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Steelers' division lead melts away after 24-20 loss to Colts Big Ben throws 3 interceptions, Steelers muff 2 potential INTs Monday, November 10, 2008 By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Peter Diana/Post-Gazette

Steelers receiver Dallas Baker misses making the catch in the end zone on the last play of the game as the Colts' Melvin Bulitt breaks up the pass yesterday at Heinz Field.

Everything, it seemed, slipped through the Steelers' hands yesterday at Heinz Field. There were two interceptions dropped by Ike Taylor and Troy Polamalu, a 10-point lead they held on the Indianapolis Colts, and their first-place cushion in the AFC North.

What once looked to be a commanding lead in their division slipped away to nothing when the Steelers lost their second consecutive game at Heinz Field, 24-20, to the Colts in a fashion new to them.

It had been 40 years since the Colts last won in Pittsburgh, and it may be another 40 before the Steelers forget how that drought ended.

Ben Roethlisberger (30 of 42, 284 yards) threw three interceptions and for no touchdowns, and Taylor and Polamalu dropped potential interceptions that made a 14-point difference, and the Steelers could not run on the 25th-ranked run defense in the NFL.

"We didn't do the things that we normally do to win games," linebacker James Harrison said. "We have to finish it out at the end. We had the lead at the end and let it slip away."

So, too, the division lead. The Steelers at 6-3 suddenly find themselves tied with the revived Baltimore Ravens. They also suddenly cannot run the ball.

They managed only 55 net yards yesterday, 57 of them from starter Mewelde Moore on 24 carries. While Moore scored on two short touchdown runs, he and his teammates could not punch it in from the 2 in a crucial fourth-quarter attempt.

Moore was stopped twice by defensive tackle Eric Foster, and Jeff Reed kicked a short field goal to put the Steelers in front, 20-17, yet knowing they had blown a chance to go up by a touchdown.

"We have to get the ball in the end zone," Hines Ward said. "The ball on the 2-yard line, we pride ourselves getting the ball in the end zone. That's a big turnaround, three points instead of a touchdown."

Peyton Manning and the Colts (5-4) made them pay five minutes later. After cornerback Tim Jennings pilfered a Roethlisberger pass at the Steelers' 32, it took Indianapolis only four plays to take its only lead.

Gerry Dulac's Two-Minute Drill: Game Nine vs. Colts Steelers Report Card: Loss to Colts pulls some bad grades Steelers Notebook: Parker's bad shoulder adds to Steelers' injury woes

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PG's Bob Smizik: Tomlin must stick with Big Ben PG's Ron Cook: Steelers laugh, cry after loss to Colts PG's Gene Collier: Support roles key for Colts

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Page 1 of 3Steelers' division lead melts away after 24-20 loss to Colts

11/10/2008http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08315/926792-66.stm

Manning found running back Dominic Rhodes behind a scrambling Polamalu and threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to him for the winner with 3:04 left. It was Manning's third touchdown pass of the game, and it stood as the winner when Roethlisberger's Hail Mary pass from the 27 into the Colts' end zone was intercepted on the last play.

"That was my man," inside linebacker James Farrior admitted of the Colts' winning touchdown. "I had him man-to-man, they ran a fake toss to him. I thought it was a running play. He slipped out of the backfield, and I kind of sorta lost track of him. That wasn't Troy's fault."

Polamalu's error occurred earlier, near the end of the first half with the Steelers ahead, 17-7. Manning, who was not having a particularly good day (21 of 40, 240 yards), threw a pass right to Polamalu near the Steelers' 30. With 70 yards of green Heinz Field grass and nothing else in front of him, he dropped it. Three plays later, cornerback Keiwan Ratliff, taken off the scrap heap earlier this year by the Colts, intercepted Roethlisberger with 1:24 left.

Manning turned that one into gold, too, by throwing a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dallas Clark with six seconds left. It was game on at halftime, 17-14.

"If this were an individual sport and I lost the game, I wouldn't feel so bad," Roethlisberger said. "It's letting the guys down, letting your teammates down.

"It hurts. You never hear me say 'I' anything, but I lost this game."

There was some question whether Roethlisberger would play after his shoulder was reinjured in Washington last week. But he practiced Friday for the first time and played the entire way.

He rarely threw deep, although that was due more to the cover-2 umbrella defense the Colts played than a sore shoulder.

If Roethlisberger's arm was sore, he did nothing to let on while completing all four of his passes for 48 yards on the opening drive. He threw a 23-yarder to Santonio Holmes and a 16-yarder to Nate Washington before Moore scored from 1 yard.

The Colts struck quickly to tie it, 7-7. Manning threw a deep pass down the left side to Reggie Wayne. Taylor moved into perfect position behind Wayne and leaped to make the interception. The ball popped off both of his hands and into Wayne's at the 30. Wayne easily covered the final 30 yards for a 65-yard touchdown reception, 30 yards longer than any previous reception against the Steelers this season.

"Once I saw the ball, I thought I tipped it my way, but he was right in position to catch the ball," Taylor said. "The game of football is about inches. At the same time, that's just the way the ball bounces sometimes."

The Steelers used an old-fashioned flea-flicker to reclaim the lead, 14-7, early in the second quarter. From the Colts' 42, Roethlisberger handed off to Moore, who took a step forward, stopped and flipped the ball back to his quarterback. The pitch was a little high, but Roethlisberger pulled it down and threw a pass to Ward deep on the right.

Ward eluded safety Bob Sanders to catch it at the 10, circled around and ran it to the 1. Moore scored standing up on the nextplay.

Jeff Reed put the Steelers ahead, 17-7, when he kicked a 42-yard field goal with 4:18 left in the half, and that's when things started breaking the other way.

First came Polamalu's drop, then Ratliff's interception and Clark's touchdown before the half.

Indianapolis tied it, 17-17, on the first drive of the second half, moving 56 yards in a dozen plays and ending it with Adam Vinatieri's 36-yard field goal.

Reed put the Steelers back on top with his 24-yard field goal, but they weren't celebrating.

"That's typical Steelers, and we didn't come through," Ward said. "It was a huge turnaround. You put up seven points, and it puts more pressure on them. They shut us down, and we end up kicking a field goal."

And, later, kicking themselves.

"We felt like we had this game and we lost it," Ward said.

Ed Bouchette can be reached at [email protected].

First published on November 10, 2008 at 12:00 am

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Tomlin must stick with Big Ben Monday, November 10, 2008 By Bob Smizik, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Bob Smizik

Almost no one connected with the Steelers wants to talk about what's ailing Ben Roethlisberger and how that ailment is affecting his performance.

Asked about Roethlisberger's health, coach Mike Tomlin said, "I'm not going to make that the story line, and neither will he. He was well enough to play today."

Asked how he felt, Roethlisberger said, "You guys are never going to hear me make excuses. I don't care what it is ... shoulder, thumb: no excuses."

"You'll have to ask Ben," said Hines Ward. "I can't speak to a guy's injuries."

Only defensive lineman Brett Keisel would so much as acknowledge Roethlisberger is hurting. "I give him credit for going out and competing," he said.

But, even if no one is willing to address Roethlisberger's health, it's obvious that what was diagnosed as a low-grade shoulder separation is hampering his play. How do we know that? Here's how:

In the past three games, two of which were losses, Roethlisberger has thrown one touchdown and eight interceptions. And that's after throwing nine touchdowns and three interceptions in the first six games.

Three of those interceptions came yesterday at Heinz Field where the Steelers lost to the Indianapolis Colts, 24-20, a defeat that left them with a 6-3 record and in a first-place tie with the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North Division.

Two of the interceptions were of the monumental, game-altering nature.

The first came with 90 seconds remaining in the first half from the Steelers' 16. The second came with 4:51 remaining in the game, with the Steelers ahead by three and on their own 34. It took the Colts six plays to score a touchdown after the first, four after the second.

The interceptions were the difference in the game, and Roethlisberger stood tall to accept the blame.

"If it were an individual sport and I lost the game, I wouldn't feel so bad," he said. "It's letting your teammates down. It hurts. You never hear me say 'I' anything, but I lost this game."

But, if Roethlisberger lost the game for the Steelers, he also kept them in it. On an day when the running game produced 55 yards on 26 carries, Roethlisberger and his receivers -- Ward caught nine passes for 116 yards -- were the Steelers' offense.

If you take away the interceptions (the third was harmless coming on a Hail Mary pass on the final play of the game), Roethlisberger had a splendid day. He completed 30 of 42 passes for 284 yards and was sacked only twice. Beyond the interceptions, he outperformed the great Peyton Manning, who completed 21 of 40 passes for 240 yards.

As for the interceptions, they were ugly.

Roethlisberger was throwing for Santonio Holmes on the first. "I didn't see 'Ton," he said. "I shouldn't have thrown it."

The ball was grabbed easily by cornerback Keiwan Ratliff and returned to the Steelers' 30.

On the second interception, Roethlisberger again was going to Holmes, but misread the route. "I thought he was coming under," he said. "My mistake." Tim Jennings snatched the errant pass and returned it to the Steelers' 38.

Page 1 of 2Tomlin must stick with Big Ben


Roethlisberger has been missing most of the Steelers' practices recently, but insisted that is not a factor in his play

"I don't think it's that big of an issue. I'm taking the mental reps and I'm seeing everything that's going on [in practice]. It's not as tough as it might seem. It's just coming out and executing, but I'm not doing that real well."

Of course, teams practice for a good reason, and, if Roethlisberger can't practice, it's bound to affect his play and could have been the reason for the interceptions.

There is sure to be a demand from many in the Steeler Nation and some in the media to replace Roethlisberger with veteran backup Byron Leftwich, who performed so well in relief against Washington last week, in what was the Steelers' only win in the past three games.

But how does a coach turn his back on a franchise quarterback? How do you sit down the man in whom the club has about a $100 million investment and who completed 71 percent of his passes in his most recent game?

And here's another reason why Tomlin should stick with Roethlisberger.

As well as Leftwich played against Washington -- 7 of 10 for 129 yards and a touchdown, there's no guarantee he'll do as well the next time. There's a reason he was a free agent and available to any team when Charley Batch was injured in training camp.

In three games with the Atlanta Falcons last season, Leftwich completed 32 of 58 passes for 279 yards. He threw one touchdown and three interceptions and had a passer rating of 51.4.

It would be helpful if Roethlisberger could get in a full week of practice for the San Diego Chargers who will visit Heinz Field Sunday. If he can, he absolutely should start. If he can't, and he's healthy enough to play, he absolutely should start.

