NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Steelers' latest comeback try along with their season fizzled out last night in a Music City Miserable.
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Line judge Ron Marinucci gets between Tommy Maddox and Titans wide receiver Derrick Mason, who exchange words in the fourth quarter yesterday. (Amy Sancetta, Associated Press) |
Left-footed Joe Nedney's second-chance field goal from 26 yards 2:15 into overtime sent the Tennessee Titans past the Steelers, 34-31, and on to the AFC championship game against Oakland or the New York Jets.
The Steelers, who came from 17 points behind to beat Cleveland last week, overcame an early 14-point deficit to the favored Titans and led, 31-28, in the fourth quarter. But Nedney's 42-yard field goal with 5:40 left in regulation sent it into overtime, where he won it in a bizarre fashion on his third try.
His first kick, from 31 yards, went through, which set off a celebratory fireworks display at The Coliseum. But officials had acknowledged a Steelers timeout just before the snap, and he had to do it again.
This time, he hooked it badly to the right, but then Dewayne Washington was called for running into the kicker on the play. The penalty gave Nedney another try, and he made it from 26 yards to win it.
"It ended right, but it was crazy," Nedney said.
Coach Bill Cowher ran after referee Ron Blum afterward, and the Steelers howled in protest. They claimed Washington's penalty was ticky-tacky and should not have been called and that officials prevented them from calling a timeout before the final kick.
"For a game to be decided on that call is ludicrous," an enraged Cowher said.
Said linebacker Joey Porter: "The guy missed the kick, and it's not even like Dewayne hit him. He faked it. I can't believe the refs fell for that. You don't call that call in a playoff game in OT."
Washington felt the weight of the loss on his shoulders, not only for the penalty but also because he gave up a short pass and then failed to make a tackle on wide receiver Justin McCareins, whose 31-yard reception gave Tennessee a first down at the Steelers' 38 after they won the toss to start the overtime period. Steve McNair then completed a 22-yard pass to McCareins that set up the strange finish.
"It's hard for me right now not to feel the burden of us losing this game," Washington said. "Down the stretch, those are the kinds of plays you have to make. Simple catch, simple tackle. Those yards after the catch, that hurt right there toward the end. I missed a couple of tackles that were uncharacteristic and hurt the team."
But the Steelers' season ended much as it had begun, with its defense giving up gobs of yardage through the air. Steve McNair completed 27 of 44 passes for 338 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Tennessee almost won it in regulation but Nedney's 48-yard field-goal attempt missed as time expired.
The Steelers, who won the AFC North Division after a 1-3 start, took leads of 20-14 and 31-28 in the second half but could not hold on for the victory. It was the eighth time this season an opponent had scored at least 30 points against them, the most in their history.
The Steelers came back from a 14-0 Tennessee lead with four consecutive scores to snatch a 20-14 lead in the third quarter, before the Titans went back on top, 21-20.
Turnovers played a large hand in the scoring. The Steelers converted after two fumbles by Eddie George and interceptions of two McNair passes, and the Titans scored after a Tommy Maddox interception.
McNair ran 8 yards and George 1 for two Tennessee touchdowns in the first quarter. The Steelers came back in the second quarter on an 8-yard pass from Maddox to Hines Ward and Jeff Reed field goals of 30 and 39 yards to bring them within 14-13 at halftime. Amos Zereoue's 31-yard run early in the third quarter put the Steelers up by six before McNair threw touchdown passes to his tight ends of 7 yards to Frank Wycheck and 2 yards to Erron Kinney as the Titans went back on top, 28-20.
The Steelers tied the score, 28-28, with 10:09 to go when Ward caught a pass from Maddox and broke two tackles to finish off a 21-yard touchdown. Ward then threw a 2-point conversion pass to Plaxico Burress.
Reed kicked a 40-yard field goal to give the Steelers a 31-28 lead with 8:30 left before Nedney's 42-yarder tied it.
"It didn't even have to go to overtime," Ward said. "Our offense was out there with two minutes left. We have to convert some third downs. A field goal wins the ballgame. We didn't execute the play that was called and consequently we didn't get a first down on it."
The Steelers had a first down at Tennessee's 40 with 2:02 to go and the score tied. But three Maddox passes fell incomplete and Tom Rouen punted into the end zone.
Maddox completed 21 of 41 passes for 266 yards and one interception as the Steelers relied heavily on his arm because the Titans shut down their running game for the second time this season, holding them to 67 yards. Tennessee also could get little on the ground, gaining 99 yards and averaging just 2.8 yards a carry.
Tennessee more than made up for it through the air, and Wycheck had a career game against them, catching 10 passes for 123 yards.
The Titans jumped on Maddox and the Steelers for a 7-0 lead before the game was four minutes old. Burress ran down and slipped to the turf when he cut to the outside. That made it easy for cornerback Samari Rolle to intercept the pass and run it back 16 yards to the Tennessee 48.
It took the Titans seven plays to go 52 yards and take a 7-0 lead on McNair's 8-yard draw up the middle. Tennessee made it 14-0 on a 16-play, 75-yard drive that ended with George's 1-yard touchdown run.
The Steelers were desperate for something to turn it around, and it happened when George fumbled on the Titans' 8 when he ran into the back of guard Tom Ackerman. Lee Flowers recovered, and on second down, Maddox threw to Ward over the middle for an 8-yard touchdown that put the wind back into the Steelers, trailing 14-7 with 9:29 to go in the first half.
Another big play followed when cornerback Chad Scott, playing with a cast on his broken right hand, intercepted a deep pass intended for Derrick Mason to put the Steelers back in business at their 41. Burress caught a perfectly thrown pass from Maddox on the next play that carried 40 yards to the Titans' 19.
That set up Reed's 30-yard field goal that brought the Steelers within 14-10, and they were not done. Reed hammered a 39-yarder as time expired to make it 14-13 at halftime.
Their turn of fortune continued when George fumbled again on the first play of the second half after 320-pound nose tackle Casey Hampton slammed into him. George was hurt, and Aaron Smith recovered for the Steelers at the 31.
The next play was all Zereoue. He ran right, broke one tackle, cut back inside and carried two Titans with him into the end zone for a 31-yard touchdown and a stunning, 20-14 Steelers lead with 14:37 left in the third quarter.
Tennessee broke that string on its next series when Wycheck caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from McNair to put the Titans back on top, 21-20.
They made it 28-20 on their next series as Wycheck continued to shine. He caught a 21-yard pass to set up Kinney's 2-yard touchdown reception.
Reed missed a 44-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, wide left, to keep Tennessee on top by eight.
Randle El returned a punt 64 yards for a touchdown with 12:16 left in the game, but it was brought back because Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala was penalized for blocking in the back. Nevertheless, the Steelers came back and mounted a drive that tied the score two minutes later, 28-28.
They then took a 31-28 lead on Reed's 40-yard field goal with 8:30 to go after Deshea Townsend intercepted a McNair pass.
Then, it was all Tennessee.
"When you get to this point in the postseason, these games are going to be like this," said Titans Coach Jeff Fisher, whose team began the season 1-4. "The teams are evenly matched. They are going to come down to the end."
For the Steelers, it was the bitter end.
Ed Bouchette can be reached at ebouchette@post-gazette.com or 412-263-3878.
Steelers stage another big rally before getting boot in overtime 
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