that had kept him out of action since Week 12. Still, they had two thousand-yard wide receivers in Hines Ward, another Pro Bowler, and Plaxico Burress. But the key to their success was the league’s top-ranked defense that featured linebackers Jason Gildon, Kendrell Bell, and Joey Porter. The Steelers had easily dispatched the defending league champions, the Ravens, in the Divisional round of the playoffs.

There was a crowd of 64,704 at Heinz Field, and they saw a quiet start to the contest as both teams traded punts back and forth. With just over four minutes remaining in the opening period, the Steelers had to punt from their own 13 and Josh Miller got off a 64-yard boot, but had to kick again when WR Troy Edwards was flagged for stepping out of bounds and returning to the field. It made a big difference as the second kick was returned 55 yards for a touchdown by WR Troy Brown to give the Patriots a lead.

In a series that extended into the second quarter, the Steelers drove into New England territory. After reaching the 11 yard line, Kris Brown kicked a 30-yard field goal to get the home team on the board. The contest again settled into a defensive battle until the Patriots took possession at their own 30 with less than three minutes remaining in the half. On the third play, Brady passed to Troy Brown for a 28-yard gain, but the quarterback was hit hard by SS Lee Flowers. Brady left the game with an injured left leg.

In to replace him was the quarterback who had been relegated to the bench, Drew Bledsoe (pictured at top). Four plays later, after hitting WR David Patten for gains of 15 and 10 yards and then running for four yards, Bledsoe threw again to Patten for an 11-yard touchdown. The Patriots were up by 14-3 at halftime.

In their second possession of the third quarter, the Steelers drove to the New England 16, but a 34-yard field goal attempt was blocked by DT Brandon Mitchell and Troy Brown picked up the loose ball, ran 11 yards, and then lateraled to DB Antwan Harris who carried it the remaining 49 yards for a TD.

Pittsburgh came back with a long 79-yard series in eight plays that featured Stewart completions to Ward for 24 yards and RB Amos Zereoue for 19 and culminated in a one-yard scoring run by Jerome Bettis. New England’s lead was cut to 21-10 with over five minutes to go in the third quarter.

The Steelers closed the gap even more following a 28-yard punt return by Troy Edwards to the New England 32. They went 32 yards, the final 11 coming on a run by Zereoue. It was a four point game heading into the fourth quarter.

A long, methodical drive by the Patriots added more points less than four minutes into the final period on a 44-yard Vinatieri field goal. The Steelers had plenty of time, but their remaining three possessions ended in a punt and two interceptions, by FS Tebucky Jones and SS Lawyer Milloy. Vinatieri missed a 50-yard field goal try in an effort to extend the lead, but it didn’t matter. The Patriots were AFC Champions by a final score of 24-17.

The Steelers had the edge in both total yards (306 to 259) and first downs (23 to 15). However, they also turned the ball over four times, to none by New England. Linebackers Willie McGinest and Ted Johnson did a great job of shutting down Pittsburgh’s running game, as the Steelers gained only 58 yards on 22 carries. Pittsburgh also recorded more sacks (four to three) and the Patriots hurt themselves with 12 penalties, at a cost of 87 yards, as opposed to three flags thrown on the home team.

In his relief effort, Drew Bledsoe completed 10 of 21 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. Before exiting, Tom Brady was successful on 12 of 18 throws for 115 yards. Troy Brown (pictured below) had a big day, catching 8 passes for 121 yards, returning a punt for a TD, and contributing to the score on the blocked field goal. Antowain Smith rushed for 47 yards on 15 attempts.

For the Steelers, Kordell Stewart went to the air 42 times and completed 24 of those passes for 255 yards and no touchdowns along with three interceptions. He also led the club in rushing with 41 yards on 8 carries while the hobbled Jerome Bettis was held to 8 yards on 9 attempts that included a short TD and Amos Zeroue gained 11 yards and scored once on four carries, although he also caught 4 passes for 50 yards. Hines Ward had 6 pass receptions for 64 yards and Plaxico Burress gained 67 yards on 5 catches.

“I’ve done this for a long time and at times at a pretty high level,” said Drew Bledsoe of his performance off the bench. “I felt confident coming out. I’ve been working out and preparing for this exact scenario.”