Bob Smizik can be reached at [email protected]. More articles by this author



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Page 2 of 2Tomlin must stick with Big Ben



Gerry Dulac's Two-Minute Drill: Game Nine vs. ColtsMonday, November 10, 2008 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Game ball goes to:James Harrison

It wasn't the type of monster game that James Harrison is accustomed to registering, not from a player who has four multiple-sack games and leads the team with three forced fumbles. But, in a game in which the defense had to use a variety of substitution packages against the Colts, he had 12 tackles (three for losses), a sack and two quarterback hurries. He even found time to make a special-teams tackle. No other player had more than five tackles. The Steelers didn't get that many tackles combined from the three players used to replace injured OLB LaMarr Woodley.

The countdown

A quick look at the top performances from the loss yesterday:

1. TROY POLAMALU'S DROPPED INTERCEPTION: Coach Mike Tomlin said games are sometimes decided by teams who catch interceptions and those who do not, and the Steelers were a perfect example. But no drop was bigger than the one by safety Troy Polamalu near the end of the first half, one that would have given the Steelers a seemingly insurmountable 24-7 lead. On third-and-8 from the Steelers' 37, Polamalu stepped in front of a pass for TE Dallas Clark that hit him right in the arms. Minutes later, the Colts scored a TD to make it 17-14.

2. BEN ROETHLISBERGER'S SECOND INTERCEPTION: After Jeff Reed's field goal made it 20-17 with 7:57 remaining, Roethlisberger threw a third-down pass over the middle from his own 34 that deflected off Santonio Holmes and was intercepted by CB Tim Jennings, leading to the winning TD.

3. MOORE STOPPED TWICE ON THE GOAL LINE: Despite scoring on two 1-yard runs earlier in the game, Mewelde Moore was stopped twice from the 1 by Colts DT Eric Foster with 8:01 remaining, forcing the Steelers to settle for a field goal.

4. ROETHLISBERGER'S INTERCEPTION AT THE END OF THE HALF: Leading, 17-7, with the ball at their 16, Roethlisberger tried to thread a bad pass to Holmes on third-and-two that was intercepted, setting up a touchdown and changing the momentum right before halftime.

5. WAYNE'S 'TIPPED' TOUCHDOWN: No play epitomized the fortunes of the secondary better than Reggie Wayne's 65-yard touchdown catch on the Colts' first possession, a play in which CB Ike Taylor had the ball deflect off both hands as he leaped to try to make an interception.

Inside the numbers

That's the number of rushing yards the Steelers managed on 26 carries against the Colts, their second-lowest total of the season. What's even more disturbing is that the Colts ranked 25th in the league in rush defense, allowing an average of 143.6 yards per game.

What was he thinking?

Leading, 17-7, with 1:30 remaining in the first half, the Steelers had third-and-two at their own 16 -- a situation that screamed for a run and conjured memories of Bill Cowher's oft-used declaration that "sometimes a punt is a good play." Instead, Roethlisberger, sore arm and all, tried a pass down the numbers to Santonio Holmes that was badly underthown and picked off by cornerback Keiwan Ratliff. "A bad pass," offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said. The Colts converted the turnover into a touchdown.

Overheard

"When they play cover-2, they're not going to let you throw the ball deep. We took our one shot down the field. When you play cover-2, it takes away a lot of big plays." -- Hines Ward on the lack of deep passes.

Page 1 of 2Gerry Dulac's Two-Minute Drill: Game Nine vs. Colts


Up next: VS. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS, 4:15 P.M. SUNDAY

The Chargers have never won a regular-season game in Pittsburgh (0-12), but they are 2-0 in playoff games -- both at ThreeRivers Stadium. The Steelers have won five of the past six meetings overall.

X's and O's

CB Ike Taylor called his performance "very frustrating," and for good reason. He had perfect coverage and really couldn't play two passes to receiver Reggie Wayne much better, only to see one result in a 65-yard TD and the other a 16-yard completion. In both instances, Taylor got his hands on each pass, only to have the ball deflect to Wayne. The first had the biggest impact: He had single coverage and looked like he would make an interception at the 32. Instead, Wayne's TD made it 7-7.

Gerry Dulac can be reached at [email protected].



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Page 2 of 2Gerry Dulac's Two-Minute Drill: Game Nine vs. Colts


Steelers laugh, cry after loss to Colts Monday, November 10, 2008 By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Ron Cook

There is absolutely no truth to the rumor that Steelers safety Troy Polamalu's wife, Theodora, refused to allow him to hold their infant son, Paisios, last night out of concerns for the child's safety.

You know, that Polamalu would drop the little guy.

Even Polamalu had to laugh at that one.

What else was there to do but laugh after this fall-from-ahead, 24-20 Steelers' loss to the Indianapolis Colts at Heinz Field? It sure beat the heck out of crying, which is what quarterback Ben Roethlisberger looked as if he wanted to do as he buried his head in his locker for several long minutes after the sickening defeat, which left the Steelers tied with the Baltimore Ravens atop the AFC North Division.

"We had a chance to really hurt [the Colts] by winning this game," Polamalu said. "We also made it a lot tougher on ourselves by losing."

There was plenty of blame to go around and no shortage of players willing to stand up and take it.

On his side of the locker room was Roethlisberger, who fingered himself for the loss, which is exactly what a $102 million quarterback is supposed to do. It doesn't matter that Big Ben's right shoulder is aching and his right thumb is bad. He was out there playing and threw two killer interceptions which led to Indianapolis touchdowns at the end of the first half and the end of the game.

Sitting at his locker was Polamalu, who was so eager to beat himself up that he took blame not just for his dropped interception late in the second quarter, which should have gone for about a 70-yard touchdown and a 24-7 Steelers' lead, but also for a blown coverage on the decisive 17-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Peyton Manning to running back Dominic Rhodes with 3:04 left. As it turned out, Rhodes was linebacker James Farrior's man. Polamalu tried to cover for Farrior's mistake and nearly made a fabulous play but couldn't quite leap high enough to bat away the Manning pass.

Polamalu just shrugged and smiled when he was outed over the Rhodes touchdown play.

There really was nothing funny about Polamalu's drop or the lame jokes it produced. Terry Bradshaw always said if defensive backs could catch the ball, they would be wide receivers. Manning threw the ball right to Polamalu and he couldn't grab the darn pig.

"Did [intended receiver, tight end Dallas Clark] get his hand in there?" Polamalu asked. Before waiting for the answer, he added, "I've got to make that play no matter what. I guess I didn't look the ball in."

It was one of several plays the Steelers' secondary failed to make. Perhaps you'll argue the Steelers would have won if Polamalu had caught the ball and scored a touchdown or Roethlisberger hadn't thrown those horrid interceptions or the Steelers' offense had found the end zone on one of its two cracks by running back Mewelde Moore from the Colts' 1 midway through the final quarter instead of settling for a field goal. But in Indianapolis, they should be thinking the Colts would have won easily if not for a couple of drops by future Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison. On the first, Harrison, after turning cornerback Deshea Townsend inside out with a post move, couldn't quite bend down far enough to catch a Manning ball that should have gone for a 50-yard touchdown. On the second, Harrison blew by cornerback William Gay and just flat dropped what would have been an 18-yard touchdown.

Townsend had two defensive holding calls against him before leaving late in the third quarter after hearing his right hamstring "pop."

Page 1 of 2Steelers laugh, cry after loss to Colts


Then, there was cornerback Ike Taylor.

Poor, unlucky Ike.

Not once, but twice Taylor had perfect coverage on wide receiver Reggie Wayne only to deflect the ball in the air and allowWayne to catch it for big plays. The first resulted in an early 65-yard touchdown. Yeah, that was a big play, all right. The second produced a 16-yard gain on third-and-8 from the Colts' 27 late in the third quarter. That was pretty big, too.

"It's a disgusting feeling," Taylor said. "It's frustrating because you're in position and their guy still comes down with the ball."

Everyone from LeBeau to Polamalu to Taylor was disappointed that the Steelers' defense -- the NFL's best, at least before yesterday -- couldn't bail out Roethlisberger after either of his interceptions. The Colts turned them into 30- and 32-yard touchdown drives.

"Number one, you try to force a turnover there," Polamalu said. "Number two, you try to force them into a field goal. We didn't make either happen."

Polamalu figured he would hear about it when he got home.

"My wife will ask me, 'How could you drop that interception?'"

Better the ball than the ...

Sorry.

That still isn't funny.

Ron Cook can be reached at [email protected]. More articles by this author


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Page 2 of 2Steelers laugh, cry after loss to Colts



Steelers Report Card: Game Nine vs. ColtsGerry Dulac grades the Steelers' effort in their 24-20 loss to the Colts Monday, November 10, 2008 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Quarterback

Considering he was only 80 percent and couldn't throw the ball deep, Ben Roethlisberger looked as though he was going to do the improbable and beat the Colts. It even appeared he would come back from a bad interception at the end of the first half that gave the Colts a touchdown. But his second interception on third-and-5 from his own 34 with 4:41 remaining led to the winning touchdown.

Running backs

Considering that the Colts have one of the worst run defenses in the NFL, allowing an average of 143.6 yards per game, it might have been the worst rushing performance of the season for the Steelers. Mewelde Moore scored on two 1-yard runs, but it was the one he failed to score on two attempts from the 1 that proved to be the turning point. Moore finished with 57 yards on 24 carries.

Receivers

Hines Ward had the first 100-yard receiving game of the season and he caught the only long pass attempt -- a 41-yarder on a flea-flicker that led to the first touchdown. He finished with nine catches for 116 yards. TE Matt Spaeth had six catches and so did Moore. But both of Roethlisberger's costly interceptions involved Santonio Holmes, the second one because of a miscommunication.

Offensive line

The Steelers rushed for only 55 yards and averaged just 2.1 yards on the ground -- their second-lowest totals of the season -- against the Colts. Roethlisberger took a lot of three-step drops and threw quickly to keep the pressure off him, which is why he was sacked only two times. And they couldn't block 265-pound Eric Foster at the goal line, not once but twice.

Defensive line

The Steelers used their nickel and dime defenses to combat Colts QB Peyton Manning, packages that keep NT Casey Hampton on the bench. Still, they held the Colts to 62 yards on 19 carries, an average of 3.3 yards per rush. What's more, the longest run was 11 yards by Joseph Addai, who finished with 34 yards on 12 carries. DE Aaron Smith had one of the two sacks on Manning.

Linebackers

OLB James Harrison had a team-best 11 tackles and added to his team-leading total with one sack. But, without injured LaMarr Woodley, the defense just didn't get the pressure on Manning off the left side, even though it tried three different players there in various packages. ILB James Farrior bit on a run-fake and let RB Dominic Rhodes go uncovered on the winning 17-yard TD catch.

Defensive backs

A couple of fluky tipped passes and a dropped interception by Troy Polamalu turned what could have been a solid game by the secondary into a sufficient performance by Manning. CB Ike Taylor had two passes deflect off his hands that were caught by Reggie Wayne, including a 65-yard TD. But, then, Deshea Townsend got turned around on a TD pass that was dropped by Marvin Harrison.

