Huston Can’t Put Icing on Title : AFC: Pittsburgh forces Moon into six turnovers, prevents Houston from clinching.

The Houston Oilers had champagne on ice but instead got cooled by a winter-like November day and a Pittsburgh defense that proved a chilling reminder of the Steelers’ super teams of the 1970s.

Pittsburgh harassed Warren Moon into six turnovers that produced 16 points in a 26-14 victory Sunday that delayed the Oilers’ clinching of the AFC Central title.

“Pittsburgh’s a tough place to play,” Moon said. “We had a chance to put it away and didn’t. It’s tough to swallow in one of the biggest games in franchise history.”

Houston (9-3) was set to celebrate its first AFC Central Division title since the full merger in 1970, but the Steelers (5-7) ignored the 12-degree wind chill and defeated a team with a winning record for the first time since Nov. 26, 1989, when they beat the Miami Dolphins.

It was another frustrating afternoon for the Oilers in Three Rivers Stadium, where they twice lost AFC championship games in the 1970s and are 6-17.

“On a day like this, it was hard to get anything going,” Houston Coach Jack Pardee said. “We weren’t able to get done what we wanted to.

“It’s extremely disappointing, because we could have wrapped it up.”

Moon, the NFL’s leading passer, had his worst afternoon of the season against a Steeler defense that allowed 726 yards passing in its two previous games.

Moon threw five interceptions and lost a fumble, plays that led to a touchdown and three of Gary Anderson’s four field goals.

Moon completed 24 of 48 passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns in snow flurries, a wind of 20 m.p.h. and temperatures that fell from 35 degrees at game time.

“It’s hard to come out of that dome and into the snow and cold,” Steeler cornerback Richard Shelton said. “I don’t know if it was their downfall, but it certainly affected their receivers.

“You get behind on a day like this and all you think about is getting on that warm plane and getting home.”

Neil O’Donnell connected with Dwight Stone on a 43-yard touchdown pass play with 51 seconds left in the first half and the Steelers took a 16-7 lead at halftime.

Bryan Hinkle, whose earlier fumble recovery preceded a field goal by Anderson, intercepted a pass by Moon on Houston’s first possession of the second half, and Warren Williams scored from the one to give the Steelers a 23-7 lead.

Moon threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Haywood Jeffires with 11:52 left to give the Oilers a glimmer of hope.