PRO FOOTBALL : Bills Find End Zone, but Still Need 5 Kicks to Win, 36-28

Even though the Buffalo Bills finally scored a few touchdowns, Scott Norwood’s foot again was their primary offensive weapon.

Norwood kicked 5 field goals Sunday and the Bills scored 2 third-quarter touchdowns in a little more than 2 minutes en route to a 36-28 victory over Pittsburgh Steelers.

Norwood, who last week kicked the game-winning field goal in the final seconds at New England, has provided the Bills (4-0) with their margin of victory in every game this season.

He has made 13 of 14 field goal attempts, including 12 straight.

“I’ve got as strong a start as anybody in the league,” Norwood said. “You are comfortable when you’re kicking the ball well. We’re 4-0. It’s a strong start for the team and we’re going well.

“The number of chances keeps you sharp. The question isn’t asked often, but it’s true. Getting a lot of action in the game helps you keep your rhythm.”

Norwood’s kicks came from 39, 49, 48, 39 and 38 yards.

After Buffalo held a 16-14 halftime lead, Robb Riddick ran 1 yard for a touchdown on fourth down at 7:19 of the third quarter. Steve Tasker blocked a Pittsburgh punt 2:21 later and Riddick picked up the ball and ran 5 yards for a touchdown to make it 30-14.

Riddick missed all four exhibition games while serving a 30-day suspension for drug use.

Norwood’s fourth field goal, a 48-yarder at 1:57 of the fourth quarter, finished a drive after Darryl Talley’s fumble recovery.

Six plays after the kick, Mark Kelso intercepted Bubby Brister’s pass at the 35 and ran 23 yards to set up Norwood’s 49-yard field goal that gave the Bills a 36-14 edge.

“All the turnovers are driving me crazy,” said Brister, who passed for 330 yards and 2 touchdowns. “I’m frustrated. I hate to lose. We have the talent here to win but we’re not getting it done.

“I’m upset because I know we have the team to win. We’re moving the ball but we’re beating ourselves now. We turn it over. It’s like letting the air out of the balloon.”

After the Bills built their 22-point lead, they nearly let Pittsburgh back into the game by allowing the Steelers a fourth-quarter rally.

Brister ran 1 yard for a touchdown with 1:59 left in the game to make the score 36-21 and 29 seconds later, after the Steelers recovered an onside kick, Brister hit Weegie Thompson on a 42-yard scoring pass to finish the scoring.

Despite the rally, Pittsburgh Coach Chuck Noll said: “It was not a good game for us at all.”

Pittsburgh (1-3) had 2 interceptions thrown by Brister, lost 3 fumbles and had 2 punts blocked. Last week against Cincinnati, the Steelers had 6 turnovers.

Brister threw a 5-yard scoring pass to rookie running back Warren Williams at 11:27 of the second quarter to give the Steelers their only lead of the game, 14-13.

Norwood’s field goal with 5 seconds remaining in the first half gave Buffalo a 16-14 lead. Norwood’s 39-yarder at 7:01 gave Buffalo a 13-7 edge after Hal Garner had blocked a punt at the 30-yard line.

Pittsburgh closed the gap to 10-7 just 52 seconds into the second quarter when Brister dove over from a yard away.

Buffalo opened the scoring in the first quarter when Norwood kicked a 38-yard field goal and made it 10-0 when Chris Burkett eluded Dwayne Woodruff and caught Jim Kelly’s 26-yard scoring pass.

In front of the team’s third straight home sellout, Buffalo broke out of an offensive slump, nearly equaling the 38 points the Bills scored in their first three games combined. Buffalo scored on 2 touchdowns in its first 3 games.

The Bills are off to their best start since 1980, when they won their first five games.

Buffalo leads the New York Jets by one game in the AFC East.