Special teams

Page 1 of 2Steelers Report Card: Game Nine vs. Colts


It's probably never a good sign when the special teams are the most dependable unit. The coverage units have been solid, and they were that again, allowing no return longer than 25 yards on five kickoffs. And the return units showed some life, getting a season-long 39-yard kick return by Gary Russell and a 23-yard punt return by Holmes. Jeff Reed kicked field goals of 42 and 24 yards.

Coaching

It's easy to second-guess the decision to start Roethlisberger, especially when it looked as though he couldn't throw the ball downfield on the final series. But the short drops and quick throws were working against the Colts. And it's hard to fault the decision to run three times at the goal line, even though they were stopped.

Gerry Dulac can be reached at [email protected].


Game Nine vs. the Colts: L 24-20

Position A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F GPA

Quarterbacks 1 1 1 1 1 1 -- 1 -- 1 -- 1 2.42

Running backs 2 1 -- 1 1 1 1 -- -- 1 -- 1 2.53

Receivers -- -- 1 2 2 1 1 1 -- 1 -- -- 2.42

Offensive line -- -- 1 3 -- -- 1 1 -- 1 -- 2 1.89

Special teams 2 -- 1 4 1 -- -- -- -- 1 -- -- 3.00

Defensive line 1 -- 2 4 1 -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- 3.03

Linebackers 3 -- 1 1 2 1 -- 1 -- -- -- -- 3.08

Defensive backs 1 -- 2 3 -- 1 2 -- -- -- -- -- 2.86

Coaching 2 -- -- 3 -- 1 -- 1 -- 1 -- 1 2.44

Note: Steelers' cumulative grade point average through Week 10 is graded on a 4.0 scale.

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Page 2 of 2Steelers Report Card: Game Nine vs. Colts



Support roles key for Colts Monday, November 10, 2008 By Gene Collier, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Matt Freed/Post-Gazette

The Colts' Dominic Rhodes walks into the end zone for the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter.

By design, by execution, and by earned reputation, the Indianapolis Colts operate well beyond the shadowy margins of football games or of football seasons. Tony Dungy's team is a big-play, big-production, big-margin enterprise, powered by the genius of Peyton Manning, who later this season will become the only NFL quarterback with nine 4,000-yard autumns.

But the margins for this November afternoon at Heinz Field were devilishly narrow, particularly the Colts' margin for error in the brutal politics of the AFC. Pittsburgh was Desperation City for the men in white yesterday. A loss would have dropped them five games behind AFC South Division leader Tennessee with seven to play, and at least two games behind a knot of legitimate horses pounding away in front of them.

"We've played three division leaders in the last three weeks [Tennessee, New England, Pittsburgh], so we've gotten a good feel for what this AFC is all about," said Dungy, the NFL's winningest active coach and a man in no mind to see a string of six consecutive playoff appearances end by New Year's. "These [wins] are certainly tough to get in Pittsburgh; I know that for a fact. You have to play 60 minutes to win here. We did, fortunately. This was just a game of attitude, of hanging in there and making plays when it counted."

That the Steelers gave back a 10-point lead to a club that has won five consecutive AFC South championships is probably noembarrassment, and the fact that they failed to bury Indianapolis in the conference is, for the moment, mostly an annoyance, but the more relevant analysis of a 24-20 Indianapolis victory yesterday is that the Steelers didn't so much lose to the guys who used to be Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison.

They lost to Keiwan Ratliff, to Tim Jennings (the Jeopardy guy?), to Rutgers rookie Eric Foster, and on a fastbreak outlet pass from Manning to Dominic Rhodes.

"That's why you work in training camp," Dungy said simply. "You develop a 53-man team. I tell all our guys on Day 1 of camp, at some point we're going to need every guy on this roster and you're going to have a chance to make plays. It's not just stars if you want to have a good team. It's gotta be everyone."

No two humans have combined on more NFL touchdowns than Manning and Harrison, but watching them yesterday was like listening as a grandfather clock developed arrhythmia. Imperfect Manning passes flicked off Harrison's finger tips. Catchable throws forced into the secondary found Harrison unable or unwilling to extend himself. There was virtually no combustibility in that combination, nothing like the game just three years ago when Manning drilled Harrison with an 80-yard touchdown strike on the first play from scrimmage against the Steelers at the RCA Dome.

Oh, Manning still threw three scoring passes, one that Ike Taylor tipped to Reggie Wayne on his way to a 65-yard splasher

Page 1 of 2Support roles key for Colts


on Indianapolis' first possession, one a little dart to Dallas Clark a step inside the end zone near the end of the first half, and a third so clever in its execution that Manning was reluctant to even speak of it in the aftermath.

"I want to be careful what I say about that, I mean, Pittsburgh's definitely going to be in the postseason, which is what we're fighting to do, so I'm not going to get too far into the specifics of anything," Manning said of the play that overturned a 20-17 Steelers lead with 3:04 to play. "It was play-action off the stretch fake, and Dominic made a good play and it's a credit to him for being ready for it."

Manning faked a handoff to Rhodes in the backfield as both stretched right, then waited while Rhodes looped around Troy Polamalu for a soft 17-yard reception that sent the Steelers into a ditch in which they couldn't pull out.

For all that, the Colts won it with defense, specifically on two breathtaking tackles by Foster, a smallish rookie lineman, both near the goal line. He pulled Mewelde Moore down from behind by the ankle at the 1 on first-and-goal, then slammed into him like a truck, grill first, on third-and-goal from the 1.

"They ran the same running play six times in a row in that situation [Moore scored on two of them]," Foster said. "It's just a matter of fighting hard in that situation. On the second one, I jumped up, took out two guys, and nailed him."

Foster kept the Steelers out of the end zone when the Steelers were 36 inches from going up by a touchdown late in the game, but Jennings and Ratliff, propping up a seriously depleted secondary, intercepted Ben Roethlisberger at two critical junctures, both setting up Manning touchdowns.

"It's not about who is not playing," said Ratliff, a third-string free-agent cornerback playing for Kelvin Hayden. "It's about who is playing."

With no margin for error, the supporting Colts somehow made this all about who might be playing in January.

"This was a big, big win in the AFC," Rhodes said. "And against a great team like the Pittsburgh Steelers, in their house."

Even when they do things small, the Colts do big things.

Gene Collier can be reached at [email protected] or 412-263-1283.


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Page 2 of 2Support roles key for Colts



Steelers Notebook: Parker's bad shoulder adds to injury woes Monday, November 10, 2008 By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Matt Freed/Post-Gazette

The Colts' Tim Jennings intercepts a ball intended for Steelers Santonio Holmes in the fourth quarter.

Halfback Willie Parker may need surgery to his injured shoulder after the season, but he's likely to play against the San Diego Chargers Sunday at Heinz Field.

Parker has a torn labrum in his shoulder, but sources told the Post-Gazette he likely will return after missing the game yesterday.

"We are hopeful that he will be well enough to play next week," coach Mike Tomlin said after the game.

Parker's latest injury occurred last Monday night in Washington, when he ran 21 times for 70 yards. It's his third significant injury in his past five games. His fibula was broken in the 15th game last season, and a sprained knee in the third game this season kept him out until last Monday.

Mewelde Moore replaced him and ran 24 times for 57 yards and two touchdowns in his fourth start in the past five games.

Moore leads the Steelers with 377 yards rushing and six touchdowns, five of them rushing. Parker has 333 yards and four rushing touchdowns.

Plugging holes

Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley, second on the team with 9.5 sacks, missed his first game because of a calf injury. Woodley was originally hurt against the New York Giants two weeks ago, but played last Monday night against the Redskins.

Lawrence Timmons made his first pro start at left outside linebacker in Woodley's place. Timmons moved to his familiar spot at inside linebacker in the nickel, and Brett Keisel moved to left end in that formation, where Woodley normally would be. Travis Kirschke played Keisel's spot at right end in the nickel.

Timmons and nose tackle Casey Hampton, though, did not play much in the second half as the Steelers went most of the way using their dime defense against the Colts, who deployed three wide receivers and tight end Dallas Clark.

"That is just the route that we went in the second half to try to contain [Clark]," Tomlin explained.

A painful scene

Another familiar sight occurred yesterday when cornerback Deshea Townsend's right hamstring was injured in the third

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quarter. He walked stiffly and slowly off the field and did not return.

"When you play corner, and you see a guy go down like that, it is generally not good," Tomlin said. "We will cross our fingers."

With Bryant McFadden out with a broken forearm, it left the Steelers without two of their top three cornerbacks. William Gay replaced Townsend, and Anthony Madison moved up to play the nickel.

The skinny on Colts' defense

The Colts' defense, which does not start a player who weighs more than 274 pounds, held the Steelers' usually tough running game to just 55 yards on 26 attempts in their 24-20 victory yesterday.

Their greatest stand came with the Steelers having a first-and-five at the Colts' 5 about five minutes into the fourth quarter.

After Moore gained 4 yards to the 1 on first down, two consecutive runs by Moore netted zero yards.

Both stops on the play were by Colts rookie defensive tackle, Eric Foster, who hammered Moore right in the hole on third down to stop him cold. The Steelers settled for a 24-yard Jeff Reed field goal to take a 23-17 lead with 8:05 left in the game.

"Hats off to their defense," said Moore.

"They made plays. They made key plays at big moments in the game."

Following that stop, the Steelers stopped the Colts. But, on their ensuing possession, Tim Jennings intercepted a Ben Roethlisberger pass at the Steelers' 38, setting up the Colts' winning touchdown.

The Colts came into the game ranked 25th in the league against the rush.

Quick hits

• With Najeh Davenport's release Saturday, Gary Russell took over the job as kickoff return man.

• Aaron Smith's sack of Peyton Manning in the first quarter for an 11-yard loss gave him 40.5 for his career, moving him into eighth place in Steelers annals ahead of Ernie Holmes, who had 40.

• Reed's 42-yard field goal in the second quarter was the 147th of his career, second most in team history. That moved him out of a tie with Roy Gerela.

• Russell's 39-yard kickoff return early in the second half was the longest return for the Steelers this season, by 12 yards. His four kickoff returns covered 103 yards.

• Hines Ward became the first Steelers receiver to top 100 yards receiving this season. It was the 17th 100-yard game of his career, moving him into second in that category ahead of Louis Lipps. John Stallworth leads with 24.

• Roethlisberger moved into second on the team career-passing list with 13,359 yards. He passed Kordell Stewart, who had 13,328. Terry Bradshaw leads with 27,989.

• James Harrison recorded his 11th sack of the season, four short of Mike Merriweather's single-season record.

