For the better part of four quarters, Michael Vick was living a nightmare in his second start for the Pittsburgh Steelers. All of that would change due to a storybook finish as Vick would lead the Steelers on two fourth-quarter scoring drives.
The game-deciding drive was a 12-play, 80-yard, march capped by Le’Veon Bell’s 1-yard touchdown run on the final play of the game to give the Steelers (3-2) a critical 24-20 road victory over the San Diego Chargers (2-3).
”It’s not how you start,” Vick said after the game. “It’s how you finish.”
The play call, a direct snap to Bell with only five seconds remaining was more than a little risky, and even more gutsy. Although the Steelers still had a timeout, the play had a make or break feel to it, and Bell would not be denied the game winning touchdown over the left tackle.
”I got to get it in,” Bell said when asked about the final, pivotal play. ”We still had a timeout left. I was thinking we still have a timeout left, so I’m thinking, `OK, maybe if I get stopped, maybe run like 4 seconds off and get a timeout and we could kick a field goal.’ I wanted to end the game right there.”
The Steelers were able to get the hard-earned road victory over the Chargers despite of Phillip Rivers’ huge night where he completed 35 of 48 pass attempts for 365 yards and two touchdowns. Chargers tight end Antonio Gates made his first game back from his four-game suspension a memorable one, catching both of Rivers TD passes and joining Tony Gonzalez as the second NFL player to surpass 100 career touchdown catches from the tight end position.
Rivers and Gates got the scoring started with an impressive 83-yard touchdown drive where Gates had three catches including a 13-yard touchdown grab that was vintage Gates. Rivers would complete his first 8 passes of the contest but penalties and constant pressure by the Steelers defense would hold the Chargers offense at bay after that initial touchdown drive.
The Steelers were unable to get much going offensively in the first half beyond the running of Bell, who would end up with 111 yards on the ground, much of which came on the Steelers lone scoring drive of the half, a 47-yard field goal by the Steelers newest kicker, Chris Boswell.
It was the defense that would carry much of the weight for the Steelers Monday night and after Antwon Blake’s 70-yard interception return in the third quarter pushed the Steelers ahead 10-7, it looked like it might be enough to get a win.
Consecutive fourth quarter scores by the Chargers, a 40-yard Josh Lambo field goal followed by an 11-yard touchdown grab by Gates, gave the Chargers a 17-10 lead that looked like it might be too much for the anemic Steeler offense to overcome.
Cue Vick and his remarkable finish.
Vick would hit Markus Wheaton for his only catch of the night midway through the fourth quarter for a 72-yard touchdown strike that would tie the game at 17-17. Wheaton torched Chargers corner Brandon Flowers with a picture perfect double move on the play.
Rivers continued his hot fourth quarter by leading the Chargers on a 12 play drive that would culminate with a 54-yard field goal by Lambo with just over three minutes remaining and just like that, the Steelers were once again in desperate straights with just over three minutes left in the game now trailing 20-17.
With one last chance to get a score in front of thousands of Steelers fans on the road, Vick saved his best for last, scrambling for 24 yards to keep the final drive alive and then hitting Heath Miller for 16 yards with seconds remaining to set up the game winning run by Bell on the final play.
Notes: The Steelers lost starting safety Will Allen to a first-half ankle injury and he did not return to the game. Boswell’s field goal was the first of his NFL career. The Steelers lost 18 seconds in the fourth quarter due to an uncorrected clock error before their final drive.
Photo credit: Sports Illustrated
