Miami Dolphins 17 Pittsburgh Steelers 28 (September 7, 2006)
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0 commentsOn the final drive of the first quarter, the Steelers found a rhythm. Parker was still looking for a big break, contributing three and four yard gains. Batch, however, made two key completions to TE Heath Miller for 12 yards and rookie receiver Santonio Holmes for six. This was Holmes first career catch and was a diving catch, displaying Holmes’ tremendous hands.
After a 12 yard scramble by Batch on 3rd and 13, the Steelers found themselves on a 4th and 1 for the last play of the quarter. With the urging of the fans, coach Cowher elected to go for it. In a goal line formation, Batch faked the handoff to the fullback and pitched the ball wide to Parker. Parker beat the DE Jason Taylor to the first down marker. Finally, one of the teams was able to sustain a drive.
Now starting the second quarter on the Miami 32, Pittsburgh drove to the 27 before Batch lofted a pass to receiver Nate Washington in the front corner of the endzone. The ball arrived a split-second before Washington was hit by the defender. Yet, he hung on for his first career regular season catch. K Jeff Reed kicked the extra point through to make it 7-0 Steelers.
With Miami trying to counter, their run game stayed a non-factor, as they punted yet again. On the punt, Santonio Holmes, the returner, fielded the ball at the four instead of letting it bounce into the endzone. He tried to make a move upfield but slipped and fell at the six. The value of field-position increases in a defensive game such as this, something Holmes cost the Steelers. Cowher gave him an earful for the rookie mistake.
The next three drives were all three-and-outs. The third drive ended for Pittsburgh on a controversial no-call. Batch threw deep right to Cedrick Wilson, but the Miami defender slashed Wilson’s outstretched arms for what appeared to be a pass interference. No call was made. So, Steelers punter Chris Gardocki kicked to the speedy returner Wes Welker. Welker fielded the ball at the 38, but ran past all the Steelers special teams players until Gardocki knocked him out of bounds 47 yards later. Unlike Holmes did for Pittsburgh, Welker gave Miami tremendous field-position to work with. After a 13 yard pass to Brown, Brown finished the two-play drive with a two-yard TD.
Pittsburgh looked to strike back quickly. Parker started with a three-yard run. Then, he showed his speed on a screen pass to the right. First, he outraced the defender to the line of scrimmage, turning upfield. Just short of the first down marker, he put on the brakes, watching two Miami players try and tackle where he would have been. Then he gained the yardage for the first on the play, but not until making a fool out of the Miami defense. On the third play of the drive, Parker found that breakthrough run he was searching for, busting loose for a 32 yard gain. Two plays later, Batch tried Wilson deep again. This time the corner, Goodman, locked arms with Wilson, drawing a defensive pass interference. Pittsburgh moved from the 30 inside the redzone to the 7. Following the two minute warning, Batch finally worked Hines Ward into the game with a catch in the back of the middle of the endzone.
Miami’s final drive started with a 30-yard return by Welker and a 31 yard reception, also by Welker. After an 11-yard run by Brown, Culpepper hit Welker for a 20-yarder. The next pass sailed over the intended receiver Chris Chambers and fell right into Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor’s hands, who had shut down Chambers to this point. Taylor bobbled the easy interception and dropped it as he fell to the ground. Miami capitalized with a short field goal, entering the half down 14-10.
Pittsburgh looked good out of the gates, but a Jason Taylor sack ended their drive. On Miami’s turn, a 52-yard pass to Marty Booker and a couple medium gains put Miami on the doorstep of the endzone again. As he did before, Ronnie Brown capped the drive with a rushing touchdown, giving Miami the three-point lead.
The Steelers appeared to be crumbling. On their first two plays, they lost a total of six yards. The next was what should have been a drive-ending incomplete, but an illegal hands to the face call kept the drive alive. Given new life, Batch threw another incomplete and Miami committed another illegal contact penalty. Batch and Parker slowly drove the Steelers down the field. The key play of the drive came on a 3rd and six play. The Steelers ran a perfect reverse to Nate Washington for eight yards. The drive ended though on a botched snap on the one-yard line. Batch never had a grip on the ball, as a pulling lineman kneed the ball out of his hands. Miami recovered on the four.
On the following drive, Culpepper started with five consecutive passes to Chambers, three of which were complete. Then, on first down, they tried to pull a trick play on the Steelers. Brown received the handoff, but then immediately reached out to give the ball to Chambers. Polamalu, however, had come in hard, hitting Brown as he went to hand the ball off. The ball came loose, but Chambers picked it up off the grass. With all the Steelers shifted to the right, Chambers turned the broken play into a five-yard gain. Pittsburgh eventually halted the Dolphins drive.
Pittsburgh began their next drive on their own 13, due to a Santonio Holmes’ fair catch, still down by 3. The first play was a playaction pass to Heath Miller for an 87 yard touchdown; however, replays showed Heath Miller’s foot touched out of bounds before he fell into the endzone. Miami coach Nick Saban threw the red challenge flag before the extra point kick, but none of the officials saw him throw it. The play stood and Pittsburgh took a four point lead.
On the second play of Miami’s drive, Polamalu jumped the route for an interception. With just under six minutes, Pittsburgh had the ball and the lead. Cowher rode Parker from the Miami 45 to the 26, before settling for a field goal attempt. Reed’s kick was embarrassingly wide left.
Exactly one pass attempt after the interception to Polamalu, Culpepper was picked by Porter. Porter lined up on the line, but dropped back into coverage. Culpepper didn’t recognize and threw right in Porter's direction. Porter intercepted the ball and did not allow the Steelers offense back on the field. He returned the pick 42 yards for a touchdown, more-or-less sealing the victory.
Miami failed to score on the final drive. Pittsburgh sacked Culpepper twice, while Porter did the “Culpepper roll” and his own signature kick following one of the sacks.
The 28-17 game ended on three straight kneels by Charlie Batch.
Date
September 7, 2006