Tom Brady was back for the Super Bowl and the upstart Patriots defeated the St. Louis Rams in a stunning upset. They missed out on the postseason in 2002 but came back to win the first of back-to-back NFL titles in ’03. Pittsburgh again reached the playoffs in ’02 and lost in the Divisional playoff round.

The relief appearance by Drew Bledsoe marked the end of his nine-year career in New England. He moved on to the division-rival Buffalo Bills for 2002. 

2005: Steelers Beat Jets in Divisional Playoff with FG in Overtime

The AFC Divisional Playoff game at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field on January 15, 2005 appeared to be a mismatch. The Pittsburgh Steelers were perennial contenders under Head Coach Bill Cowher and had gone 15-1 during the 2004 regular season. Rookie QB Ben Roethlisberger took over as the starting quarterback three games into the schedule when veteran Tommy Maddox was injured and was nothing short of sensational – the team won all 13 of his starts and he set rookie records by completing 66.4 % of his passes and compiling a 98.1 passer rating. He was helped by an outstanding ground game that featured the aging Jerome Bettis (pictured above) and newcomer Duce Staley, signed away from the Eagles. Pro Bowl WR Hines Ward was the most productive passing target. Most of all, the defense was the league’s best and contained Pro Bowlers in DE Aaron Smith, ILB James Farrior, OLB Joey Porter, and SS Troy Polamalu.

The visiting New York Jets placed second in the AFC East with a 10-6 record and had just gotten past the Chargers in overtime in the Wild Card Playoff round to advance to the Divisional level. Under Head Coach Herman Edwards, the backfield contained the NFL’s leading rusher in RB Curtis Martin (1697 yards) and the Jets utilized a West Coast passing offense that was directed by QB Chad Pennington, who made up for a weak arm with accuracy and toughness (he was battling a sore shoulder that would require rotator cuff surgery in the offseason). The defense was not on a par with Pittsburgh’s but was aggressive and tough against the run. However, the Jets had scored just six points in each of their prior two games against the Steelers, including a few weeks earlier during the regular season, and were clear underdogs.

Neither offense was able to get out of its own side of the field until midway through the first quarter when the Steelers drove 36 yards in seven plays. Jerome Bettis gained 17 yards in three carries and Ben Roethlisberger completed a pass to Hines Ward for 14 yards. Jeff Reed kicked a 49-yard field goal to give Pittsburgh the early 3-0 advantage.

On the second play of New York’s next series, Chad Pennington was intercepted by Troy Polamalu, who returned it 15 yards to give the Steelers excellent field position at the Jets’ 25. Five plays later, Bettis ran three yards up the middle for a touchdown and, with the successful extra point, it was a 10-0 game.

The Jets responded with a drive that extended into the second quarter and went 39 yards in 11 plays. Doug Brien’s 42-yard field goal attempt was successful and narrowed the score to 10-3. The Steelers went three-and-out in their next possession but, following a penalty on the punt return, New York started its next series at its own ten yard line. Pennington threw to WR Justin McCareins for a 30-yard gain but the promising drive finally stalled at the Pittsburgh 34 and the Jets punted. The Steelers also punted following a drive that netted 15 yards and WR Santana Moss (pictured below) returned it 75 yards for a touchdown that, combined with the successful PAT, tied the score at 10-10. That was still the tally at halftime.

The teams traded punts to start the third quarter but the Steelers drove into New York territory in their second possession. Roethlisberger completed passes to Ward for 12 yards, WR Plaxico Burress for 17, and WR Lee Mays for eight yards in a third-and-three situation. But after reaching the New York 34, a pass by Roethlisberger was picked off by SS Reggie Tongue, who returned it 86 yards for a TD. Thanks to the big plays on the punt and interception returns, the Jets were ahead by 17-10 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Steelers again advanced into New York territory but another turnover blunted a promising drive as Bettis uncharacteristically fumbled and FS Erik Coleman recovered at the 23. The Jets failed to get a first down and kicked the ball back to the Steelers, who started off from their 34 with 12:41 left in regulation. Pittsburgh put together another good drive, going 66 yards in 12 plays, and this time there were no turnovers. Roethlisberger took off for a 20-yard run to start the series which, with the exception of three short passes, stayed on the ground. Bettis and Duce Staley both carried the ball and the third of the passes was to Ward for a four-yard TD. Reed’s extra point tied the score at 17-17.

