Steelers use clock control en route to beating Patriots
Published 5:00 am Monday, October 31, 2011
- Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace (17) is hit by New England Patriots defensive back Antwaun Molden (27), left, and linebacker Dane Fletcher (52) after making a catch in the second quarter of Sunday's game in Pittsburgh.
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers no longer have a Tom Brady problem. And that may be a problem for the rest of the NFL.
Old, slow and over? Not quite yet.
Ben Roethlisberger picked apart the NFL’s worst defense and the Steelers rattled the nearly unflappable Brady in a 25-17 victory on Sunday, putting an end to the two-time MVP’s decade of dominance over the defending AFC champions.
Brady came in 6-1 all-time against the Steelers, putting up eye-popping numbers in the process. He never got the chance on a chilly day at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh (6-2) controlled the ball for nearly 39 minutes and never let Brady get into a sustained rhythm.
“It’s been all Tom Brady versus the Pittsburgh Steelers and looking back on the past, how he’s owned the Pittsburgh Steelers, and I think everybody forgot about our offense a little bit and the things they’ve been doing out there,” Pittsburgh linebacker LaMarr Woodley said. “I think they took that a little personal.”
Playing efficiently and working almost exclusively on short, safe, underneath routes, Roethlisberger completed 36 of 50 passes for 365 yards and two touchdowns as the Steelers won their fourth straight following a 2-2 start.
“We can be as good as we want to be,” Roethlisberger said. “When we don’t kill ourselves and stop ourselves, we can be pretty dangerous.”
Also on Sunday:
Rams 31
Saints 21
ST. LOUIS — Perhaps inspired by the hometown Cardinals’ stunning surge to the World Series title, St. Louis pulled off a shocker of its own. Steven Jackson scored twice in his first 100-yard game in three seasons and the lowly Rams earned their first win this season, an upset of New Orleans. The Rams (1-6) had a season-high six sacks after entering the game with just 11, three by Chris Long.
Ravens 30
Cardinals 27
BALTIMORE — Billy Cundiff kicked a 25-yard field goal as time expired, Ray Rice scored a career-high three touchdowns, and Baltimore pulled off the biggest comeback in Ravens history. Baltimore (5-2) went on a 24-point run and moved in front 27-24 when Rice scored his third touchdown on the opening play of the fourth quarter.
Vikings 24
Panthers 21
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bend’s Ryan Longwell kicked a 31-yard field goal with 2:43 left, and Carolina’s Olindo Mare missed from the same distance with 26 seconds left that would have tied it. Cam Newton put the Panthers (2-6) in position with a 44-yard completion to Brandon LaFell on fourth-and-15, but Mare’s kick was wide left and Minnesota (2-6) came away with the win.
Giants 20
Dolphins 17
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Eli Manning threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Victor Cruz with 5:58 to play to keep Miami winless. Manning hit 31 of 45 passes for 345 yards and two touchdowns in rallying the Giants from an 11-point first-half deficit.
Titans 27
Colts 10
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Matt Hasselbeck threw for 224 yards and a touchdown, and Nate Washington scored twice as Tennessee kept Indianapolis winless. Rob Bironas kicked field goals of 51 and 50 yards, and Jason McCourty recovered a blocked punt in the end zone as the Titans (4-3) snapped a two-game skid.
Texans 24
Jaguars 14
HOUSTON — Arian Foster rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown, and Houston shut down rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert and the NFL’s worst offense. Matt Schaub threw a TD pass and ran for another score for Houston (5-3), off to its best eight-game start.
49ers 20
Browns 10
SAN FRANCISCO — Frank Gore ran for both 125-plus yards and a touchdown in a fourth straight game and Michael Crabtree made his first TD reception of the season. Alex Smith completed 15 of 24 passes for 177 yards, leading the NFC West-leading 49ers (6-1) to their fifth consecutive victory since an overtime loss to the Cowboys in Week 2.
Bills 23
Redskins 0
TORONTO — Ryan Fitzpatrick threw two touchdowns and the Bills defense had nine sacks over injury-riddled Washington in Buffalo’s adopted home north of the border. Scott Chandler caught both touchdown passes, including a 15-yarder to open the third quarter, that put Buffalo ahead 20-0. Fred Jackson had 120 yards rushing and 74 receiving in helping the Bills (5-2) get off to their first 4-0 start at “home” since 1995.
Bengals 34
Seahawks 12
SEATTLE — Rookie quarterback Andy Dalton threw a pair of first-half touchdown passes and Brandon Tate returned a punt 56 yards for a touchdown. Dalton tossed TDs of 14 yards to Jerome Simpson and a 43-yarder that dropped into the arms of A.J. Green in the second quarter to give the Bengals (5-2) a 17-3 lead.
Lions 45
Broncos 10
DENVER — Detroit sacked Tim Tebow seven times and turned his two turnovers into touchdowns in snapping a two-game skid. Cornerback Chris Houston had the fourth 100-yard interception return in team history and defensive end Cliff Avril got a sack, strip and scoop, rumbling 24 yards into the end zone with a fumble as part of Detroit’s 45-point run.
Eagles 34
Cowboys 7
PHILADELPHIA — Michael Vick threw two touchdown passes, LeSean McCoy had a career-best 185 yards rushing and two scores and Philadelphia routed Dallas. The Eagles (3-4) dominated right from the start, improved to 13-0 after a bye under coach Andy Reid and snapped a five-game losing streak at Lincoln Financial Field that dated to last season.