Sunday, January 16, 2005
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Reed feels sorry for Jets kicker, but he'll take the win
Steelers' Super Bowl hopes still kicking
After long day of consuming, to the tailgaters go the spoils
Roethlisberger's hometown becomes hotbed of Steelers fans
Steelers Notebook: Williams doesn't act his age
Steelers Sound Off: Enough Big Ben, bring back Tommy Gun
More Steelers and NFL playoff coverage
Photo Journal: Steelers vs. Jets
Photo Journal: Steelers Nation / Fan photos from around the world
Submit your own Steelers display
Black & Gold Gatherings Sites for Out-of-Town Fans
The Steelers, good all season, got lucky last night.
Jeff Reed kicked a 33-yard field goal in overtime -- after New York Jets kicker Doug Brien missed twice in the final two minutes of regulation -- to give the Steelers a 20-17 playoff victory at Heinz Field.
Their 15th consecutive win advanced the Steelers to the AFC championship Sunday at Heinz Field against the winner of the Indianapolis-New England game today.
"No question I feel lucky," Steelers linebacker Joey Porter said. "I feel lucky and happy."
Brien, whose 28-yard field goal in San Diego a week earlier won the Jets' wild-card playoff game, could not close the deal for the heavy underdogs last night. With the score tied, his 47-yarder clanged off the low left corner of the goal post with 1:56 left.
Given another chance when rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw an interception on the next play, Brien's 43-yarder floated a tad wide as the clock ran out in regulation. Both attempts came at the closed end of the field.
Reed countered with the winner at the open end after the Steelers' defense stopped the Jets on their first possession in overtime. Roethlisberger topped off one of his poorest games by perfectly orchestrating the 72-yard winning drive.
"I feel his pain," Reed said of Brien, who made 21 of 25 attempts during the season.
As for his winning kick, Reed said: "I got all of it. Once I hit it, I knew it was good.
"It's a little easier to do it at home and when the game's tied. I don't think that's a pressure kick at all."
Tell that to Brien, who thought his 47-yarder would be good.
"I thought it was in, I was really surprised," Brien said. "I don't know if the wind picked it up. I thought I hit it pretty well."
Of the second kick, he said, "I tried to hit it too hard and got around on it too much."
The Steelers, 91/2-point favorites to dispatch the Jets after becoming the first AFC team to win 15 games during the season, blew a 10-0 lead, survived two returns by the Jets for touchdowns and a poor performance by Roethlisberger.
The rookie, who became the first quarterback to compile a 13-0 record in NFL history, tossed two interceptions and suffered through a 57.8 passer rating. Safety Reggie Tongue returned one interception 86 yards for a touchdown that put the Jets in front, 17-10, in the third quarter, silencing what had been a raucous crowd.
Santana Moss tied the score for the Jets in the second quarter by returning a punt 75 yards for a touchdown. After Tongue put New York in front, Hines Ward caught a 4-yard shovel pass from Roethlisberger to tie it again with six minutes left.
"There were a lot of highs and a lot of lows in that game," Steelers defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen said. "And we did not waver, not one bit."
Clark Haggans broke up a pass to Wayne Chrebet on third down on the first series of overtime, forcing a Jets punt from their 41. The Steelers took over at their 13. Roethlisberger completed a 9-yard pass on the first play to Ward, who would also catch passes of 17 and six yards on the winning drive and had 10 for 101 on the day.
Jerome Bettis, who ran 27 times for 101 yards, had leg cramps and gave way to Duce Staley, who ran six times for 28 yards on the final drive.
"Our defense stepped up big, stopped them, and our offense just drove the ball down their throats," said Staley, who finished with 54 yards rushing.
The Steelers piled up more yards, 364 to 275, but the Jets had just one turnover. The Steelers had three, including a fumble by Bettis at the New York 24 in the fourth quarter.
"We were running the ball good," Bettis said, "but the turnovers -- we found a way to make it close."
After Brien's first miss, the Steelers took over at the Jets' 37 with 1:58 left in regulation. But, on first down, Roethlisberger overthrew Plaxico Burress, and conerback David Barrett intercepted to give Brien a second try.
"That's tough on you knuckles," cornerback Deshea Townsend said. "I probably have a couple of extra gray hairs. The good part about those is he missed them. You just hate to be in a situation where you have to let another player determine the outcome of the game."
Reed -- who has made 19 field goals in a row -- also kicked the first field goal of the game, from 45 yards, with 5:18 left in the first quarter.
Bettis made it 10-0 later in the period with a 3-yard touchdown run on third down after Troy Polamalu intercepted Chad Pennington's second-down pass and returned it 14 yards to the Jets' 25.
Not only did the Steelers' defense set up that touchdown, it allowed the Jets only three points.
"Our overall effort was great," linebacker James Farrior said. "That's a game that could give you a heart attack, but we just kept fighting, hung in there and came out with the win."
The Jets came right back for a 42-yard field goal by Brien on their next drive and tied it, 10-10, on Moss' punt return. Before that play, halfback Verron Haynes dropped a pass on third down that would have kept a drive going for the Steelers at midfield. Then, they were penalized five yards back to their 35 for a false start by Chidi Iwuoma.
Chris Gardocki's punt was low and short. As Moss caught it, three Steelers overran him with Sean Morey leading the way. Once Moss got past that first wall, he had only to beat Gardocki, and he did. The previous time the Steelers allowed a punt return for a touchdown in the playoffs, Troy Brown did it for New England to help the Patriots win the AFC championship here after the 2001 season.
Roethlisberger, who had his worst game of the season a month ago against the Jets, was only 4 of 12 for 48 yards in the first half. He was 17 of 30 for 181 yards for the game. Pennington wasn't much better -- 21 of 33 for 182 yards with three sacks.
Roethlisberger's worst pass came in the third quarter. He scrambled away from pressure to his right from the Jets' 33 and had Antwaan Randle El wide open. Roethlisberger underthrew him, Tongue intercepted and ran it down the left sideline for an 86-yard touchdown return that gave New York a 17-10 lead with 3:52 left in the quarter.
"I think he was just a little bit off," offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt said of his rookie's play yesterday. "That's going to happen. Mentally, he did a good job managing the game. He may not have played his best game, but he didn't get rattled."
Roethlisberger jump-started the Steelers' tying drive with a 20-yard scramble on first down. They converted two third downs and drove 66 yards on 12 plays, with Ward taking Roethlisberger's shovel pass up the middle for a 4-yard touchdown with six minutes left.
It was a good, clutch drive. Then, the Steelers got lucky, not once but twice.
"You just have to have faith," said Staley. "It definitely tests your faith. We're blessed to be able to play next week."
Steelers kicker Jeff Reed celebrates his winning field goal in overtime yesterday against the Jets with teammate Chris Gardocki.
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(Ed Bouchette can be reached at ebouchette@post-gazette.com or 412-263-3878.)
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