The Jets now moved the ball effectively as Pennington connected with McCareins for a 22-yard gain and Curtis Martin for 17. However, after reaching the Pittsburgh 28 the resulting 47-yard field goal try by Brien struck the goal post and was unsuccessful. But the Jets got the ball back right away when a Roethlisberger pass was intercepted by CB David Barrett and returned 25 yards to the Pittsburgh 36. It seemed as though the Jets had the game in hand as they chipped away to the 24 and, with time running out in regulation, lined up for another field goal attempt by Brien. The 43-yard kick, sailing far off the mark, was no good and the contest proceeded into overtime.

The Jets had the first possession in overtime and had to punt from their 41. Following WR Antwaan Randle El’s eight-yard return, the Steelers started off from their 13 yard line and went 72 yards in 14 plays. Along the way, Roethlisberger threw to Ward for a 17-yard gain on a third-and-six play and Pittsburgh converted a third-and-five situation thanks to a nine-yard run by RB Verron Haynes. Staley followed up with three carries for 17 yards to get the ball to the New York 24 and, after advancing further to the 15, Reed booted a 33-yard field goal – his 19^th straight successful three-pointer – to give the Steelers a 20-17 win.

Pittsburgh accumulated more total yards (364 to 275) and first downs (23 to 17). 193 of those yards came on the ground. However, the Steelers also turned the ball over three times, to one by the Jets, which nearly proved fatal.

Ben Roethlisberger (pictured above) completed 17 of 30 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown but with two interceptions. Jerome Bettis led the running game with 101 yards and a TD on 27 carries while Duce Staley added 54 yards on 11 attempts. Hines Ward caught 10 passes for 105 yards and a score.

For the Jets, Chad Pennington was successful on 21 of 33 throws for 182 yards with none for TDs and one intercepted. Curtis Martin rushed for 77 yards on 19 carries and caught four passes for 29 more yards. Justin McCareins led the club with 5 pass receptions for 82 yards. Thanks to the long return for a score, Santana Moss had 83 yards on punt returns to go along with his four catches for 31 yards.

Doug Brien (pictured at right) achieved the dubious distinction of being the first placekicker in NFL history to miss two field goal attempts in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter of a playoff game; just the week before he had booted a field goal in overtime to beat the Chargers.

“I had confidence in him,” said Herman Edwards of the kicker. “He made the one last week and I thought he could make it…He’s been a good kicker for us. It was just a tough day.”

Brien was let go by the Jets during the offseason, after they drafted PK Mike Nugent in the second round out of Ohio State. He was signed by the Bears but appeared in just three games before being dropped to thus end his 12-year NFL career.

The Steelers advanced to the AFC Championship game, which they lost to the New England Patriots. They came back in 2005 with a lesser record, finishing the regular season as a Wild Card team, but went all the way to win the Super Bowl. The Jets dropped to 4-12 in an injury-plagued year before bouncing back to the postseason in ’06.

2002: Maddox & Burress Set Records as Steelers and Falcons Tie

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons both had 5-3 records and were riding four-game winning streaks as they faced each other on November 10, 2002. For the Steelers, Head Coach Bill Cowher had made a significant move in replacing starting QB Kordell Stewart with Tommy Maddox (pictured above) and it was paying off in a big way. Maddox, a first round draft choice for the Broncos in 1992, had been a major disappointment, lasting just two years in Denver before bouncing to the Rams, Giants, Falcons, Arena Football League, and XFL. He led the Los Angeles Xtreme to the XFL title in 2001 and parlayed that success into a return to the NFL.

Atlanta, coached by Dan Reeves, had second-year QB Michael Vick in his first full season in the starting job. His running ability and strong left arm were assets, but he had plenty of rough edges and was very much a work in progress. RB Warrick Dunn provided versatility out of the backfield.

There was a crowd of 62,779 in attendance at Heinz Field. The Steelers had the first possession of the game and punted. Starting at their 20, the Falcons drove into Pittsburgh territory with Dunn running effectively and Vick completing four straight passes. But Vick fumbled and LB Joey Porter recovered and returned the ball to midfield.

