Turnovers, poor defense doom Steelers to another AFC title loss
Monday, January 24, 2005
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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The clock struck midnight on Big Ben and the Steelers' enchanted season last night.
It occurred with a loud clang in Heinz Field, as the New England Patriots chewed up rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and spit out the Steelers, 41-27, to advance in defense of their Super Bowl crown.
It has become a common event, the Steelers losing AFC championships at home. This was their fourth loss in five such games in the past 11 years. The only difference this time? It wasn't close. The Patriots ran out to a 21-point halftime lead to quiet the record crowd of 65,242 early, although they booed loudly in the fourth quarter when coach Bill Cowher opted for a short field goal while trailing by 14.
It was the second time in four seasons the Patriots won the AFC championship game in Heinz Field.
"That's happened twice to us," said receiver Hines Ward, one of the few productive Steelers with five receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown. "It's just a sick feeling to see those guys celebrate on our field."
The Steelers, winners of 15 in a row and coming off a team-record 15-1 regular season, were no match for New England. Roethlisberger, 14-0 as a starter in a magical season, continued his poor playoff play. He threw three interceptions, including his second returned for a long touchdown the past two weeks.
"Ben did some things well," Cowher said, "but you can't throw three interceptions, not in a game of this magnitude, not one for a touchdown."
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, a two-time Super Bowl MVP, completed 14 of 21 passes for 207 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Wide receiver Deion Branch, who missed the Patriots' 34-20 defeat here Oct. 31, torched the Steelers with four receptions for 116 yards. That included a 60-yard touchdown in the first quarter that staked New England to a 10-0 lead and set the pace.
"Big games need big plays," Steelers linebacker Clark Haggans said. "I guess that would be the key to them winning today."
The Patriots turned the tables on the Steelers, who ran out to a 21-3 first-quarter lead against them in October. Last night, New England jumped ahead, 24-3, at the half.
"We won the first one," Haggans said. "They won the second, but this is the one that counts."
The Steelers could not get their ground game going early behind running back Jerome Bettis, nor when they switched to Duce Staley. And Roethlisberger again was unable to work the charms he had earlier in the season. His first pass on the first series was a poor one. He threw it high and behind wide receiver Antwaan Randle El, who leaped and tipped it with his left hand. New England cornerback Asante Samuel then tipped it again and safety Eugene Wilson intercepted.
That led to Adam Vinatieri's 48-yard field goal, the longest by an opponent in Heinz field.
The Steelers responded on their next series by moving to the Patriots' 39, where Cowher, gambling early, opted to send Bettis off left guard on fourth-and-1. Bettis was stopped in his tracks, then fumbled, and the Patriots recovered at the 40.
On the next play, Brady, with plenty of time, threw deep to Branch, who beat cornerback Deshea Townsend for a 60-yard touchdown, the longest reception against the Steelers all season.
"He should have had help down the middle," Cowher said of Townsend.
Jeff Reed kicked a 43-yard field goal to cut the lead to 10-3, but it was hardly the sign of a comeback.
Brady went deep again to Branch in the second quarter, and Branch pulled in another long one, this for 45 yards to the 14. Two plays later, cornerback Willie Williams fell down, and Brady threw sideways in front of him to Givens, who easily stepped the 9 yards for a touchdown and a 17-3 lead.
"You're down, 17-3, and you're scrambling, you're fighting back," linebacker Joey Porter said.
The Steelers looked as though they might get back into it near the end of the first half. Thanks to Ward's 19-yard reception, they had a second down at the Patriots' 19. But Patriots safety Rodney Harrison stepped in front of Roethlisberger's pass for tight end Jerame Tuman, intercepted it and returned it 87 yards for a touchdown. Last week, Jets safety Reggie Tongue took one of Roethlisberger's passes back 86 yards for a score.
"That," Cowher said, "was [at least] a 10-point swing."
The defending champs led, 24-3.
"I saw Harrison driving," Roethlisberger said, "I tried to squeeze it in to Jerame."
The Steelers scored on their first drive of the third quarter, moving five plays in 56 yards. Roethlisberger threw a screen pass on the left to Randle El, who scampered 34 yards to the 5. Bettis romped off left tackle for the score and the Patriots led by 14.
The Patriots answered with another touchdown, a 25-yard run by running back Corey Dillon, and a 31-10 lead. Twice, the Steelers thought they had stopped the Patriots. On third-and-17, though, defensive end Aaron Smith was penalized for holding, giving the Patriots a first down. And a Givens fumble, caused and recovered by Williams, was overturned when instant replay showed Givens' knee was down before the ball popped out.
Ward caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger with 2:35 left in the third quarter to make it 31-17.
The Steelers blew a chance to climb within seven when they moved to a first down at New England's 4 at the start of the fourth quarter after a 25-yard run by Bettis and a 26-yard catch by Ward. But wide receiver Plaxico Burress dropped a fade pass in the end zone sandwiched around two Bettis runs for 2 yards, and Cowher opted to send Reed on for the 20-yard field goal. The crowd booed the curious call that kept New England in front by 11 with 13:29 left.
"I'd do it again," Cowher said of his decision.
Vinatieri got those back for New England with 8:03 to go when he kicked a 31-yard field goal.
Branch scored his second touchdown on a 23-yard end around for a 41-20 Patriots lead before Burress scored on a 7-yard pass from Roethlisberger with 52 seconds left.
"Today, they were just the better team," Ward said. "They had their A game and we didn't."
Not surprising. It was, after all, the AFC championship game.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hangs his head as he makes his way to the tunnel after losing to the Patriots in the AFC championship.
(Ed Bouchette can be reached at ebouchette@post-gazette.com or 412-263-3878.)
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