• In allowing three touchdowns yesterday, the Steelers' top-rated defense gave up more in four quarters than it had in the previous three games. The Cincinnati Bengals, Giants and Redskins scored only two touchdowns combined.

• Despite playing with a banged up secondary all season, Indianapolis has allowed only two touchdown passes.

• The Colts, who were blistered by 100-yard plus rushing performances in their first three games, have allowed only one 100-yard rusher in the last six.

• The Steelers have failed to produce a 100-yard ground performance in six of their past seven games.

Inactives

Steelers: No 3 quarterback Dennis Dixon, cornerback Bryant McFadden, running back Willie Parker, linebacker LaMarr Woodley, offensive tackle Tony Hills, offensive tackle Marvel Smith, tight end Heath Miller, defensive end Orpheus Roye.



Indianapolis Colts: defensive end Kelvin Haden, defensive back Jamie Silva, linebacker Jordan Senn, linebacker BusterDavis, center Steve Justice, wide receiver Roy Hall, tight end Tom Santi, defensive tackle Daniel Muir.

Jerry Micco, Gene Collier and Gerry Dulac of the Post-Gazette contributed to this report. Ed Bouchette can be reached at [email protected].


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Interceptions ignite Colts' comeback By Scott Brown TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, November 10, 2008

He spoke softly and at times choked back the emotion he had shown in the Steelers' locker room shortly after their 24-20 come-from-ahead loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

Ben Roethlisberger did not try to hide his disappointment after one of the low points in a career that has had very few of them. It showed in the eyes that looked a little puffy and the shoulders that seemed to sag as he talked about a game the Steelers let slip away in front of a crowd of 64,043 at Heinz Field.

"If this was an individual sport and I lost the game, I wouldn't feel so bad," Roethlisberger said Sunday night in a somber home locker room. "Letting your teammates down, it hurts. I lost this game, and it hurts."

Despite playing with a bad right shoulder, Roethlisberger threw for nearly 300 yards and completed more than 71 percent of his passes. An otherwise solid outing, however, was overshadowed by two passes Roethlisberger completed to players wearing white jerseys.

Interceptions he threw in the latter part of the second and fourth quarters led to Colts' touchdowns. Those turnovers allowed Indianapolis to overcome 17-7 and 20-17 deficits and saddled the Steelers with their most disappointing loss of the season.

The Colts, who got three touchdown passes from quarterback Peyton Manning and a key goal-line stand in the fourth quarter, improved to 5-4. The Steelers dropped to 6-3 and fell into a tie for first place in the AFC North with the Baltimore Ravens.

The Steelers, who have lost consecutive games at Heinz Field, try to get back on track Sunday against the visiting San Diego Chargers.

Preparation for the Chargers will begin after the Steelers look at film from Sunday's game -- and answer the question of what happened against a team that didn't take its first lead until Manning threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to running back Dominic Rhodes with just over three minutes left in the fourth quarter.

"Honestly, we felt like we were in control the whole game," said Troy Polamalu, who was beaten on the game-winning touchdown after Rhodes caught a pass that cleared the outstretched arms of the Steelers' Pro Bowl safety. "We felt

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really confident out there."

Said Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, "There is a fine line between winning and losing in this league, and you have to give credit to the Colts because they made plays to win the football game."

They also got a little help.

Ike Taylor deflected a Manning pass in the first quarter that still ended up in the arms of Reggie Wayne and resulted in a 65-yard touchdown. Polamalu dropped an interception that he almost surely would have returned for a score in the second quarter with the Steelers leading, 17-7.

The game, however, turned on Roethlisberger's 10th interception of the season. With the Steelers needing just one first down to run out the clock and take a 10-point lead into halftime, Keiwan Ratliff picked off an underthrown pass intended for Santonio Holmes.

Six plays later, Manning threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Dallas Clark, and the Colts tied the score with a field goal early in the third quarter.

Roethlisberger and the Steelers put together a textbook drive in the fourth quarter. The Steelers, however, settled for a short Jeff Reed field goal after Mewelde Moore was stuffed from the Colts' 1-yard on second and third down.

With the Steelers leading, 20-17, the defense forced a three-and-out, but Roethlisberger gave the ball back to Indianapolis with a poorly thrown pass to Holmes over the middle.

The Steelers had a little over three minutes left after Manning made them pay for another Roethlisberger miscue. The Colts, as they had done all game, forced Roethlisberger to throw underneath. In the end, he had to heave a desperation throw into the end zone -- one that Dallas Baker nearly grabbed on the rebound but ultimately was intercepted -- as time ran out on him and the Steelers.

"I'm probably more drained emotionally that I am physically," Roethlisberger said. "When you feel like it's your fault, it really hurts."

Scott Brown can be reached at [email protected] or 412-481-5432.

Images and text copyright © 2008 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co.

Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from PghTrib.com

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Colts' no-names kill Steelers By Joe Starkey TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, November 10, 2008

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Keiwan Ratliff was sitting at home in Cincinnati three weekends ago, jobless and watching NFL games on television.

Ratliff had played in 32 games for the Bengals from 2004-06 but was cut twice by the Colts this season.

That was before starting cornerbacks Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden were lost to injuries.

Next thing Ratliff knew, he was covering Randy Moss in a victory over the New England Patriots, then starting Sunday against the Steelers at Heinz Field.

"I'm living out my dream," Ratliff said after his team's 24-20 victory. "Honestly, it's still like Christmas."

If so, then Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is Santa Claus, because he gift-wrapped Ratliff's first career interception on a monumental play late in the first half.

The Steelers were leading, 17-7, with 1:30 left in the half when Roethlisberger dropped back inside his 10-yard line and fired an errant pass in the general direction of receiver Santonio Holmes. Ratliff stepped in and snagged it, putting the Colts in business at the Steelers' 30.

Six plays later, quarterback Peyton Manning connected with Dallas Clark on a 2-yard touchdown pass.

It was a game again.

A completely different game.

"That one got us back in it," said Colts coach Tony Dungy, "to where we didn't have to be one-dimensional in the second half."

Traditionally, big names have powered Colts. This was a night for the no-names.

Ratliff's fellow former backup cornerback, Tim Jennings, made a critical interception of his own in the fourth quarter to set up the winning touchdown.

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Jennings jumped a slant route - Holmes, again, was the intended receiver -- and returned the ball 6 yards to the Steelers' 32.

By that point, the Colts had warmed up to the Steelers' dink-and-dunk passing game.

"I knew the ball would come out quick," Jennings said. "It was kind of easy for me."

Earlier in the fourth quarter, Eric Foster, a 265-pound, undrafted rookie defensive tackle from Rutgers, made an amazing play to stuff Steelers running back Mewelde Moore and third-and-goal from the 1.

Foster was blocked to the ground on the play, but rose like a tidal wave and engulfed Moore, then slammed him to the ground. That forced the Steelers to kick a field goal that put them ahead, 20-17.

"My blood just rose to the top," Foster said. "I just heard the fans go, 'Oooooh.' An excitement rush. It was great."

Fittingly, one more obscure player stepped up to seal the victory on Roethlisberger's 27-yard desperation heave toward the end zone as the gun sounded. The ball was tipped at the goal line and appeared to be headed right into the waiting arms of Steelers receiver Dallas Baker when backup safety Melvin Bullitt reached back with one hand and made an incredible interception.

For fans of both teams, the play might have sparked memories of a famous play from the 1995 AFC Championship Game, when Colts quarterback Jim Harbaugh saw his Hail Mary attempt nearly caught in the end zone before falling to the turf.

That was all part of the Colts' Pittsburgh curse. They hadn't won here in 40 years, losing 11 consecutive games (including playoffs) by mostly lopsided scores.

Manning was crucial in snapping the streak, passing for 240 yards and three touchdowns. Star defensive end Dwight Freeney had two sacks, and elite wideout Reggie Wayne caught six passes for 114 yards and a touchdown.

But this night, by and large, belonged to the no-names.

Joe Starkey can be reached at [email protected] or 412-320-7810.



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Tomlin, Roethlisberger shoulder talk By Scott Brown TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, November 10, 2008

Coach Mike Tomlin and Ben Roethlisberger downplayed the effect that the quarterback's ailing right shoulder had on him in the Steelers' 24-20 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Roethlisberger, who didn't practice last week until Friday, completed 30 of 42 passes for 284 yards. But he also threw three interceptions. "I am not going to make that the story and neither is he," Tomlin said of Roethlisberger's physical condition. "He was well enough to play." Roethlisberger's shoulder has bothered him since the first week of the season, when he slightly separated it. There was a question last week about whether he would be well enough to play against the Colts or whether backup Byron Leftwich would get the call. While disappointed with his performance, Roethlisberger refused to fall back on his health as an excuse. "I don't care what it is, shoulder, no excuses," Roethlisberger said.

• Tomlin said he considered going for it from the Colts' 1 during the fourth quarter of a tie game. In the end, Tomlin said he opted for a short Jeff Reed field goal -- it ended up being 24 yards after a delay of game penalty -- because running back Mewelde Moore actually lost yardage on third down from the 1. Moore, who earlier had rushed for a pair of 1-yard touchdowns, was drilled by defensive tackle Eric Foster well short of the end zone. "When you lose ground like that on third down," Tomlin said, "you do not want to leave there with a negative taste in your mouth. We took the points." Added Foster: "My blood just rose to the top -- an excitement rush."

• The Steelers could be without cornerback Deshea Townsend for an extended period of time. Townsend left yesterday's game in the third quarter with a hamstring injury and didn't return. "When you play corner and you see a guy go down like that, it is generally not good," Tomlin said. "We will cross our fingers." Townsend had been playing for Bryant McFadden (broken arm) at right cornerback.

• Tomlin seemed hopeful that running back Willie Parker and outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley will be able to play next Sunday. Parker didn't play against the Colts because of a shoulder injury, and Woodley missed the game because of a bad calf. Neither player practiced last week. "LaMarr is a young guy. He's not the kind of guy who can miss quality practice reps and show up at the stadium and play winning football," Tomlin said. "He wasn't able to practice, so we went with Lawrence Timmons."

• With Moore starting at running back and Najeh Davenport no longer on the team, the Steelers used running back Gary Russell as their primary kickoff

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returner. The second year-man turned in the Steelers' longest return of the season -- a 39-yarder early in the third quarter, and he averaged 25.8 yards on four returns.

• Joining Parker, Woodley and McFadden on the Steelers' inactive list were offensive tackle Marvel Smith (back), tight end Heath Miller (ankle), defensive end Orpheus Roye, offensive tackle Tony Hills and quarterback Dennis Dixon.

Digits

8:10 -- Edge in time of possession the Steelers had over the Colts.

17 -- Career 100-yard receiving games Hines Ward has after catching nine passes for 116 yards yesterday.

