Still breathing
PITTSBURGH — The Steelers didn't realistically expect this when they gave up three touchdowns to Oakland in the fourth quarter and lost 27-24 at home. Or when they were embarrassed 13-6 in Cleveland during one of the worst games in franchise history.
The Super Bowl champions were playing as if they were out of it, acting as if they were out of it. Only they're not out of it, thanks to a 23-20 victory over Baltimore on Sunday, and that means their regular season-ending game Sunday at Miami is meaningful.
The Ravens, who were in position to clinch an AFC wild-card spot by winning, now face a potential win-or-go-home game at Oakland that they didn't want to risk playing.
For a change, Pittsburgh's defense didn't cave during the fourth quarter, when it has lost leads six times this season, and Jeff Reed kicked his third field goal to secure the Steelers' second tight victory at home in as many weeks. They followed up a last-play 37-36 decision over Green Bay that kept their season alive.
Now, the Jets, Ravens, Broncos, Texans and Steelers go into the final weekend with 8-7 records and two wild-card spots open. According to the NFL, the Jets and Ravens are in if they win; New York plays Cincinnati at home. The Steelers must win and hope for some help.
"We can't wait to go get on that plane," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said.
Still, it was a wasted chance by Baltimore on a day filled with them. The Ravens lost two touchdowns to penalties and top receiver Derrick Mason, who couldn't have been more open, dropped a potential go-ahead touchdown pass in the end zone to start the fourth quarter.
Before that, Domonique Foxworth lost an apparent interception return touchdown because of an illegal block, and a Willis McGahee TD run was wiped out by holding on Kelley Washington two plays before Joe Flacco's pass bounced off Mason's face mask with no one around him.
One drive, two huge mistakes, one tough-to-take loss."How much do I feel like it was a missed opportunity? I definitely feel like it was a missed opportunity," Foxworth said. "On a scale of 1 to 10? I'm not sure. Pretty high."Ray Rice ran for 141 yards while ending Pittsburgh's 33-game streak of not allowing a 100-yard rusher, but Baltimore still lost its fifth game by six points or fewer. The Steelers know all about losing such games, only to finally find a way to win one.Ben Roethlisberger followed his 503-yard game by driving the Steelers 94 yards in the final two minutes of the first half, throwing a 24-yard scoring pass to Santonio Holmes, and Rashard Mendenhall went over the 1,000-yard mark during a 4-yard touchdown run."They took a couple of touchdowns away from them, but we had to go out there and keep playing defense," Steelers linebacker James Farrior said. "All I know is we need to win another game, and we have another game in Miami."The Ravens would have clinched if they had won because both Jacksonville and Denver lost."We're kind of at that point right now where we erase this game," said tight end Todd Heap, who caught both touchdown passes thrown by Flacco during Baltimore's ninth loss in its past 10 games in Pittsburgh.Only that can't happen, much like the Steelers can't erase those mystifying losses to the Raiders, Browns and Chiefs."Until they tell us we're completely out of it, until they officially rule us out, we're always going to play hard," Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward said.<B>Notes:</B> The Steelers have a 4,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher and two 1,000-yard receivers (Holmes, Ward) in the same season for the first time. ... Farrior's interception in the first quarter was Pittsburgh's first in seven games. ... The Ravens had 113 penalty yards to the Steelers' 20. ... Baltimore has won only once in Heinz Field (2006) since 2001.
