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Monday, December 03, 2001

The game was slipping from their grasp and so, too, might have been the season. A loss to the Minnesota Vikings -- a final soft spot before the schedule heated up -- loomed. The Steelers had pretty much lost their focus and intensity after taking an 18-point lead late in the third quarter and seemed ready to hand the game to the Vikings.

With 2:13 remaining at Heinz Field, the lead had shrunk to five and Minnesota was poised to take the lead. Following a Kordell Stewart fumble, the Vikings had a first down on the Steelers' 10. Inasmuch as the Vikings had moved 155 yards on five plays on their two previous possession, 10 yards with four downs available did not figure to be a particularly difficult assignment.

Sure enough, a 5-yard pass to Randy Moss on first down gobbled up half that distance. The Vikings were 5 yards from victory and the Steelers that close to a defeat that could wreck their season.

It never happened.

The defense, which had been the major factor in the team's success, collectively regained its NFL-best standard. Myron Bell, of all people, used his eight years of NFL experience to become a hero and the Vikings began making the mistakes that have marked their disappointing season.

The Steelers hung on yesterday for a 21-16 victory to raise their record to 9-2, which, following Oakland's loss to Arizona, is the best in the AFC.

The Vikings didn't gain another inch after that first-down play and, in fact, lost 15 yards.

On second down, Todd Bouman, who had replaced Daunte Culpepper early in the fourth quarter and directed the Vikings' two touchdown drives, threw short to Moss. The pass was incomplete but there was worse news for the Vikings downfield. Veteran Cris Carter was blocking Chad Scott in the end zone before the ball was thrown -- offensive pass interference -- and the Vikings were pushed back 10 yards to the 15 for another second-down play.

Steelers defensive coordinator Tim Lewis described the Vikings' next play as "Dash Throwback to the Halfback."

"The quarterback takes the ball from center, drops back a couple of steps and rolls."

That's where Bell, a backup safety who was in the game only because Deshea Townsend was injured, made the play of the game.

When running back Doug Chapman gave Bell nothing more than a casual block, Bell sensed a trap.

"When he chipped blocked me, I knew something was wrong," Bell said. "I've never seen that play before, but after eight years in the league you come up with a sense of something different happening."

Bell aborted his blitz and turned in pursuit of Chapman. He couldn't stop Chapman, who had ample running room, from catching the ball. But once Chapman did, Bell was there to make the tackle for a 4-yard loss.

"Myron Bell saved the game by himself," Lee Flowers said.

Bouman dropped straight back on third down and found excellent coverage on his receivers. He saw an opening up the field, sprinted toward it, pump faked and then found Carter alone in the back of the end zone for what would have been a touchdown pass.

Too bad Bouman was 4 yards past the line of scrimmage when he threw the ball. He never should have made that toss and not only because he was beyond the line of scrimmage.

"He could have run to the 5-yard line," said Flowers, who was coming up to make a tackle.

"Maybe a touchdown," said Lewis, who was watching from the scouting booth.

Everyone in the stadium knew what the Vikings would do on fourth down. Moss would be the man. When Moss lined up on Dewayne Washington's side of the field, Washington knew he had to be the man.

It was no small task. Moss is regarded as the most talented receiver in football.

"He can't be stopped," Lewis said.

Even Washington wasn't convinced he could keep the ball away from Moss.

"I started to turn around and maybe pick it off, but I thought the throw might be high. That's the way they like to give it to him. So I'm thinking if he's was going to catch it, I was going to rake it out of his hands."

Fat chance.

But the ball never got there. Bouman's pass was underthrown and the ball hit Washington in the back.

The victory had been preserved and not without a lesson relearned.

"We always talk the game isn't over," Flowers said. "But saying it and doing it are two different things."

Bob Smizik can be reached at bsmizik@post-gazette.com.