You Can’t Even Hand It to Colts

Six turnovers. Two scoring opportunities for the opposition in the final 3 1/2 minutes. It didn’t matter that the Steelers did everything they could to lose--Jim Harbaugh and Indianapolis still can’t win in Pittsburgh.

The winless Colts blew a 10-point lead, then failed to convert a tying two-point conversion and a potential game-winning field goal in the closing minutes to lose to the Steelers, 24-22, Sunday night.

“Maybe we’re not following the NFL victory formula,” Pittsburgh linebacker Levon Kirkland said after the Steelers (4-2) rallied from a double-digit deficit for the second consecutive game. ‘But it doesn’t matter in this business if you win 34-0 or 34-33 1/2, we’re winning and that’s what matters.”

Mike Tomczak, who came on after Kordell Stewart sustained a concussion while fumbling late in the first half, connected with Courtney Hawkins for a 28-yard scoring pass to put the Steelers up 24-13. But Tomczak’s two interceptions and two fourth-quarter fumbles by Jerome Bettis, who had 164 yards rushing, put the Colts in position to win.

Harbaugh, 19 of 36 passing for 219 yards and two touchdowns, threw a five-yard scoring pass to Brian Stablein with 3:35 remaining. Chris Oldham then batted away the two-point conversion pass to Stablein after a holding penalty on Carnell Lake gave the Colts the ball at the one-yard line.

The Colts had yet another chance to win when Bettis fumbled again and the Colts took over at the Steeler 23. But Cary Blanchard, who had made his first three field-goal attempts in the game and 13 in a row, badly pulled a 42-yard attempt wide left with 2:44 remaining.

It was another discouraging loss for the Colts (0-6) in Pittsburgh, where Harbaugh’s possible game-winning Hail Mary pass was batted away in the AFC championship game two seasons ago. They are 0-11 at Three Rivers Stadium since it opened in 1970.