There’s No Home Like This Place

The vagabond Oilers ended their first season in Tennessee on Sunday--and once again felt as if they were the road team.

The Oilers, based in Nashville but playing their home games in Memphis’ Liberty Bowl, drew their biggest crowd this season--50,677--as they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 16-6.

But it felt like Three Rivers Stadium with many of the fans cheering for Pittsburgh (11-5), which won its fourth consecutive AFC Central title because it did not lose by more than 64 points. Oiler fans were lost among the yellow rain slickers and Steeler jackets, flags and banners.

“You heard the people yelling for the Steelers. You didn’t hear them yelling for the Oilers,” Oiler owner Bud Adams said. “This is supposed to be our home base here. How do you think our players feel?”

The Oilers (8-8) are expected to play in Memphis another year until their new stadium is finished in Nashville. Tennessee averaged a league-low 24,720 for its other seven games.

The Steelers felt quite at home as they earned a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Coach Bill Cowher wasn’t worried about losing any momentum because of the loss.

“I think we played pretty good down the stretch,” he said. “We knew what the situation was coming in here.”

Looking ahead to the playoffs, Cowher held out Jerome Bettis, who needed 26 yards to break Barry Foster’s team rushing record (1,690).

Several Steelers were injured, the most serious being Pro Bowl center Dermontti Dawson, who left the game with a strained left calf.

Quarterback Kordell Stewart played only in the first half. Wide receiver Yancey Thigpen played the entire game and increased his season yardage total to 1,398, breaking John Stallworth’s team record of 1,395.