Three plays later, Maddox threw to WR Antwaan Randle-El for a 36-yard gain in a third-and-sixteen situation and a 20-yard completion to WR Hines Ward (pictured below) got the ball to the Atlanta four yard line. But now it was Maddox fumbling and LB Keith Brooking recovered to end the threat. Following a punt by the Falcons, Todd Peterson kicked a 34-yard field goal with nine seconds remaining in the opening period to give the Steelers the lead.

Atlanta started off the second quarter by driving 77 yards in four plays to get on the board. Vick threw to WR Shawn Jefferson for a 43-yard TD and, with the successful PAT, it was 7-3. Pittsburgh responded with a scoring drive of its own, with Maddox successful on four passes and RB Amos Zereoue gaining 23 yards on the ground. WR Plaxico Burress caught a pass from Maddox for a 33-yard touchdown.

The Steelers drove to another TD following a short series for the Falcons. Maddox went to Burress for 32 yards on first down, Ward went 29 yards on an end-around play, and after an incomplete pass Maddox passed to Ward for a five-yard touchdown and 17-7 lead.

The teams traded punts until Pittsburgh mounted an eight-yard series but Peterson’s 40-yard field goal attempt was unsuccessful to end the first half.

Down by ten points, Atlanta started off the third quarter with an 80-yard scoring drive that culminated in Dunn running up the middle for a 59-yard touchdown. The Steelers came right back, however, with Maddox throwing to Burress for a 62-yard TD. The extra point attempt was no good and the score remained at 23-14 in Pittsburgh’s favor.

Atlanta’s next series was highlighted by two long third down conversions. In a third-and-22 situation, Vick completed a pass to WR Brian Finneran for 23 yards and shortly thereafter, backed up by a penalty that made for a third-and-23 play, he completed a pass to WR Trevor Gaylor for 27 yards to the Pittsburgh 21. The 11-play, 48-yard possession ended with Jay Feely kicking a 36-yard field goal to narrow the Steelers’ lead to six points.

Once again Pittsburgh responded by putting points on the board. Maddox completed a seven-play, 67-yard drive by throwing to Ward for 10 yards, Burress for 20, and then 18 yards for a touchdown to TE Jerame Tuman. It was 31-17 heading into the fourth quarter.

A fumble late in the third quarter had given the Steelers good field position at the Atlanta 37 and they drove to a Peterson field goal, this time from 34 yards early in the final period.

The Falcons had to punt following their next possession but a fumble on the return by Randle El was recovered by LB Mark Simoneau and gave Atlanta the ball back at the Pittsburgh 37. Atlanta made the most of it, with FB Bob Christian scoring a touchdown from a yard out five plays later. It was now a ten-point game, with Pittsburgh’s lead cut to 34-24.

The Steelers went three-and-out on their next series and a punt by Josh Miller was returned 18 yards by CB Allen Rossum to the Atlanta 35. Backing themselves up with penalties, the Falcons got a first down on a Vick pass to Dunn that picked up 16 yards. Later, in a third-and-nine situation, Vick threw to TE Alge Crumpler for 21 yards. The biggest play of all came when, on third-and-24 at their own 43, Vick went to Jefferson for a 35-yard gain. The Falcons could get no further and Feely booted a 40-yard field goal.

Once again the Steelers had to punt and, thanks to another fine return by Rossum of 34 yards, Atlanta took over at midfield with just under two minutes remaining in regulation. Vick threw back-to-back passes to Jefferson that picked up a total of 27 yards. Two plays later and facing third-and-three, the quick-footed quarterback ran for seven yards. Finally, on the sixth play of the series and with less than a minute remaining, Vick took off on a broken play for an 11-yard touchdown. Feely’s all-important extra point attempt was successful and the game was tied.

There was still time for the Steelers to respond but the clock ran out for them at the Atlanta 37 and the contest went into overtime. Pittsburgh had the first possession and drove to the Atlanta 30, with the key play being a 30-yard pass completion from Maddox to Ward. But Peterson’s 48-yard field goal attempt was blocked when Finneran, who had never played on special teams before, got a hand on it.

