Monday NFL Capsule.
PITTSBURGH 23, BALTIMORE 20 (OT)

PITTSBURGH Jeff Reed kicked a 46-yard field goal with 9:01 remaining in overtime, lifting the Pittsburgh Steelers to a dramatic 23-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens.

The victory rebounded the Steelers (3-1) from their only loss and vaulted them ahead of the Ravens (2-1) into first place in the AFC North. It also stretched the Steelers home winning streak on Monday Night Football to an NFL-record 14 games.

It was the Steelers fourth-string running back, Mewelde Moore, who played a major role in moving the team into position for the winning score.

After the Ravens went three-and-out on the opening possession of overtime, the Steelers faced a 3rd-and-8 from their own 45. Thats when Ben Roethlisberger found an open Moore over the middle, and Moore used a few nifty moves to gain 24 yards to the Baltimore 31. Three plays later, Reed booted his third field goal of the game to give the Steelers the win.

The Ravens forced overtime by scoring on a nine-play, 76-yard drive capped by LeRon McLains 2-yard touchdown run with 4:02 remaining in the fourth quarter to knot the contest, 20-20.

Offensively inept for the greater part of game, the Steelers used a pair of quick scoring strikes on consecutive plays late in the third quarter – one by their offense and one by their defense – to turn around the contest.

With the team trailing, 13-3, Roethlisberger found Santonio Holmes for a 38-yard TD to pull the Steelers within three points. Then, on the Ravens first play of the ensuing possession, James Harrison sacked Joe Flacco, forcing a fumble which fellow linebacker LaMarr Woodley scooped up and returned seven yards for a score, giving the Steelers a 17-13 lead with 3:54 left in the third quarter.

Reeds 19-yard field goal with 9:19 left in the fourth extended the Steelers advantage to 20-13, but McLains touchdown tied it a little more than five minutes later.

For the majority of the night, it looked like a Pittsburgh win would not be the case, with the Ravens stifling the Steelers offense while doing just enough on offense themselves.

After Reed made a 49-yard field goal on the Steelers first possession of the game, the Ravens defense tightened, intercepting Roethlisberger and sacking him twice before Pittsburgh netted its next first down midway through the third quarter.

Matt Stover connected on two first-half field goals of his own to put the Ravens ahead, and Flacco tossed his first career touchdown – a four-yarder to Daniel Wilcox – 22 seconds before the half to put the Ravens up, 13-3.

Posted on September 30th, 2008 by admin
Filed under: NFL football news