Panthers Victims of a Snow Job

Whipping winds, blowing snow, frigid temperatures--in Pittsburgh, they call it Steeler weather, and it apparently blew the Carolina Panthers right out of the playoffs.

When snow made passing all but impossible in the second half, the Steelers on Sunday turned to a four wheel-drive offense led by Jerome Bettis’ 137 yards to win, 30-20, and all but end the Panthers’ playoff hopes.

“I had my snow tires on,” Bettis said.

Travis Davis scored on a 102-yard fumble return and the Steelers (6-9) survived two long Steve Beuerlein-to-Patrick Jeffers touchdown pass plays before the snow started in ending a six-game losing streak.

Bettis finished his second 100-yard game this season with an eight-yard touchdown run with 2:26 to play and surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the fourth consecutive season.

The Panthers (7-8) had won four of five and would have advanced to the playoffs if they won their last two games and the New York Giants lost at least once. And the Giants lost Sunday to Minnesota.

Now, because of tiebreakers, the Panthers have only an infinitesimally slim mathematical shot that requires, among other factors, the Giants to tie Dallas next week.

The Panthers went into a deep freeze as soon as the snow began to fall in the third quarter and the temperatures dropped into the 20s, going scoreless in the second half. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh’s running game ate up yardage and the clock.

Richard Huntley had a 25-yard touchdown run in the second quarter that put Pittsburgh up, 16-7, as the Steelers won for only the second time in their last nine home games.