After a short possession by the Falcons, the Steelers again advanced into Atlanta territory. They kept the ball on the ground with Zeroue carrying, except for a 24-yard pickup on a pass from Maddox to Burress. But after the drive stalled at the 33 yard line, the Steelers punted.

The Falcons again punted in turn and, three plays later, Maddox was intercepted by CB Kevin Mathis to give Atlanta good field position at the Pittsburgh 44. The Falcons were only able to pick up six yards and, with time running out in the extra period, Feely attempted a 56-yard field goal that was blocked. From the Pittsburgh 49 the Steelers had just one second to work with. Maddox threw a long “Hail Mary” pass to Burress who gathered it in at the one for a 50-yard gain but couldn’t manage to fall into the end zone. For the first time in five years, a NFL game ended in a tie by the score of 34-34.

The Steelers gained a whopping 645 total yards, to 447 for Atlanta. Pittsburgh also had more first downs (30 to 21). The Steelers also turned the ball over three times, to two turnovers by the Falcons, although Atlanta was penalized 11 times, against four flags thrown on the home team.

Tommy Maddox completed 28 of 41 passes for a then-team-record 473 yards and four touchdowns with one intercepted. Plaxico Burress (pictured at right) also set a franchise high with his 253 yards on 9 catches that included two TDs. Hines Ward added 11 pass receptions for 139 yards and a score. Amos Zereoue rushed for 123 yards on 37 carries.

For the Falcons, Michael Vick was successful on 24 of 46 throws for 294 yards and a TD with none intercepted, although he was sacked four times and twice was called for intentional grounding. He gained 38 yards on 10 carries with one touchdown. Warrick Dunn gained 129 yards on 20 rushing attempts and scored a TD. Shawn Jefferson topped the receivers with 9 catches for 131 yards and a score.

“I can’t believe it,” said Hines Ward. “For us to do the things we did – I mean, Tommy almost threw for 500 yards – and to fall short, it’s unbelievable.”

“We didn’t win, but we didn’t lose,” added Plaxico Burress. “It’s so disappointing. You have this uneasy feeling that you lost, but you know you really didn’t.”

The Steelers lost the next week but recovered to win five of six games to close out the regular season atop the AFC North at 10-5-1. They defeated the division-rival Browns in the Wild Card round before losing to Tennessee in overtime at the Divisional level. Atlanta won three straight following the tie before slumping, but finished second in the NFC South and qualified for the postseason as a Wild Card. They stunned the Packers in the Wild Card round before losing their Divisional playoff game at Philadelphia.

Tommy Maddox suffered a spinal chord injury the next week at Tennessee that, amazingly considering the apparent severity at the time, cost him only two games. Overall he completed 62.1 percent of his passes for 2836 yards and 20 touchdowns with 16 interceptions. Maddox received Comeback Player of the Year honors from the Associated Press and Pro Football Writers.

Plaxico Burress caught 78 passes for 1325 yards (17.0 avg.) and seven TDs. Hines Ward earned selection to the Pro Bowl by pulling in 112 passes for 1329 yards (11.9 avg.) and 12 touchdowns.

Michael Vick (pictured below) also was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time, passing for 2936 yards with 16 TDs and 8 interceptions and rushing for 777 yards and eight scores. Warrick Dunn topped the Falcons in rushing with 927 yards and caught 50 passes for 377 more. Brian Finneran ended up as the team’s top receiver with 56 catches for 838 yards (15.0 avg.). 

1999: Defense and Special Teams Propel Seahawks Over Steelers

Coming into the 1999 NFL season the Seattle Seahawks had not finished with a winning record in nine years and they had last qualified for the postseason in 1988. After two straight 8-8 records, Head Coach Dennis Erickson was dismissed in favor of Mike Holmgren, who had won two NFC Championships and a Super Bowl in Green Bay.

Among changes for the Seahawks was the insertion of 27-year-old Jon Kitna (pictured above) as the starting quarterback. A backup in his first two seasons, Kitna was largely untested, having appeared in nine games and gotten his most extensive action in the World League of American Football. There was established talent on offense as well, however, in veteran RB Ricky Watters and WR Joey Galloway.

The Seahawks lost their opener to Detroit and just squeaked by the Bears in Week 2. On September 26 they faced a big test as they traveled to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers. Seattle was 1-5 overall at Three Rivers Stadium and the Steelers had won big just two weeks earlier, moving the ball with ease in a 43-0 blowout of Cleveland, and improved to 2-0 with a close win at Baltimore.