Scott Brown can be reached at [email protected] or 412-481-5432.



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Big Ben hurts cause By Mike Prisuta TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, November 10, 2008

For the record, the game was lost when the Steelers failed on consecutive snaps to advance the ball 1 yard against one of the worst run defenses in the NFL.

Jam it in there, with the score 17-17 midway through the fourth quarter, and the outcome would have been different.

But the Steelers didn't, and it wasn't.

The confounding 24-20 loss they absorbed at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts stands as a sudden indictment of a team that just a week ago was feeling better about itself than anyone in the Washington, D.C. region this side of Barack Obama.

This one has the potential to leave a mark, particularly on quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who was as red-eyed afterward as he was remorseful.

"You'll never hear me say 'I' anything, but I lost this game," Roethlisberger said.

He was referring to two hideous interceptions, one of which got the Colts off the deck late in the first half and one of which set the table for the game-winning TD after the Steelers couldn't run the ball three feet and instead settled for three points.

Roethlisberger also was intercepted on the game's final play, but by then, the issue wasn't whether the Steelers would steal back the game but whether Roethlisberger could heave the ball into the end zone from the Indianapolis 27-yard line.

Or so it seemed.

The task at hand appeared to have become that much of a struggle for Big Ben.

The INTs were far from the only gaffes that precipitated an uncharacteristic Steelers collapse.

Ike Taylor muffed an interception that turned into a touchdown for the Colts.

Troy Polamalu dropped an interception that should have turned into a

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touchdown for the Steelers.

To be fair, Marvin Harrison dropped two passes that should have been six for Indy, so perhaps those things have a way of evening out.

But as mistakes are assessed and accountability is demanded from a Steelers Nation that ought to be nervous now that Baltimore has drawn even in the AFC North Division, don't forget the decision to play Roethlisberger in the first place.

That was the Steelers' first mistake.

Coach Mike Tomlin disagreed, refusing to acknowledge Roethlisberger's condition -- offensive coordinator Bruce Arians estimated him to be "80 percent" -- or all of the practice time he's missed of late.

"I'm not going to make that the story, and neither is (Roethlisberger)," Tomlin said.

That doesn't mean it isn't the story.

Despite final numbers that included 30 completions in 42 attempts and 284 yards passing despite the three interceptions, Roethlisberger was weak-armed and inaccurate -- relatively speaking -- throughout.

Numerous passes were dropped because the ball was too high, low, far in front or far behind the receiver, and numerous completions didn't net the yardage they could have because it was too hard to catch the ball in the first place.

By game's end, Roethlisberger couldn't even get the ball in the vicinity of Mewelde Moore, who was about 6 yards away at the time.

That's not the franchise quarterback upon which the Steelers depend.

Until Roethlisberger can be that again, he shouldn't be playing.

Jamming the ball in from the 1 would have made that less of an issue, but no less of a dilemma that must be confronted.

Mike Prisuta can be reached at [email protected] or 412-320-7923.



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Steelers' defense can't overcome By John Harris TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, November 10, 2008

A great defense is a terrible thing to waste.

Yet the Steelers are in danger of doing exactly that.

Didn't we watch this same game two weeks ago?

The Steelers blowing a fourth-quarter lead at home against a quality opponent?

The offense shooting itself in the foot, then leaving it up to the NFL's top-ranked defense to pull off a miracle?

Well, even this defense has its limits.

The Steelers gave up a long touchdown pass during Sunday's 24-20 loss to the Indianapolis Colts at Heinz Field. Peyton Manning's first-quarter bomb was deflected by cornerback Ike Taylor, who appeared to make a great play until the ball went off his hand to receiver Reggie Wayne, who graciously accepted the gift and weaved his way to a 65-yard touchdown.

It's doubtful that even the Steel Curtain could have stopped the Colts' two other touchdown drives.

Both were set up by Ben Roethlisbeger interceptions, and both occurred at the Steelers' end of the field. The average length of those two drives was a scant 32 yards.

Peyton Manning's 17-yard touchdown pass to running back Dominic Rhodes with 3:10 remaining -- four plays into a 34-yard drive -- basically sealed the outcome.

"We're playing short fields. You can't give Peyton a short field like that," Pro Bowl linebacker James Harrison said in a subdued Steelers locker room. "Sometimes, we can stop them; sometimes, we can't. Like I said, that's Peyton Manning."

Like it or not, the Steelers' offense continues to play with fire. Once again, the defense was the burn victim.

Two weeks ago, in a 21-14 loss to the New York Giants at Heinz Field, the

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defense lived up to its No. 1 ranking, limiting the Giants to a pair of field goals on three drives originating in Steelers' territory -- all three set up by Roethlisberger interceptions.

Yesterday, the Steelers' defense wasn't as successful.

"Yeah, but we've been in that situation plenty of many times. We didn't play our best today," defensive captain James Farrior said. "It's hard, but that's why we get paid the big bucks."

Added defensive end Aaron Smith: "We've got to find a way to keep them to a field goal."

Nice try, guys.

Like Harrison said, this is Peyton Manning we're talking about.

Yeah, it would have been a wonderful story if the Steelers had kept the Colts out of the end zone late in the game, but what about the six other Indianapolis drives that resulted in punts?

It wasn't as if the Colts were moving the ball at will. Far from it.

If the Steelers' offense doesn't get its act together soon and if the defense continues to be asked to accomplish the impossible task of playing on short fields, Dick LeBeau's unit could be in danger of flaming out down the stretch, just as it did last season.

A telling moment in yesterday's game occurred late in the second quarter, when Roethisberger's pass on third-and-2 from the Steelers' 16 intended for Santonio Holmes was intercepted.

Not only was it a bad throw, but it was a poor call for a team featuring the league's top-ranked defense. Why not try to run the 2 yards for a first down or punt and leave it up to the NFL's best defense to bring the half to a close?

"It was a little bit of miscommunication, and it was costly," offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said of the play.

No truer words were spoken.

John Harris can be reached at [email protected] or 412-481-5432.



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MONDAY NOVEMBER 10, 2008 :: Last modified: Monday, November 10, 2008 12:07 AM EST

Taylor couldn't catch break By Mike Bires Times Sports Staff

PITTSBURGH — Any chance of Ike Taylor making the Pro Bowl probably ended Sunday. More often than not, all-star cornerbacks shut down wide receivers they play against. But in Sunday’s 24-20 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, the Steelers’ usually reliable corner actually helped Reggie Wayne surpass 100 receiving yards.

In the first quarter with the Steelers leading 7-0, quarterback Peyton Manning threw deep to Wayne. Taylor, though, seemed to have the play covered. But just as the ball arrived, it slipped through Taylor’s fingertips and deflected into Wayne’s hands. Wayne then juked out safety Ryan Clark to complete a 65-yard touchdown play. What a momentum boost that would have been for the Steelers had Taylor intercepted Manning on the Colts’ first possession. Then in the third quarter, it appeared that Taylor again had a pass play covered when Manning threw to Wayne. But again, Taylor tipped the ball right into Wayne’s hands for a 16-yard gain. Indianapolis didn’t score on that drive, but had Taylor made the interception, the Steelers would have had the ball inside Colts’ territory. “Usually when you tip it, it falls to the defense,” Taylor said. “Tonight, they fell to the offensive team.” Meanwhile, three Colts defensive backs had interceptions — Tim Jennings, Keiwan Ratliff and Melvin Bullitt. “We didn’t catch them and they did,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “That is the difference of games at times when you have closely matched football teams.” For the most part, Taylor has played very well this year even though he doesn’t have any interceptions.

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Notebook: No miracle end for Steelers By Chris Harlan Times Sports Staff

PITTSBURGH — Steelers receiver Nate Washington didn’t know teammate Dallas Baker was just a few steps behind him, hoping to catch his deflection off a game-ending heave into the end zone. Still, it almost worked.

“A lot of the times you get into a situation where you have a couple teammates around you,” Washington said after Sunday’s 24-20 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. “I’m the jumper out of everybody. I just try to jump up and tip the ball. This time I tried to jump up and grab it.” The football glanced off Washington’s hands and was heading toward Baker until Colts safety Melvin Bullitt intercepted what would have been the winning touchdown as time expired. TOWNSEND HURT The Steelers’ short-handed secondary lost another when CB Deshea Townsend left in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury. Townsend crumbled to the turf while chasing after Colts receiver Anthony Gonzalez. It’s likely he’ll miss next week’s game against San Diego. “I think that in the next couple of days we will get some clarity on the severity of it,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “When you play corner and you see a guy go down like that, it is generally not good. We will cross our fingers.” WOODLEY SITS Injured LB LaMarr Woodley was replaced in the starting lineup at LOLB by fellow second-year pro Lawrence Timmons. Woodley, second on the team with 9.5 sacks, has been slowed by a calf injury suffered last week against Washington. Timmons, making his first career start, had five tackles against the Colts. Joining Woodley on the inactive list were RB Willie Parker (shoulder), TE Heath Miller (ankle), OT Marvel Smith (back), CB Bryant McFadden (arm), OL Tony Hills, DE Orpheus Roye and QB Dennis Dixon. Miller left the locker room wearing a protective boot on his injured right foot. MILESTONES * DE Aaron Smith moved into eighth place on the Steelers’ career sacks list with a first-quarter sack of Peyton Manning. That gave Smith 40.5 sacks, moving him ahead of Ernie Holmes, who had 40.

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* Hines Ward had his 17th career 100-yard game, giving him sole possession of second place on the team’s all-time list ahead of Louis Lipps. * Jeff Reed’s 42-yard FG in the second quarter gave him 147 in his career, moving him into second place on the team’s all-time list ahead of Roy Gerela. He trails only Gary Anderson (309). * Ben Roethlisberger moved into second place on the team’s all-time passing yardage list with 13,359 career yards. He passed Kordell Stewart (13,328) and trails only Terry Bradshaw (27,989)


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Another Manning defeats Steelers By F. Dale Lolley, Staff writer

[email protected]

PITTSBURGH - The Steelers can take solace in knowing there are only two Manning brothers in the NFL.

Two weeks after Eli Manning came to Heinz Field and threw a touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter to give the New York Giants to a victory over the Steelers, older brother Peyton did the same Sunday.

Peyton Manning threw three touchdown passes - the third coming with just over three minutes remaining to running back Dominic Rhodes - to lead Indianapolis to a 24-20 come-from-behind win over the Steelers.

The loss drops the Steelers (6-3) into a tie with Baltimore, a winner Sunday at Houston, for first place in the AFC North. Indianapolis improves to 5-4.

"You have to give credit to the Colts because they made plays to win the football game," Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said. "They took advantage of a couple of opportunities and made significant plays. We did not."

Despite completing only 21 of 40 passes for 240 yards, Manning did enough to give the Colts their first win in Pittsburgh since 1968.

