Steelers Don’t Panic

Cruising with an 18-point lead and Daunte Culpepper out of the game, the Pittsburgh Steelers nearly let one slip away.

Troy Edwards, who had all but disappeared from Pittsburgh’s offense, came through with a 12-yard scoring run and a big special teams play, and the Steelers held off a frantic Viking rally for a 21-16 victory Sunday.

“We didn’t panic, and that probably won the game for us,” Steeler safety Lee Flowers said.

The Steelers, 9-2 for the first time since 1983, appeared to be in good shape with the 18-point cushion and Culpepper sidelined by a sore left knee early in the fourth quarter.

But backup quarterback Todd Bouman quickly made a game of it, finding running back Michael Bennett on an 80-yard touchdown pass play with 6:29 remaining and connecting with Randy Moss on a 12-yard scoring play three minutes later.

The Vikings (4-7) went for the two-point conversion after the Moss score, but Bouman’s pass sailed out of the end zone.

That missed opportunity proved crucial. The Vikings got the ball back at Pittsburgh’s 10 with a chance to win when Talance Sawyer recovered Kordell Stewart’s fumble with 2:13 remaining.

But Bouman’s magic suddenly ran out. An offensive pass interference penalty and a four-yard loss on a swing pass drove the Vikings back to the 19. Then, Bouman found Cris Carter in the end zone but was ruled to be across the line of scrimmage when he threw.

Down to one play, a fourth-and-goal from the 24, Bouman overthrew Moss in double coverage in the rear left corner of the end zone, and the Steelers ran out the clock.