Steelers settle for second seed
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee linebacker Keith Bulluck doesn't care if footage of him stomping on a Terrible Towel is relived in video replays during the playoffs.
Not with the postseason drought he has endured.
"My team has been in a position of where it has been down for years, and we've gradually come back to the top. I don't care. You know what I'm saying. I really don't care ... Anybody that's going to come through here in the playoffs, we plan to stomp them out. That has to be our stand," Bulluck said.
The Titans made sure the AFC playoffs will run through Music City by dominating Pittsburgh 31-14 on Sunday to clinch the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the postseason for the first time since 2000. They improved the NFL's best record to 13-2 and have won 15 of their last 17 regular-season games.
Michael Griffin intercepted two passes and returned one 83 yards for a clinching touchdown, and Tennessee outplayed the NFL's stingiest defense even with Pro Bowl tackle Albert Haynesworth and end Kyle Vanden Bosch cheerleading from the sideline. The Titans sacked Ben Roethlisberger five times and forced four turnovers that they turned into 21 points.
Rookie Jason Jones had 3Z\x sacks starting for Haynesworth and forced three fumbles.
"The effort we got out of that group was nothing less than spectacular," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said.
Pittsburgh (11-4) turned in its worst defensive performance this season, giving up a season high in points and yards as Tennessee became the first opponent this season to top 300 yards against Pittsburgh. The Steelers had tied the NFL record held by the 1973 Rams by holding their first 14 opponents to 290 yards or less.
Kerry Collins threw a touchdown, and Chris Johnson and LenDale White ran for a score apiece as Tennessee piled up 323 yards. Collins called it a makeup for what he termed the Titans' worst game of the season a week ago in a 13-12 loss at Houston.
"That was as bad as we played all year," said Collins, who was 20-of-29 for 216 yards with a 102.1 passer rating. "We knew we were going to have to rise up to a big challenge this week against a really good defense. I am proud of our guys."
Linebacker James Harrison got the Steelers' only sack, giving him a team record 16 this season. But the Steelers were angry with themselves.
"We aren't used to giving up those types of points," Steelers linebacker Larry Foote said. "It makes you mad when you do a lot of mental errors. ... You can't do that against a good team, and they made us pay."
Pittsburgh had a chance to go up early with a stiff wind at the Steelers' back. Roethlisberger was scrambling toward the end zone when he was hit and fumbled — one of four balls he dropped. He could only compliment Tennessee as a great defense.
"Hopefully, this lights a little fire under us and gets us going. We get up every week no matter who it is. That is a great football team like I said. They beat us," Roethlisberger said.
Bulluck's celebration was prompted by the large number of Terrible Towels waving in the sold-out stadium, which usually is a solid home-field advantage for Tennessee. He wasn't alone in wiping his feet on a towel after a streaky, hard-hitting game.
The Titans went up 10-0 on Collins' 34-yard TD pass to Justin Gage, who held on despite being slammed by Steelers safety Troy Polamalu. Roethlisberger answered with two TD passes of his own, a 31-yarder to Santonio Holmes and a 21-yarder to Hines Ward.
Tennessee took control by gambling on a pair of fourth downs in the third quarter and getting help from Pittsburgh's first penalty of the day on a third.
The Titans pitched to Johnson on fourth-and-inches who went untouched for a 21-yard TD and a 17-14 lead with 5:05 left in the quarter. On the next drive, Tennessee converted fourth-and-4 with a 17-yard pass from Collins to Gage. Lining up for a 22-yard field goal on fourth-and-1, Harrison was flagged for trying to simulate the snap.
White ran in two plays later for his 15th TD this season.
"Stats say that they are the No. 1 defense in football," Titans tight end Alge Crumpler said. "We rose to the occasion. If this team is going to rise up the way we are supposed to rise up against good teams, then it should be a great playoffs."
Notes: Titans center Kevin Mawae hurt his elbow late. Fisher did not have any information on the injury. ... Steelers safety Ryan Clark said he separated his shoulder but felt OK as he was dressing in the locker room. ... The Titans have won 13 games in a season now for the third time — all under Fisher. ... Collins is 3-0 in his career against Pittsburgh and has not been intercepted in those games. Collins now has won 12 starts this season, matching his win total with the Giants in 2000.
