Steelers’ Foster Outruns Colts, 30-14 : AFC: Pittsburgh running back gains 168 yards, and needs only 30 more to break franchise single-season record.

Barry Foster’s run at the Pittsburgh Steeler record book continued Sunday with what has become a characteristic performance.

Foster scored two touchdowns and broke Franco Harris’ team record with his eighth 100-yard game of the season as the Steelers remained unbeaten at home, defeating the Indianapolis Colts, 30-14.

Foster carried 28 times for 168 yards. He has rushed for at least 100 yards in all but three of the Steelers’ 11 games and needs 30 yards to break Harris’ 1975 team single-season record of 1,246 yards. Harris set the 100-yard games record as a rookie in 1972.

“It was just another day at the office,” said Foster, who totaled only 691 yards in his first two NFL seasons, but has 1,217 yards in 270 carries. “I definitely thought I would put up 1,000 yards but I didn’t think I’d have the season I’m having so far.”

Foster had 98 yards by halftime and all but 18 of his yards in the first three quarters. He more than doubled the Colts’ rushing yardage as the Steelers, who lead the AFC in rushing, outrushed the Colts, 253-71.

Foster’s 210 total yards--he also had a 42-yard reception--were nine short of Frenchy Fuqua’s 1970 single-game team record.

“You usually get most of your yards after you’ve worn people down in the third and fourth quarters, but he got (nearly) 100 in the first half,” Colt Coach Ted Marchibroda said. “The way he was going, you think he might wind up with 300.”

The Steelers (8-3), absent from the playoffs six of the last seven seasons, have their best record since 1984 when they were 9-2. They are 5-0 at home for the first time since they went 10-0 in 1979.

“The (Steelers) did what they’ve been doing all year,” Colt linebacker Scott Radecic said. “Teams know what’s going to happen, but they execute it.”

With backup quarterbacks Jack Trudeau and Bubby Brister starting because of injuries, the Steelers used Foster’s rushing, a dominating first half by their defense and three interceptions to take a 27-7 lead.

Houston’s 19-16 loss to Miami left the Oilers two games behind Pittsburgh in the AFC Central Division. In effect, the Steelers lead by three because they own the tie-breaker by virtue of their season sweep of Houston.

“This team is now a very strong-willed team,” Steeler cornerback Rod Woodson said. “We used to think we could win every Sunday. Now we know we can win.”

Brister said the Colts, who are 0-7 at Three Rivers Stadium, resorted at times to an eight-man front to contain Foster. They played two linebackers along the line of scrimmage and blitzed two defensive backs.

“But even if you don’t block one of them, what difference does it make?” Brister said. “No defensive back is going to (consistently) stop him one-on-one. He’ll bounce off of you or run over you. It makes it real easy on a quarterback.”

The Colts (4-7), who lost their fourth consecutive game, pulled to within 27-14 on Trudeau’s four-yard touchdown pass to Rodney Culver nine seconds into the fourth quarter. Culver scored earlier on a one-yard run after an 81-yard pass play from Trudeau to Jessie Hester on the Colts’ first play of the half.

Foster scored on a 20-yard touchdown run in the first quarter to give the Steelers a 7-0 lead.

Gary Anderson made it 13-0 at the half with field goals of 31 and 22 yards. He added a 36-yarder in the fourth quarter.