Steelers 17

Game 5

Buccaneers 10

Some trickery by the Pittsburgh offense proved to be the difference as the Steelers rolled over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  A halfback pass from Jerome Betis to TE Jerame Tuman went for a 32-yard touchdown in the first quarter.  It was Betis' second touchdown pass of his career and Tuman's first touchdown catch in the NFL.  Betis also rumbled for a 46-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to give the Steelers a 14-3 lead.

After Kris Brown tacked on a 35-yard field goal, the Bucs scored in the final minute of play on a five-yard touchdown strike from QB Brad Johnson to WR Frank Murphy.  K Martin Grammatica attempted an onside kick, which caused a pile-up.  The Steelers eventually ended up with the ball.

The Steeler defense got the better of Johnson, sacking him 10 times.  LB Joey Porter led the parade with four, DE Kimo von Oelhoffen had three, and CB Dewayne Washington, CB Deshea Townsend, and FS Mike Logan all had one apiece. 

RB Jerome Betis had 143 yards on 17 carries in the game.  QB Kordell Stewart had 10 for 16 for 100 yards and two interceptions. 

Steelers 34

Game 6

Titans 7

Titans RB Eddie George was shut down by the Steeler defense as the Steelers romped the Tennessee Titans on Monday Night Football.  George only gained 13 yards on 10 rushes before sitting out the second half with a hyper extended left knee.

Titans QB Steve McNair was 14-of-23 for 175 yards and two interceptions as the Titans lost to Pittsburgh for the first time since September 28, 1997. He also threw a four-yard touchdown to TE Frank Wycheck in the second quarter.

Jerome Betis rushed for two touchdowns and 62 yards.  Kordell Stewart completed 13 of 21 passes and threw for 232 yards and a touchdown.  WR Plaxico Burress caught six of them for 151 yards.

The Steelers scored on their first drive with a one-yard touchdown run by Jerome Betis.  In the second quarter, Kordell Stewart avoided a sack by LB Randall Godfrey and threw a touchdown pass to WR Hines Ward.  With 23 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Kris Brown kicked a 42-yard field goal to give the Steelers a 17-7 halftime lead.

In the third quarter, Betis took a pitch seven yards around end for a touchdown and a 24-7 lead.  Later in the third quarter, Kris Brown booted a 27-yard field goal to make it 27-7.  Kordell Stewart rumbled for a two-yard touchdown and the first play of the fourth quarter.

Steelers 10

Game 7

Ravens 13

Kicks decided the Steelers' fate in this game as Ravens K Matt Stover kicked two fourth-quarter kicks to bounce the Ravens back from a 10-7 deficit.  Kris Brown also missed four of his five attempts, including two errant fourth-quarter kicks.  Brown kicked a 38-yarder to give the Steelers and early 3-0 lead in the first quarter.  He later missed field goals from 41, 48, 35, and 33 yards.

Kordell Stewart completed 22 of his 37 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress.  It was Burress' first touchdown catch in the NFL.  Burress caught four passes for 56 yards and Hines Ward had nine receptions for 97 yards.

The defense played a key role for both teams.  LB Joey Porter sacked Ravens reserve QB Randall Cunningham twice.  FS Brent Alexander picked off Cunningham in the third quarter, but Baltimore got the ball right back on a fumble by Steeler WR Troy Edwards that was recovered by Baltimore DE Adalius Thomas.

Ravens kick returner Jermaine Lewis had a 53-yard kick return that set up the Raven's only touchdown-a thirteen yard strike from Cunningham to TE Shannon Sharpe.  But, it wouldn't have been possible without a 15-yard face mask penalty on Steeler DE Aaron Smith after the Steelers stopped the Ravens on third down.

In the fourth quarter, Brown missed an opportunity to give the Steelers the lead when the score was tied at 10.  But, he sent it wide right towards the open end of Heinz Field.  After Stover gave the Ravens the lead, Brown sent another kick wide right that would have sent the game into overtime.

Steelers 15

Game 8

Browns 12

Kris Brown got a chance to redeem himself as he accounted for all of the Steeler points in an overtime win in Cleveland.  He connected on kicks of 31, 27, 37, and 37 yards in regulation.  He also kicked a 32-yarder in overtime, but he missed a 45-yard field goal for a chance to put the Steelers ahead.

Cleveland had an early 9-0 lead in the first quarter after Browns DE Orpheus Roye tackled Betis in the end zone for a safety and Browns QB Tim Couch found TE O.J. Santiago for a twelve-yard touchdown on the next drive.  

Kordell Stewart was 18 for 32 with 188 yards, with all of them coming in regulation.  In overtime, the Steelers kept the ball on the ground, with a ten-yard rush by Stewart adding to 48 Jerome Betis rushing yards.  Betis finished the game with 163 rushing yards.

For the Browns, Tim Couch completed 18 of 33 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown.  He was also sacked seven times.  RB James Johnson was held to 57 rushing yards on 18 carries.  WR Kevin Johnson had eight catches for 62 yards, but he had no touchdowns or receptions longer than 12 yards.  The Browns only had 187 net yards, compared to 428 net yards for the Steelers.

The Steelers almost went ahead twice in the fourth quarter, but RB Amos Zeroue tripped on the two-yard line after a 62-yard screen pass, then Kordell Stewart fumbled the ball out of the end zone for a touchback.  It was initially ruled out of bounds at the half-yard line, but the call was overturned on a challenge by Browns coach Butch Davis.