2005: Manning TDs Spur AFC to Win in Pro Bowl

There was a sellout crowd of 50,225 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu for the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl on February 13, 2005, marking the 26^th consecutive season that the contest had been staged in Hawaii. The coaches of the teams were Pittsburgh’s Bill Cowher for the AFC and, for the NFC, Jim Mora Jr. of the Falcons.

The AFC scored first on a 62-yard pass play from QB Peyton Manning (pictured above) to Indianapolis teammate WR Marvin Harrison. New England’s Adam Vinatieri added the extra point. LB Joey Porter of the Steelers then intercepted a pass by Eagles QB Donovan McNabb and Manning led the AFC on another scoring drive, going 69 yards in five plays and finishing with a throw to wide-open Pittsburgh WR Hines Ward for a 41-yard TD. With Vinatieri’s conversion, the score was 14-0 heading into the second quarter.

The NFC put together a long scoring series of 10 plays that covered 84 yards and concluded with RB Brian Westbrook of the Eagles running for a 12-yard touchdown. David Akers, also of Philadelphia, added the extra point. However, when the NFC attempted an onside kick, Ward leaped to grab the ball and then ran 39 yards for a TD (pictured below) – the second on a kickoff return in Pro Bowl history (Detroit’s Jack Christiansen ran won 103 yards in 1956 at the time of the old East vs. West format). Vinatieri kicked the point after and the AFC was again in front by 14 points at 21-7.

Buffalo LB Takeo Spikes intercepted a pass by QB Daunte Culpepper of the Vikings and, adding in a lateral to Porter, the AFC had the ball once again in NFC territory. They added more points, driving 38 yards in eight plays. Manning tossed his third TD pass of the game, connecting with TE Antonio Gates of the Chargers from 12 yards out.

The NFC finally got on the board again before the end of the half, driving 65 yards in 10 plays. Akers kicked a 25-yard field goal with 1:45 left on the clock and the AFC took a 28-10 lead into halftime.

The AFC defense was exceptionally aggressive during the first half, which led to grumblings by NFC players and coaches that they were blitzing – something not allowed in the Pro Bowl.

Heading into the third quarter, Atlanta QB Michael Vick rallied the NFC on three straight scoring drives. In his first possession behind center, Vick completed four of six throws, including a 27-yard touchdown pass to WR Torry Holt of the Rams. It finished off an eight-play, 73-yard series and, with Akers adding the PAT, made the score 28-17.

The next NFC series, following an interception by Philadelphia CB Lito Sheppard of a pass by QB Tom Brady of the champion Patriots, went 69 yards in nine plays. It concluded with the elusive Vick running three yards and diving into the end zone for a TD, despite his helmet being knocked off by Baltimore SS Ed Reed.

The AFC came back to add points early in the fourth quarter as Vinatieri kicked a 36-yard field goal to finish a 13-play, 54-yard possession. However, the NFC responded by driving 68 yards in 12 plays and, midway through the fourth quarter, Akers kicked a 21-yard field goal to narrow the tally to 31-27.

That was as far as the NFC got, however. On the next series, the AFC drove 71 yards in six plays to add to their lead. QB Drew Brees of the Chargers passed on a flea-flicker play to his San Diego teammate Gates for a 33-yard gain to set up a four-yard TD carry by yet another Charger, RB LaDainian Tomlinson.

There was still plenty of time, but the AFC defense stopped the next NFC series in five plays and then finished things off when Buffalo CB Nate Clements picked off a Vick throw with two minutes remaining to play. The AFC came away with a 38-27 win.

The NFC had more total yards (492 to 343) and first downs (26 to 15) but also committed three turnovers, to two by the AFC, as well as the TD on the botched onside kick.

Peyton Manning was the game’s MVP after completing 6 passes in 10 attempts for 130 yards, with three for touchdowns. Tom Brady made good on just four of nine tosses for 48 yards and gave up an interception, while Drew Brees completed both of his passes for 58 yards. RB Rudi Johnson of the Bengals was the AFC’s top rusher with 33 yards on six carries. Hines Ward had three catches for 63 yards and a TD, as well as the kickoff return for a score, and San Diego TE Antonio Gates also had three receptions, for 51 yards and a touchdown. Thanks to the long scoring catch, Marvin Harrison accumulated 66 yards on his two pass receptions.

For the NFC, Michael Vick completed 14 of 24 passes for 205 yards and a touchdown with one interception. Also rushing for 10 yards on three carries, he became the first quarterback to both throw and run for a touchdown in a Pro Bowl contest (although a running back, Marcus Allen, had done it in 1986). Daunte Culpepper was successful on 9 of 15 throws for 124 yards, with one intercepted, but Donovan McNabb was a disappointing one-of-eight for 24 yards and also had one pass picked off. RB Tiki Barber of the Giants ran the ball 9 times for 70 yards and Torry Holt pulled in 5 passes for 99 yards and a touchdown.

 “I’m not going to say I wasn’t holding my breath over there once Vick started to roll around, but our defense did a great job of stopping him,” said Manning, who was making his fifth Pro Bowl appearance. “It was good we got the game this year after we let the lead slip away last year.” He was referring to the wild 55-52 contest of the preceding year that was pulled out by the NFC.

The win was the fourth in five games for the AFC and broke a tie to give them an 18 to 17 edge over the NFC since the Pro Bowl had adopted the AFC vs. NFC format following the 1970 season.

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. 

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.).