Roethlisberger, who only practiced Friday of last week after aggravating a shoulder injury in a win Monday over Washington, completed 30-of-42 passes for 284 yards. But he threw three interceptions, two of which came in Pittsburghn territory and led to Indianapolis touchdowns.

With the Steelers leading 17-7 on a pair of one-yard TD runs by Mewelde Moore - who was subbing for injured Willie Parker - and a 42-yard Jeff Reed field goal, Keiwan Ratliff intercepted Roethlisberger at the Pittsburgh 32-yard line with 1:30 remaining in the second quarter.

That set up a two-yard TD pass from Manning to tight end Dallas Clark with six seconds left in the half.

Instead of taking a 17-7 lead into the locker room, after a half in which they had dominated, the Steelers led 17-14.

Roethlisberger's second interception came with the Steelers clinging to a 20-17 lead and 4:44 remaining in the game. Cornerback Tim Jennings picked off a pass intended for Santonio Holmes at the Pittsburgh 38 and returned it to the 32.

Four plays later, Manning connected with Rhodes out of the backfield for the game-winning 17-yard score.

"I thought he was coming under and I made the mistake," Roethlisberger said. "His route was a return (to the sideline) and I made a mistake. I thought he was going to keep coming, and he did what he was supposed to do - stop and come back out. I forgot he was supposed to come back out."

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The Steelers got the ball back at their own 27 with 2:56 remaining and drove to the Indianapolis 32 with 48 seconds left. A holding penalty on left tackle Max Starks and a sack pushed the ball back to the 49. A pass to Moore on third down was good for 16 yards to the Indianapolis 27, but Roethlisberger's last-second pass to Nate Washington was batted into the air and intercepted by Melvin Bullitt to end the game.

The Steelers missed on at least three opportunities to intercept Manning passes, including one in the first quarter when cornerback Ike Taylor had both hands on a deep throw down the sideline. The ball skipped out of Taylor's hands to wide receiver Reggie Wayne, who went into the end zone for a 65-yard touchdown.

Pittsburgh also failed to score on two attempts by Moore from the one-yard line midway through the fourth quarter and settled for a field goal by Reed and a 20-17 lead.

"There was a thought (of going for the touchdown on fourth down)," Tomlin said. "But it was obvious that we had lost some yardage on the third-down attempt. ... When you lose ground like that on third down, you do not want to leave there with a negative taste in your mouth. We took the points."

And Indianapolis and Manning took the win.

"They're a great road team," said Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward, who caught nine passes for 116 yards. "Any time you give Peyton Manning a short field, he's going to do something positive with it. This is one that slipped away from us. I felt like we had control of the game. We just lost it."

Copyright Observer Publishing Co.

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Colts wouldn't be fooled again By F. Dale Lolley, Staff writer

[email protected]

PITTSBURGH - The Steelers might have gone to the well once too often.

Running back Mewelde Moore had a pair of one-yard touchdown runs in the first half of Pittsburgh's 24-20 loss Sunday to the Indianapolis Colts. On the second, Moore ran through the middle of the line and got into the end zone without being touched.

But when the Steelers drove to the Indianapolis one-yard line in the fourth quarter, Moore was stopped twice by the Colts for no gain. Defensive tackle Eric Foster and defensive end Robert Mathis stopped him the first time on second-and-goal. Foster got Moore again on third down, this time catching the running back just as he leaped into the air.

As a result, the Steelers settled for a field goal and a 20-17 lead.

"They ran the same plays they had scored on. We had one little error - we went backdoor with our nose man on the one where he went in standing up," said Indianapolis head coach Tony Dungy. "Everybody knew what the play was going to be and we came off and stuffed it. That was a big momentum play to hold them to three."

According to Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, it simply came down to execution.

"Their one guy beat our guy, twice," Arians said. "We just didn't execute the same play we had walked into the end zone with twice earlier."

Missed opportunities

The Steelers' defense got a hand on seven passes but was unable to come away with an interception of Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning.

Cornerback Ike Taylor got both hands on two passes, knocking both throws into the air, where they were caught by Indianapolis receiver Reggie Wayne. The first was turned into a 65-yard TD catch for Wayne. Strong safety Troy Polamalu stepped in front of a Manning pass intended for tight end Dallas Baker late in the first half, but dropped the ball deep in Pittsburgh territory with nobody standing between him and the end zone.

"There's a lot of wish I could ofs, but that's definitely the biggest one," said Polamalu. "When we drop picks like I did, it changes the whole game."

Townsend injured

Already without cornerback Bryant McFadden (broken arm), the Steelers' secondary lost Deshea Townsend in the third quarter with a hamstring injury.

"In the next couple of days we will get some clarity on the severity of it," said Steelers head coach Mike

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Tomlin. "When you play corner and you see a guy go down like that, it's generally not good. We will cross our fingers."

Townsend was replaced for the remainder of the game by second-year pro William Gay, and special teams ace Anthony Madison moved into the lineup in the nickel defense.

In addition to McFadden, the Steelers played without running back Willie Parker (shoulder), linebacker LaMarr Woodley (calf), offensive tackle Marvel Smith (back) and tight end Heath Miller (ankle).

Odds and end zones

Running back Gary Russell made his first appearance as Pittsburgh's kickoff returner and averaged 25.8 yards on four returns, including a 39-yarder that is the team's longest this season. ... New punter Paul Ernster averaged 37.7 yards on three kicks with two being downed inside the 20. ... The Steelers had two sacks, including linebacker James Harrison's 11th of the season. ... Hines Ward's 100-yard receiving game was the 17th of his career and first since the 2006. ... Jeff Reed's two field goals moved him past Roy Gerela and into second place on the Steelers' all-time list with 148. ... Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger moved past Kordell Stewart and into second place on the Steelers' all-time passing yardage list behind Terry Bradshaw. Roethlisberger has 13,359 yards.


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Dejected Roethlisberger: 'I lost this game' PITTSBURGH - Ben Roethlisberger didn't cry following the Steelers' 24-20 loss Sunday to the Indianapolis Colts at Heinz Field, but he was close.

Roethlisberger had just thrown three interceptions - two of which the Colts turned into touchdowns - costing the Steelers a chance at victory.

And after promising during the week that he would play better in the second half of the season, Roethlisberger was understandably shaken.

"If this was an individual sport and I lost the game, I wouldn't feel so bad," said Roethlisberger, who was 30-of-42 for 284 yards. "Letting the guys, your teammates, down, it hurts. You never hear me say, 'I anything,' but I lost this game."

Roethlisberger's interceptions - the third came on a last-second heave into the end zone on the game's final play - weren't the only mistakes the Steelers made. They were, however, the most obvious ones.

For a quarterback who has largely known nothing but success during his five NFL seasons, the current funk he's in is difficult to handle.

In his last three games, Roethlisberger has thrown just one touchdown pass with eight interceptions. That's enough to shake even the most confident of psyches.

"I'm not concerned about his confidence," said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. "He is our quarterback because he is. To play his position in this league, you have to remain unwavering. I expect him to. I'm sure he will."

Roethlisberger's practice time has been limited because of a right shoulder injury suffered in the season-opener against Houston. He also suffered a torn ligament in his left thumb in the loss Oct. 26 to the New York Giants.

He left a win last week at Washington at halftime after aggravating the shoulder injury and was unable to practice until Friday.

But Tomlin never considered using backup Byron Leftwich against the Colts.

Roethlisberger was healthy enough to play, and as Tomlin said, he is the quarterback.

Though Roethlisberger is taking responsibility for the loss to the Colts, it wasn't solely on him.

Cornerback Ike Taylor dropped a couple of interceptions - one of which was plucked out of the air by the Colts' Reggie Wayne and turned into a 65-yard touchdown. Safety Troy Polalmalu also dropped an interception near the end of the first half with nothing between him and the end zone. The Colts went on to score on that possession.

If the Steelers intercept either of those passes, the outcome of the game might have been different.

But because Roethlisberger is the quarterback - the one who signed a contract for more than $100

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million in the offseason - the blame rests largely on his shoulders.

"Sometimes (quarterbacks) get a little too much credit when we win and they get a little too much blame when we lose," said Tomlin.

That might be the case. But that's why the quarterbacks also get paid the big money. With that big contract comes great responsibility.

Football is a team game to be sure, but it does come down to individual play. Right now, Roethlisberger's play is not up to par. And for that, he has only himself to blame. He has set expectations very high.

The Steelers have a championship-caliber defense. Now they need their Super Bowl-winning quarterback to start playing like one.

F. Dale Lolley can be reached at [email protected]


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Steelers struggle in loss to Colts By ALAN ROBINSON The Tribune-Democrat

PITTSBURGH November 10, 2008 12:05 am — Ben Roethlisberger is a Super Bowl-winning quarterback in his fifth season. That doesn’t mean he still can’t learn a valuable lesson from Peyton Manning: Sometimes, inaccuracy beats impatience. Manning took advantage of Roethlisberger’s fourth quarter interception to find Dominic Rhodes out of the backfield on a 17-yard touchdown pass with 3:04 remaining for Indianapolis’ only lead, and the Colts rallied in a virtual must-win game to beat the Steelers 24-20 on Sunday. Manning also hit Reggie Wayne on a 65-yard touchdown pass play on a tipped ball that wasn’t well thrown and Dallas Clark on a 2-yard scoring pass six seconds before halftime following an unnecessary interception by Roethlisberger, helping end the Colts’ 40-year losing streak in Pittsburgh. “Coach (Mike) Tomlin told us all week they are a team that likes to score before the half and at the end of the game,” Steelers linebacker James Farrior said. “That’s what happened to us.” The Colts (5-4) had dropped their last 12 in Pittsburgh counting the postseason, dating to a 41-7 win in 1968 when the Steelers played at now-demolished Pitt Stadium. “They certainly are tough to get here in Pittsburgh,” Colts coach Tony Dungy said. Except by teams quarterbacked by Mannings. Pittsburgh (6-3) lost to a Manning-led team at home for the second time in three weeks despite leading 20-17 on Jeff Reed’s 24-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter. They were beaten by Eli Manning’s Giants 21-14 on Oct. 26, again after a fourth-quarter comeback. The Steelers had a chance to win at the end, but Roethlisberger’s pass into the end zone on the final play — with Nate Washington open briefly — was intercepted by Melvin Bullitt. The first matchup between the AFC teams since Pittsburgh’s stunning 21-18 win over the top-seeded Colts in the AFC divisional playoffs in January 2006 — Indianapolis was a big favorite to win the Super Bowl — followed the pattern of that game as the Steelers opened an early double digit lead, then tried to hold on. In this one, a lucky tip and Roethlisberger’s haste to try to get points when Pittsburgh wasn’t in position to score late in the first half helped get the Colts back into the game after Pittsburgh led 7-0 and 17-7. All three of Roethlisberger’s interceptions were pivotal. “You’ll never hear me say ’I’ anything, but I lost this game,” said Roethlisberger, who appeared to be crying into a towel when reporters entered the locker room. “I take it on myself. I let the guys down on offense and defense. It hurts, but we’ll learn from it.” The Colts avoided going down by five games to Tennessee (9-0) in the AFC South and stayed on the fringe of the wild-card race; a loss would have left them with little margin for error in their final seven games. “We definitely needed the game as far as confidence,” Rhodes said. Rhodes accounted for all 32 yards on Indianapolis’ game-winning drive that followed Tim Jennings’ interception at the Steelers’ 32 with 4:44 to play. The backup running back carried three times for 15 yards ahead of his TD catch, in which Manning froze the defense with a play-action fake. “I was the third option, but he saw me running open and threw it and I made a good catch,” Rhodes said. With the Colts’ last-in-the-league running game unable to get going against the league’s top-ranked defense, Manning, who was 21-of-40 for 240 yards, often threw into coverage as the Steelers loaded up with six defensive backs, yet repeatedly converted key throws. “It was important for us to capitalize (on the interceptions),” Manning said after the Colts followed up on an 18-15 victory over New England. “We hung in there, it truly was a team effort, and this is what we needed.” After Pittsburgh drove 62 yards for Mewelde Moore’s 1-yard touchdown run on its opening possession,

