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Sunday, October 29, 2000

By David Ginsburg, The Associated Press

BALTIMORE (AP) - A change of quarterbacks did little to alter the fortunes of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens.

The Steelers offense struggled under Kordell Stewart, but Baltimore went a fifth straight game without a touchdown and lost its third in a row, 9-6 today.

	Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart launches a pass despite pressure from Baltimore Ravens defensive end Michael McCrary in first half action at PSINet Stadium this afternoon. (Matt Freed, Post-Gazette)

Pittsburgh recorded its fifth straight win despite getting just one touchdown and a gift-wrapped field goal. Stewart, given the nod to start over Kent Graham, completed 9 of 18 passes for 133 yards and a score.

The victory propelled Pittsburgh (5-3) past Baltimore (5-4) and into second place in the AFC Central. It was a rematch of the season opener, when Tony Banks led the Ravens to a 16-0 win at Three Rivers Stadium.

Ravens quarterback Trent Dilfer, starting in place of the slumping Banks, went 11-for-24 for 152 yards. But he couldn't take Baltimore into the end zone, fumbling inside the Pittsburgh 10 on the opening drive and throwing an interception that resulted in a Steelers touchback.

Baltimore went the entire month of October without a touchdown, losing three of five during that span. The Ravens' touchdown drought is 306 minutes, 39 seconds, dating back to the fourth quarter of their Sept. 24 game against Cincinnati and covering 58 possessions.

Pittsburgh, coming off two straight shutouts, allowed a pair of first-half field goals by Matt Stover. But the Steelers have not yielded a touchdown in 16 successive quarters.

The Steelers forged a 6-6 tie on their second offensive play of the second half when Hines Ward outleaped Duane Starks for a long pass at the 5 and strolled into the end zone to complete a 45-yard play.

The conversion kick by Kris Brown went wide, but Corey Harris fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Pittsburgh recovered at the Baltimore 27. Six plays later, Brown kicked a 24-yard field goal to put the Steelers up 9-6.

Baltimore got to the Pittsburgh 33 with 7:40 left before punting. The Ravens got the ball back on their 10 with 2:54 remaining, but Dilfer's fourth-down pass from the Baltimore 29 fell incomplete and the Steelers ran out the clock.

Pittsburgh could muster only 84 yards in offense and trailed 6-0 at halftime.

The Ravens appeared poised to finally reach the end zone on their initial possession, but Dilfer fumbled a snap on the Pittsburgh 9 and the Steelers' Lee Flowers recovered at the 13.

Baltimore moved 30 yards to the Pittsburgh 38 on its next drive before Dilfer was sacked on a third-down play, forcing a punt.

The Ravens then turned a 40-yard screen pass to Jamal Lewis into a 51-yard field goal by Stover in the second quarter. Their next drive covered 49 yards and resulted in a 49-yard field goal.

For complete game coverage and analysis see your Monday Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.