Under Head Coach Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh had made it to the playoffs in six consecutive seasons, including an AFC title in 1995, before dropping to 7-9 in ’98. The Steelers had an effective ground game featuring “The Bus”, RB Jerome Bettis, and the defense was tough. The biggest question remained at quarterback, where Kordell Stewart was as inconsistent as he was an impressive athlete.

It was the home-opening game for the Steelers and there were 57,881 fans in attendance at Three Rivers Stadium. It didn’t take long to deflate their enthusiasm. The Seahawks scored the first two times they touched the ball – without running a play from scrimmage.

Kordell Stewart’s second pass of the game was deflected off the hands of WR Will Blackwell and intercepted by Seattle safety Merton Hanks, who returned it 23 yards for a touchdown. Just two minutes later, RB Charlie Rogers fielded Josh Brown’s high 62-yard punt at his six yard line and ran down the sideline for a 94-yard touchdown. Seattle was ahead by 14-0 with only 3:20 run off the clock and the home crowd booing.

On their first offensive play, the Seahawks proved they could move the ball effectively when Jon Kitna connected with WR Mike Pritchard for a 51-yard gain. It set up a 45-yard Todd Peterson field goal and the score remained 17-0 at the end of the opening period.

It was all anticlimactic from there. Peterson kicked three field goals in the second quarter, from 51, 41, and 26 yards, the last following an interception by safety Jay Bellamy. The ineffective Steelers, error-prone and dominated by Seattle’s defense, didn’t make it inside the Seattle 38 until the third quarter.

Kordell Stewart was pulled at halftime and replaced by backup QB Mike Tomczak, although he fared little better. Two drives inside the Seattle 25 came up empty when Tomczak tossed interceptions, snuffing out any comeback hopes for the home team. Kris Brown finally got the Steelers on the board in the fourth quarter with a 33-yard field goal and, after Peterson kicked his club-record fifth field goal from 38 yards out, Tomczak threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to WR Troy Edwards. It did little to soften the blow of losing badly to Seattle by a score of 29-10.

While they didn’t score any offensive touchdowns, the Seahawks had the most total yards (341 to 272) and first downs (16 to 15). The Steelers turned the ball over five times, all on interceptions, to two suffered by Seattle.

Jon Kitna completed 18 of 29 passes for 265 yards, and while none were for touchdowns, none were intercepted either. Ricky Watters ground out 98 yards on 29 carries. Mike Pritchard caught 6 passes for 90 yards and WR Sean Dawkins gained 105 yards on his 5 receptions.

For the Steelers, Kordell Stewart was successful on just 7 of 14 throws for 61 yards with no TDs and three interceptions while Mike Tomczak went to the air 27 times and completed 14 for 159 yards and a TD with two picked off. Jerome Bettis was held to just 39 yards on 11 rushing attempts. Troy Edwards led the receivers with 6 catches for 72 yards and a TD and WR Courtney Hawkins contributed 5 receptions for 63 yards.

“That was huge for us,” said Jon Kitna of the big win. “We talked all week about wanting to start fast. And it didn’t matter if it was on offense or defense.”

“I thought our quarterback performance was very bad,” summed up Bill Cowher.

Seattle won again the next week and six times in the next seven games before closing out the season with six losses in the final seven contests. Still, it was good enough for a 9-7 record and first place in the AFC West. The Seahawks lost to Miami in the Wild Card playoff round.

Pittsburgh lost its next two games on the way to a dismal 6-10 record and fourth place finish in the AFC Central. Kordell Stewart’s struggles at quarterback continued and he lost his starting job for the last six games and was used as a wide receiver.

Jon Kitna had a promising but uneven season, throwing for 3346 yards and 23 touchdowns, but of his 16 interceptions, 10 came in the last six regular season contests and he was picked off twice in the playoff game.

Todd Peterson had a good year kicking the ball, setting a club record with 16 straight successful field goals on his way to booting 34 in 40 attempts. Charlie Rogers led the NFL with a 14.5-yard average on his 22 punt returns – the 94-yard return against the Steelers was his lone touchdown.