Peter Diana, Post-Gazette Safety Russell Stuvaints leaps onto kicker Jeff Reed as they celebrate the last-second game-winning Steelers field goal at Jacksonville. Click photo for larger image. More Steelers Defensive woes create concern Steelers Notebook: No great reward for Riemersma Game photos: Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars More NFL News AFC North: Bengals comeback derails Ravens' playoff hopes AFC North: Patriots show the Browns no mercy Steelers' next opponent: Pennington gives Jets shot in arm NFL Notebook: Bears DBs get Moss frustrated NFL Roundup: Bulger injured in Rams' win NFL Best: 12/6/04 Black & Gold Insider Today's subscription-only package features post-game audio and columns by Gene Collier and Ron Cook. Steelers beat writer Ed Bouchette will add his post-game analysis this afternoon. Click here to learn more about the Insider service. Subscribers can log in now.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Ben Roethlisberger added more lore to his expanding reputation last night when he drove the Steelers 56 yards in the final two minutes to set up Jeff Reed's 37-yard field goal and a 17-16 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Alltel Stadium.

"The legend grows," guard Alan Faneca said of the Steelers' rookie quarterback. "I mean, come on, under two minutes, take it down the field, picking the plays, calling it out, stepping up in the pocket, making the passes, that's huge. He's been making the plays all year, the difference-makers. And that drive right there was a difference-maker."

Josh Scobee, Jacksonville's rookie kicker, converted a 36-yard field goal with 1:55 left that moved his team in front, 16-14.

Roethlisberger then calmly took his offense onto the field at the Steelers' 25 with 1:50 left. After a 5-yard offside penalty against Jacksonville, Roethlisberger, operating from the shotgun, completed four consecutive passes for 51 yards, two of them to wide receiver Lee Mays, and the Steelers were at Jacksonville's 19. Roethlisberger spiked the ball to kill the clock, and Reed nailed his winning kick.

"He called the play, and he stepped in and threw three big throws," wide receiver Hines Ward said. "He did a phenomenal job on that two-minute drive, and the offensive line gave him time to throw."

The drive extended the Steelers' winning streak to 10 and ran their record to 11-1.

But it almost did not happen, as Scobee narrowly missed a 60-yard field goal wide to the right on the game's final play. Jacksonville got the ball on its 39 after a 23-yard kickoff return, and quarterback Byron Leftwich completed a 19-yard pass to the Steelers' 42 with four seconds left to give his team one last shot.

"Man, I thought it went in," Faneca said. "I just saw it and I said, 'Holy ... it's got the distance.' I thought it went in. I saw our guys ran on the field, he must have missed it and the refs signaled that he'd missed it, and I said, 'Oh, man, what the hell just happened here?' "

Many people were saying that after a late sprint turned a rather dull but close game into one with a classic ending.

It was one that put yet another notch on Roethlisberger's NFL-record start for a rookie, now at 10-0. He completed 14 of 17 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns, compiling an almost-perfect 158.0 passer rating. He threw no interceptions.

"You have to be able to win those kinds of games when it comes down to the end," defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen said. "Joe Montana, John Elway, Marino ... they could win those games where they had to make 40 yards with a minute and a half. We did that."

Roethlisberger, who had just two touchdown passes in the three previous games, threw two last night, both in the first half. Ward caught one for 37 yards, tight end Jay Riemersma the other for 26 yards.

The loss dropped Jacksonville to 6-6 and delivered a blow to their wild-card playoff hopes in the AFC.

Jacksonville wide receiver Troy Edwards, the Steelers' first-round draft pick in 1999 and traded away two years ago when he fell into disfavor, put a hurting on his old team with several big catches. He tied the score with a 22-yard touchdown in the first quarter and caught a 36-yard pass in the third quarter that set up a field goal.

Steelers running back Duce Staley, making his return after missing the past four games with a hamstring injury, found it tough going against the Jaguars. He ran 17 times for 51 yards. Jacksonville's Fred Taylor rushed for 76 yards against the Steelers but needed 27 carries to do so.

Leftwich, overshadowed by the rookie on the other side, completed 16 of 27 passes for 268 yards, one touchdown and a 105.2 passer rating.

For the fifth time this season, the Steelers scored a touchdown on their opening drive, moving 77 yards on seven plays, three of them passes to Ward for 65 yards.

Peter Diana, Post-Gazette Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger checks the scoreboard clock during the final seconds against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Alltel Stadium. Click photo for larger image.

Roethlisberger scrambled to his left on third down at the Steelers' 28 and cut loose with a pass just as he was hit and knocked to the ground by defensive end Bobby McGray. Ward caught it for a 23-yard gain.

Ward converted his second third-down play with a 5-yard catch. The touchdown came on the next play from the 37. Staley picked up a blitzing linebacker and Roethlisberger hit Ward at the 20. Safety Deon Grant missed him, and Ward high-tailed it into the end zone for a 7-0 lead.

Edwards tied it on Jacksonville's next series. He beat safety Russell Stuvaints, caught Leftwich's pass over the middle, shook free of safety Chris Hope's tackle at the 5 and scored from 22 yards.

The Steelers reclaimed the lead, 14-7, with a touchdown on their second series, the pass to Riemersma. He beat linebacker Mike Peterson down the middle and caught the ball at the goal line.

Jacksonville pulled closer on its first possession of the second half, a rare long drive -- 96 yards -- that ended with a 20-yard field goal. The Steelers' lead was 14-10.

That became 14-13 on another field goal by Scobee, this one from 29 yards.