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Manning’s too-high pass intended for Wayne took a fortunate bounce off Ike Taylor’s hand directly to Wayne, who put an inside-out move on Ryan Clark to score. Wayne made six catches for 114 yards. “Some of the balls that bounced against us early on (this season), we got today,” Dungy said. Roethlisberger, playing despite a separated shoulder that kept him out of practice until Friday, came back to complete two passes on third-and-long situations on a 77-yard drive ended by Moore’s second 1-yard TD run. Jeff Reed later hit a 42-yard field goal to make it 17-7. Rather than trying to preserve the lead, Roethlisberger forced a throw into tight coverage on third-and-2 from his 16 and Keiwan Ratliff intercepted at the Pittsburgh 30 with 1:24 left in the half. Unexpectedly given good field position, Manning found Clark open in the front of the end zone to cut it to 17-14. The Colts tied it on Adam Vinatieri’s 36-yard field goal on their opening drive of the second half. Notes: The Colts said their own in-game report that WR Marvin Harrison sustained a concussion was inaccurate. ... Steelers RB Willie Parker (shoulder) missed his fifth game in the last six. ... Manning had not been sacked in three games until being sacked twice. Pittsburgh came into the game with a league-leading 32 sacks. ... Hines Ward made nine catches for 116 yards, with his 41-yard reception leading to Moore’s second TD run. ... Roethlisberger has 8 interceptions in his last 10 quarters.

Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.

Photos

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) passes in the fourth quarter against the Indianapolis Colts during an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2008. The Colts won 24-20. Associated Press

Page 2 of 2Steelers struggle in loss to Colts


STEELERS NOTEBOOK | At the line late, offense falters BY ERIC KNOPSNYDER The Tribune-Democrat

PITTSBURGH November 09, 2008 11:59 pm — The third time certainly wasn’t the charm for Mewelde Moore and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Twice in the first half on Sunday, the Steelers got to the Indianapolis 1-yard line and let Moore take it in for the touchdown. But the Steelers’ third goal-line opportunity, which came midway through the fourth quarter, turned out much differently in the 24-20 loss to the Colts. On second down, Moore tried to go off left guard, the same hole that worked for the first two touchdowns, but was stopped by defenders Eric Foster and Robert Mathis. “Everybody knew what the play was going to be, and we came off and stuffed it,” Colts coach Tony Dungy said. The third down play wasn’t any better as Foster stopped Moore again. “Hat’s off to their ‘D,’ ” Moore said. “They made plays. They get paid, too. On the other side of the ball, they’re professionals as well. They sniffed it out, made good plays and stuffed us.” The Steelers were forced to settle for a Jeff Reed field goal, which gave them the lead, but ended up losing when the Colts were able to covert a red-zone opportunity into a touchdown. Moore averaged 101 rushing yards per game the first three times he filled in for starter Willie Parker, but he was held to 57 yards on �24 carries with Parker sitting out with an injured shoulder. The Colts, who entered the game giving up an average of 143.6 yards, held the Steelers to 55. That was a surprising display of strength for a defensive front that averages just 265 pounds. “They’re very good in moving,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “They are. That’s how they offset their size. Their movement is exceptional with their line of scrimmage.” Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been bothered by a shoulder injury, which might have encouraged the Colts to put more defenders on the line of scrimmage to stop the run. “They stacked the box up with eight, nine guys in the box,” Moore said. “They were just stunting, hitting the gaps and trying to fill in real tight. They did a great job.” q q q More pain: The Steelers’ list of walking wounded continued to mount. In addition to Parker, Pittsburgh was missing cornerback Bryant McFadden (arm), linebacker LaMarr Woodley (calf), tight end Heath Miller (ankle) and tackle Marvel Smith (back) due to injury. The secondary took another hit in the third quarter when cornerback Deshea Townsend went down with a hamstring injury. “I think in the next couple of days, we’ll get some clarity about the severity of it,” Tomlin said. “But when you play corner and see a guy down like that, it’s generally not good. We’ll cross our fingers.” q q q Milestones: Roethlisberger passed Kordell Stewart for second on team’s all-time passing yardage list. Roethlisberger now has 13,359 career yards, but he won’t be moving up the list anytime soon. He’s less than halfway to Terry Bradshaw’s franchise-record of 27,989 yards. Kicker Jeff Reed is in a similar situation. He booted two field goals on Sunday to give him 148 for his career and move ahead of Roy Gerela for second place in team history, but has a long way to go to match Gary Anderson’s record of 309. q q q Notes: In addition to McFadden, Parker, Woodley, Smith and Miller, the Steelers inactive players were OL Tony Hills, DE Orpheus Roye and QB Dennis Dixon. … Roethlisberger’s was intercepted three times, giving him 11 this season, which matches last year’s total. He has just 10 touchdown passes this year, well below his pace from last year, when he threw 32.

Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.

Page 1 of 1STEELERS NOTEBOOK | At the line late, offense falters


11/10/2008

Desperate times call for ... you get the picture By Mike CiarochiCommentary

PITTSBURGH - The Colts came into this game a desperate team. Sunday's 24-20 win over the Steelers left a sense of desperation here like so much of yesterday's garbage. How can the Steelers, at 6-3 and tied with Baltimore for the AFC North Division lead, be desperate? Well, just think of how much better they would have felt this morning had they awakened at 7-2, still a game ahead of Baltimore, still unbeaten in six conference games, looking at the rest of this brutal schedule expecting to win game after game. Instead, the Steelers prepare to host a San Diego team that's tied for its division lead. The Chargers have had their struggles this season, but they still have the game's best running back, one of its best tight ends, a solid quarterback. The Chargers' defense may be suspect, but it is preparing to face an offense that managed 2.1 yards per running play against a defense that couldn't stop the run. It also prepares to face a quarterback who, contrary to what everyone else in the locker room said, hoisted all of the blame for Sunday's loss onto his broad shoulders. San Diego, in short, is about to visit a desperate team. Now, a one-game losing streak should put any team in desperation mode, but the Steelers have lost two of the last three and might be ready to start believing what everybody said about how brutal a schedule the NFL handed them. But maybe, just maybe, desperation isn't such a bad thing. Maybe the Steelers need to feel their cozy seat atop the division being yanked out from under them. Maybe they need ... well, you get the point. So, too, does defensive end Brett Keisel. "We won't panic," Keisel said. "Maybe we needed this punch in the face." "Bottom line, we didn't execute," said linebacker James Farrior. "We didn't do the things we normally do to win games. We have to finish it out at the end. We had the lead at the end and let it slip away." Farrior was reminded that the Steelers had the lead when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw an interception that set toe table for the Colts at the end, just like he had done in the first half allowing the Colts to keep the game close. "It doesn't matter," Farrior said. "They put us out on the field to do our job. And it's up to us to execute and do what we need to do to keep them to three points or try to get a turnover. We didn't do that today. "It was just a rough game. They made the plays when they needed to. Coach Tomlin told us all week that they are a team that likes to score before the half and score at the end of the game. That's what happened to us today." So the time has come for the Steelers to forget about all of the talk and start doing. They can't worry about where they are in this week's power rankings. Instead, they need to focus on the AFC North standings. "It's going to be a fight to the end," Farrior predicted. "Nobody expected Baltimore or any of those teams to go away. We just have to control what we can control, play the teams that we play and try to get better." Playing with a sense of desperation wouldn't hurt, either. Sports editor Mike Ciarochi may be reached at [email protected]

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November 10, 2008

Colts convert critical turnovers into key points

Reserve cornerbacks fill in nicely with interceptions By Phil Richards [email protected]

PITTSBURGH -- Keiwan Ratliff knows something about comebacks; he's in the middle of a monumental one. You don't even fantasize about game-changing plays where he was two weeks ago.

"I'm living out my dream right now," Ratliff said after making a crucial interception to help the Indianapolis Colts beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-20 on Sunday at Heinz Field. "To go from the couch to starting in games like this on national TV and being able to contribute to getting us back on the right side is a great feeling."

The Colts are in the midst of a comeback as well.

Ratliff's was one of three interceptions and a trove of big defensive plays that rescued the Colts (5-4) and put them squarely in contention for a wild-card playoff spot. On the brink of oblivion two weeks ago, they are within one game of everyone in the AFC except Tennessee (9-0).

The Colts, winners of two in succession, now play their next six games against teams currently with losing records. Up next is Houston (3-6) at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday, followed by trips to San Diego (4-5) and Cleveland (3-6), then home games with Cincinnati (1-8) and Detroit (0-9). The final road trip is at Jacksonville (4-5).

"We've got a chance now to get on a streak," said coach Tony Dungy, whose team has played division leaders the past four weeks: Green Bay of the NFC North, Tennessee of the AFC South, New England of the East and Pittsburgh of North.

The Steelers (6-3) are the latter, and they were a daunting task at Heinz Field, where the sellout crowd of 64,043 was a sea of thunder and twirling, yellow "terrible towels."

The Steelers have the NFL's best defense, an aggressive, attacking bunch that confuses, disrupts, destroys.

The Colts? With the exception of victories over Houston and Baltimore, they were wannabes. They had been outscored 45-17 on points off turnovers in their first eight games. It was 42-0 in their four losses.

Not Sunday. The Colts got the takeaways. They outscored the Steelers 14-0 on points off turnovers. Both touchdowns came after interceptions by back-up cornerbacks forced into starting roles by injuries.

