Fumble Allows Steelers to Win : AFC: Brown’s miscue in overtime sets up Anderson’s field goal for a 12-9 victory over Oilers.

Running back Gary Brown’s fumble gave Gary Anderson the one extra kick the Pittsburgh Steelers needed to defeat the Houston Oilers.

In a game with no touchdowns, the only turnover Sunday set up Anderson’s 40-yard field goal with 3:36 to play in overtime, giving the Steelers a 12-9 victory.

“It’s just like playing golf,” Anderson said. “If you take a good swing at the ball you’re going to hit it well.”

Anderson also had field goals of 50, 39 and 37 yards. Al Del Greco kicked field goals of 32 and 49 yards before his 38-yarder with seven seconds to play in regulation tied the score at 9-9.

“I’ve been through it so many times, that’s what kicking is all about,” Anderson said. “I’m just glad that we had one more kick than they did.”

Anderson got his chance to be the hero when Brown fumbled after an eight-yard gain to the Houston 22. After one rush by Bam Morris, Anderson kicked the winner.

“Each week, it gets more bizarre,” Oiler Coach Jack Pardee said. “We thought the key to the game would be turnovers and it did come down to that, but it was just one.”

Quarterback Neil O’Donnell pieced together a fourth-quarter drive that included a 33-yard pass to Yancy Thigpen and led to Anderson’s 37-yard field goal for a 9-6 lead with 3:57 to play.

“There were two great defenses going at it,” O’Donnell said. “We knew coming into this game there were no great weaknesses in their defense. We killed ourselves a couple of times in the red zone.”

The Oilers (1-8) responded in the closing minutes behind Cody Carlson, booed earlier in the game for his poor play.

Carlson completed a 26-yard pass to Ernest Givins on fourth and 23 at the Houston six and followed with a 25-yard completion to Gary Wellman that got the Oilers in position for Del Greco’s tying 38-yarder.

O’Donnell suffered a leg injury when he was sacked by linebacker Al Smith with 12:09 left in overtime and was replaced by Mike Tomczak, who couldn’t produce a touchdown, either.

But the Steelers (6-3) didn’t need one after Brown’s fumble.

“I was trying to make a play and I got stripped,” Brown said. “It seems like every time I try to give a little extra effort, something bad happens. I feel so bad because I let my teammates down.”