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Nothing to block storm's momentum

Monday, September 10, 2001

By Gerry Dulac, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- It didn't just rain yesterday in the second quarter. It poured.

And that was long before anyone got wet.

	Josh Miller gets medical attention after being hit by the Jaguars' Donovin Darius yesterday in the second quarter. Miller left the game with a bruised leg. (Peter Diana, Post-Gazette)

The first storm blew through Alltel Stadium in the moments after the Jacksonville Jaguars had taken a 7-3 lead on the Steelers, and it was as sudden as it was destructive.

Like many of the hurricanes that form in the Atlantic Ocean, this one had a name, too.

Donovin Darius.

Not only did Darius, a hard-hitting Jaguars safety, come unabated and partially block Josh Miller's punt to forever change the momentum of this AFC Central Division encounter, but he also ran into Miller so hard he knocked Miller from the game with a left thigh contusion. That forced kicker Kris Brown to punt for the first time since high school.

But what really disturbed the Steelers, who lost their season opener, 21-3, is they allowed a blocked punt even though the Jaguars were rushing just six people.

"It's something that you just can't have happen," Coach Bill Cowher said.

The player responsible for the gaffe was fullback Jon Witman, who lined up on the left side of long-snapper Mike Schneck and was late getting over to block Darius, who was lined on Schneck's other side.

With neither team in control of the game, Darius came blowing through the line like a low-pressure system.

Eight plays later, the Steelers committed another mistake when three players -- strong safety Lee Flowers, free safety Brent Alexander and inside linebacker Earl Holmes -- got crossed up in a zone defense, opening the middle of the field. The result was the second of three touchdown passes thrown by Jaguars quarterback Mark Brunell, this one from 15 yards to Jimmy Smith, for a 14-3 lead.

After the play, Flowers was yelling and gesturing at Alexander, who was late getting over on the play. Flowers, though, said he was upset because the Jaguars had turned a 3-0 deficit into a 14-3 lead in a matter of five minutes.

"That quick, they scored 14 points on us," Flowers said, snapping his fingers. "That's what is disappointing. Here we are, we're sitting on the sideline; now we're back on the field and it's 14-3. I was more frustrated with that than that particular play."

Said Alexander: "You hit a point where it seems like guys aren't trying. That's what you feel like when the score goes up so fast -- like we quit. That wasn't the case. You just get frustrated."

There was one more costly mistake, this one coming when Hines Ward fumbled while trying to gain extra yards after a 6-yard catch. The Jaguars turned that into a touchdown, too, with the help of a throwback screen to tight end Damon Jones. That made it 21-3, but the damage had been done.

Moments later, a thunderstorm opened on the crowd of 63,784.

It was nothing compared to the soaking the Steelers had just endured.

"Those are the periods in the game where you have to be able to stop them and create the momentum on our side," Cowher said. "The second quarter, we had a lull we couldn't overcome."

And it started soon after Dewayne Washington let Smith get behind him down the left sideline for a 34-yard touchdown.

After failing to get a first down on the ensuing series, Miller came on to punt from his own 35. The Jaguars, though, rushed only six players, an indication they were not intent on blocking Miller's punt.

Witman, who is recovering from a bad back, was lined up to the left of Schneck on the Steelers' punt unit. Linebacker John Fiala was lined to Schneck's right. Witman's responsibility was to block Darius, who was lined directly over Schneck.

At the snap, Darius rushed to the left -- Schneck's right side -- away from Witman. Darius came through so quickly, so cleanly, Witman never had a chance to pick him up.

And Miller never had a chance.

"I got [Darius]," Witman said. "That's who I got. I got to get him. No excuses."

Technically, Darius was not credited with a blocked punt because he didn't touch the ball when he crashed into Miller. But the impact was such that Miller went down in a heap and the ball bounced weakly to the 50.

Perhaps in a fit of stubbornness, the Steelers ran the same blocking scheme later in the game. That time, Witman got over to block Darius.

The first time, he didn't.

"I didn't get out as fast as I should have," Witman said.

Told that Darius had come from the other side of center, Witman said: "It doesn't matter. I got to get him. It was my fault. He blocked the damn punt."

He also changed the complexion of the game.

When it rains, it pours.