Possessive Steelers Clinch the Central

Kordell Stewart and the Pittsburgh Steelers made sure this game wouldn’t be decided on a field-goal try by Kris Brown.

Stewart threw for a career-high 333 yards and two touchdowns as the Steelers clinched the AFC Central title Sunday night, dominating the clock and the Baltimore Ravens in a 26-21 victory.

It was the sixth straight win for the Steelers, who have not lost since Brown missed four field-goal attempts in a 13-10 defeat against the Ravens last month.

Brown went two for three this time, but Stewart led two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter to turn a close game into a runaway and assure the Steelers their first trip to the playoffs since 1997.

Stewart went 20 for 31 as Pittsburgh (11-2), despite playing without leading rusher Jerome Bettis, held the ball 22 minutes more than the Ravens (8-5).

“That’s the Pittsburgh Steeler philosophy: Keep the ball,” Pittsburgh center Jeff Hartings said. “It helps our defense and makes the other team get impatient sometimes.”

Stewart put the Steelers ahead for good with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress late in the first half, then connected with Bobby Shaw on a 90-yarder to make it 19-7 with 8:53 left.

Burress, who was in the middle of a war of words between the teams leading up to the game, finished with eight catches for a career-high 164 yards. Shaw had two receptions for 100 yards; his 90-yarder tied for the longest in franchise history.

Pittsburgh has won five straight in Baltimore and is 4-0 at PSINet Stadium. The Steelers ran 73 plays compared to 53 for the Ravens and had their offense on the field for 41 minutes 5 seconds.

“I think I had enough time to eat a couple of subs on the sideline,” Pittsburgh safety Lee Flowers said.

“They were able to control the ball,” Baltimore defensive end Rob Burnett said. “They’re the AFC Central Division champions, and they’re very deserving when you consider the way they carried themselves this year.”

Baltimore quarterback Elvis Grbac, who sat out the first game between the teams, was 20 for 38 for 159 yards and two scores. He had only nine completions for 68 yards through three quarters.

If the Ravens are to return to the playoffs, they’ll have to do it as a wild card--the same route they took last year in winning the Super Bowl.

“We’re going to have to win two of the next three--that’s my guess--to get to the playoffs,” Baltimore Coach Brian Billick said. “We’re capable of winning the next three games.”

Matt Stover’s NFL record of kicking a field goal in 38 straight games came to an end.

The Ravens closed to 19-14 on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Grbac to Qadry Ismail with 6:36 left, but Stewart completed a 38-yarder to Burress to set up a four-yard touchdown run by Dan Kreider with 3:05 remaining.