Ratliff made the first. He broke off coverage to intercept a Roethlisberger pass that went one way when wide receiver Santonio Holmes went another. Ratliff returned the ball to the Pittsburgh 30 to set up Peyton Manning's 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dallas Clark six seconds before halftime.

Rather than going in trailing 17-7, the Colts were within three.

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Adam Vinatieri's 36-yard third-quarter field goal tied it, then the Colts defense came up big again. It stopped the Steelers on second- and third-and-goal runs from the 1. The critical play was made by Eric Foster on third down. He fell on the play, got back up, met running back Mwelde Moore in the hole and slammed him down for no gain with perhaps the biggest hit the Colts have made this year.

Wham.

"My blood raced to the top," Foster said. "It was an excitement rush."

On Pittsburgh's next series, cornerback Tim Jennings jumped Holmes' slant route, grabbed another Roethlisberger pass and returned it 6 yards to the Steelers 32. Four plays later, Manning faked right to running Dominic Rhodes on the stretch play, looked left then lofted a 17-yard pass over Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu to Rhodes back down the right sideline for the winning touchdown.

Two interceptions. Two short fields.

"You always like that on offense," said Manning, who completed 21-of-40 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns.

Still, 3:04 remained. The defense had to do it once more on a day it would yield conversions on 10-of-18 third downs.

Pittsburgh maneuvered to a first down at the Colts 32 with 48 seconds to play. Colts end Dwight Freeney drew a holding call on Steelers tackle Max Starks, then sacked Roethlisberger for a 7-yard loss. After a 6-yard pass to wide receiver Dallas Baker, Roethlisberger faced third-and-21 from the 43.

He took the snap with the clock reading 0:01. He lofted a pass toward wide receiver Nate Washington in the end zone. Washington and a horde of Colts defenders went up.

The football was tipped. Safety Melvin Bullitt came down hugging it.

Game over.

"You've got to keep fighting and stay alive," said Freeney, who had two sacks. "You never know when you're going to get the opportunity to make a big play."

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By Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY

PITTSBURGH — Ben Roethlisberger's last pass of the night had what is known in the business as high arc, and as it cut through the chilly air to the end zone it threatened to undo all that was good about the Indianapolis Colts' visit to Heinz Field.

It came down to that. A desperate heave from 27 yards away, with no time on the clock.

PHOTOS: NFL Week 10

Bob Sanders, the Colts all-pro safety, was just past the goal line when he looked up and saw the football sail over his head. Talk about a Hail Mary. Sanders prayed after he stumbled to his knees. "I was like, 'Please, Lord, let somebody be behind me to pick it off,' " Sanders recalled.

Done. Melvin Bullitt, Sanders' backup, snagged the pass meant for Nate Washington as he crashed awkwardly to the turf to preserve a gutsy 24-20 victory. With the football in hand and the game won, Bullitt wasn't sure what to do next. So he lay there.

BOX SCORE: Colts 24, Steelers 20

It was all so fitting. The Colts (5-4), defined for years by a prolific offense triggered by marquee quarterback Peyton Manning, put the haymakers on the Steelers with their much-maligned defense. Manning's 17-yard, game-winning TD pass to Dominic Rhodes with 3:04 remaining, was set up by a Tim Jennings interception. A touchdown six seconds before halftime — a 2-yard toss from Manning to Dallas Clark which shaved Pittsburgh's lead to three points — was the residual of Keiwan Ratliff's third-down interception.

Midway through the fourth quarter, the Colts forced Pittsburgh to settle for a chip-shot field goal, which made a huge difference down the stretch, with a goal-line stand.

Then the unit held up to prevent Pittsburgh (6-3) from striking last-minute magic.

"It was truly a blessing," Sanders said, still buzzing about the last play a half-hour after the game ended.

As Sanders described his view of the play, Bullitt stood a few feet away in a near-empty locker room offering his version. He demonstrated how off-balance he was as he caught the ball.

Sitting at the two lockers between the safeties, Jennings and Ratliff took it all in.

The four of them left with the satisfaction of knowing they had done their part.

"That's what being a professional is all about," said Ratliff, a fifth-year pro.

Two weeks ago, Ratliff didn't have a job. He's been released twice and re-signed twice by the Colts within the past two weeks, but he has started the past two games with Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden sidelined by injuries.

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Just before halftime, he picked off Roethlisberger's underthrown pass for Santonio Holmes at the Steelers' 30-yard line.

He was hardly surprised to get the action. "I was at home for a few weeks, going back and forth," he said. "They'd be stupid not to come at me."

He wasn't the only member of the defense to prove his mettle. Rookie defensive tackle Eric Foster made a phenomenal play on third-and-goal from the 1-yard line midway through the fourth quarter. On the snap, Foster dove to the turf to secure positioning, then popped to his feet and smashed Mewelde Moore for no gain to force a field goal.

The Colts came to town with the NFL's 25th-ranked run defense, with a who's who list of five 100-yard rushers against them this season. But Moore, despite two short TDs early, gained just 57 yards on 24 carries.

Meanwhile, the pass rush put more heat on Roethlisberger than Dwight Freeney's two sacks would indicate. It added up to quite the unusual twist. Pittsburgh's No. 1-ranked defense, playing at home, was upstaged by the Colts' defense.

Manning talked afterward of the need to be patient against Pittsburgh's pressure defense, mindful of the early drives that sputtered. The Colts, who went 30 and 32 yards for their TDs off the interceptions, got their first points on a 65-yard TD from Manning to Reggie Wayne that was deflected into his hands.

But little else was so easy.

"We are fighting and scratching and grinding," Manning said. We've been the underdog the last few times. So it is a different type of football that we've been playing."

And it helps to get such a huge assist from the defense. Find this article at: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2008-11-09-colts-steelers_N.htm

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Sunday, November 9, 2008

Steelers' Parker denies report of torn labrum, hopes to play next week

ESPN.com news services An injured shoulder will force Pittsburgh running back Willie Parker to miss his fifth game of the past six Sunday as the Steelers play the Indianapolis Colts, and there are questions about when he will play again.

According to NFL.com, Parker was told this week he has a torn labrum in his shoulder that will require offseason surgery.

Parker denied the NFL.com report on Sunday and told ESPN's Bob Holtzman no one has told him he has a torn labrum. Parker said the first he heard of the report was when he got a call from his agent Sunday morning. Parker said his body is "beat up" but does not expect to be out for the season and hopes to play next week.

Parker returned from a four-game layoff after spraining his knee to rush for 71 yards against the Washington Redskins on Monday night but injured the shoulder on a fluke play and did not practice this week.

NFL.com reported that Parker spent Friday getting a second opinion.

The Steelers' depth chart lists Mewelde Moore as their second option at running back, with Gary Russellthird.

Najeh Davenport was released Saturday, five weeks after they brought back their former top backup running back following a number of injuries.

Davenport's roster spot was taken by linebacker Donovan Woods, who was taken off the 53-man roster last month but was added to the practice squad. Woods has played on special teams in four games this season.

Davenport, a former Packers player, spent the 2006 and 2007 seasons with Pittsburgh but was released in June. He was re-signed last month after Parker injured a knee, first-round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall was lost for the season with a shoulder injury and fullback Carey Davis sprained an ankle.

In two-plus seasons with Pittsburgh, Davenport ran for 768 yards, seven touchdowns and a 4.3 yards per carry average. He also had three touchdowns on pass receptions.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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November 10, 2008

Cardinals’ Improvements Come to Light

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — An appearance on “Monday Night Football” is a chance to show that these are not

the Arizona Cardinals of the past.

The franchise has defined professional sports ineptitude for decades. A national stage in prime time Monday

against the San Francisco 49ers is the perfect place to show that is not the case anymore.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for us to show who the Arizona Cardinals are,” Coach Ken Whisenhunt said.

Halfway through the season, the Cardinals are 5-3 and far ahead in the National Football Conference West.

With Seattle and St. Louis each losing on Sunday to fall to 2-7, Arizona can expand its lead to four games with

a victory over San Francisco (2-6).

Whisenhunt just has to make sure the team is not too emotionally charged for its Monday night appearance.

“It is a forum that guys get excited about,” he said, “when you know there’s a national audience, when you

know a lot of your peers are watching you play, it’s human nature to want to make a play.”

The staff has preached the importance of staying disciplined to allow the big plays to come without forcing

them.

Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner, the 37-year-old leader of the highest-scoring offense in the N.F.L., said he

would have preferred for this to have been just another Sunday game.

“I’m kind of I guess old school in that regard,” he said. “I just want to show up and play and would rather do

it as soon as I get out of bed instead of waiting all day and having to think about the game.”

As for the chance to show that the Cardinals are a laughingstock no more?

“I couldn’t care less until it comes playoff time,” Warner said. “We’ll be on TV if we get to the playoffs and

everybody around the world can watch then. But right now, we’re 5-3 and I’m not real worried about anybody

else out there and what they think we are as a football team.”

He said any positive recognition a team received was good.

“But as a player, that’s not my mentality: man, we’ve got to show people,” Warner said. “Whatever. Let’s just

keep playing football and let’s keep getting better and we’ll have our opportunity to show people what kind of

football team we are if we continue to do that.”

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Defensive tackle Darnell Dockett said that appearing on Monday night was “definitely a chance to show the

world what we’ve got.”

But he emphasized that there would be another team on the field, and that a victory Monday was by no

means certain, even though Arizona has won five consecutive home games dating to last season.

“You probably think it’s an easy win, but we’re not going to fall for that trap,” Dockett said. “We know that’s

the team that kept us out of the playoffs last year and beat us a couple of times the year before. We just want

to go out and execute and play ball and not get caught up that it’s ‘Monday Night Football.’ ”

San Francisco is one of two teams to win at Arizona since Whisenhunt became the Cardinals’ coach. The

49ers have had a week off since they lost to Seattle, 34-13, in Mike Singletary’s debut as the interim coach

after the firing of Mike Nolan. Singletary made it clear that things would be done his way, sending tight end

Vernon Davis to the locker room during the game, then criticizing Davis afterward.

Singletary has benched quarterback J. T. O’Sullivan in place of the journeyman Shaun Hill, who will make his

third start in seven N.F.L. seasons. The 49ers seem revved up about playing on Monday night, too.

“It’s an awful lot of excitement in that locker room and in the building,” Hill said. “Everybody’s had a little

time to step away, and now everybody’s excited to get back and go on and try to finish the season the right

way.”

Dockett said Hill would not be Arizona’s main concern.

“Frank Gore makes that team go, no matter who the quarterback is,” he said.

The 49ers will face an aggressive Arizona defense that is well aware San Francisco has allowed 34 sacks in

eight games.

“That’s definitely something we’re trying to get right,” Hill said.

Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company

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