Bettis, Steelers Punish Titans

Brutal. Punishing. Cruel.

Those words not only describe the running style of Pittsburgh’s Jerome Bettis but the spectacularly disappointing season of Tennessee’s Eddie George.

Monday’s prime-time battle of the backs dissolved into a sad mismatch won by Bettis. He ran for two touchdowns in leading the Steelers to a 34-7 victory at Heinz Field.

George, once the cornerstone of the Titan offense, hobbled off the field in the third quarter with a hyperextended left knee. By halftime, he had six yards in nine carries, matching the rushing total of Pittsburgh kicker Kris Brown.

The Steelers, who entered the game with the league’s best rushing attack (197.6 yards a game), ran for 133 yards and passed for 272. “Without a doubt it was the most complete game we’ve played this year,” said Coach Bill Cowher, whose Steelers ended a seven-game losing streak to Tennessee. “What can you say? We’re going to be searching for some negatives.”

The Steelers feasted on trickery, turnovers and the surprisingly decent passing of Kordell Stewart, who completed 13 of 22 passes 232 yards with one touchdown--doubling his season total--and no interceptions.

“This week in practice he really threw the ball well,” Cowher said. “We had a Saturday night practice, and I don’t think there was an incomplete pass.”

More than that, Stewart got a host of receivers involved. Plaxico Burress caught six passes for 151 yards, tight end Mark Bruener caught three for 46, and four others caught at least one.

The 5-1 Steelers moved into sole possession of first place in the AFC Central and tied the Raiders for the best record in the conference.

Just like the 35-foot tipped ketchup bottles adorning either side of the scoreboard, the Steelers had no misgivings about pouring it on. They have a storied history of games against the Houston/Tennessee franchise, and this was the last time the teams would meet as division rivals. Pittsburgh moves to the AFC North next season, Tennessee to the AFC South.

Likewise, Bettis is heading north in his career, while George is spiraling south. The Pittsburgh back ran for 62 yards in 19 carries, ending his streak of consecutive 100-yard games at four. George--the second back in NFL history to rush for more than 1,200 yards in each of his first five seasons--came into the game with a per-carry average of 2.7 yards. Monday, he gained 13 yards in 10 carries.

“I think he was hurt, man, I’m going to be honest with you,” Pittsburgh safety Lee Flowers said. “Because I’ve seen this guy for seven years run extremely hard, and tonight, I don’t know whether it was his ankle or his knee, it’s not the same Eddie. And they are not the same team without Eddie George back there. It’s just like us without Jerome.”

Pittsburgh unveiled two trick plays in the final minute of the first half, one of which worked. With 53 seconds remaining, Brown lined up for a 48-yard field goal on fourth and five. He never attempted it, though, instead taking a pitch from holder Josh Miller and just beating cornerback DeRon Jenkins to the first-down marker. The Titans challenged the spot of the ball, but the replay was ruled inconclusive, meaning the Steelers had a first down.

“I was just going for the orange,” Brown said. “I had it in my sights and just leaped for it.”

The Steelers resorted to razzle-dazzle again three plays later, after two incomplete passes, when receiver Hines Ward faked a reverse, set his feet and overthrew the 6-foot-5 Burress in the end zone. Brown trotted back onto the field and kicked a 42-yard field goal for a 17-7 lead.

Two spectacular plays helped the Steelers take a 14-7 lead, but the drive would have fizzled if not for a timely unnecessary-roughness penalty on Tennessee safety Perry Phenix, who shoved Ward from behind. That turned a failed third-down conversion by Pittsburgh into a first down at the Titan 20.

Three plays earlier, Steeler safety Brent Alexander leaped, leaned back and reeled in a breathtaking interception with his left hand. That thrilled the crowd, and the place erupted minutes later when Stewart--with linebacker Randall Godfrey draped on him like an overcoat--rolled to his right and threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Ward, who caught the ball falling to his knees.

Bettis had six carries on a 10-play, 78-yard opening drive, bashing in for a one-yard touchdown. Tennessee (2-4) answered by handing off to George four consecutive times. On the fourth, he was stripped of the ball by linebacker Jason Gildon, who recovered the fumble at the Titan 35. Pittsburgh, however, was unable to capitalize, blowing a scoring chance when Brown’s 48-yard field-goal attempt fluttered wide left.

The Titans forged a 7-7 tie on their next possession, moving 62 yards in 10 plays and scoring when Steve McNair found Frank Wycheck in the back of the end zone with a four-yard pass. That drive included a 21-yard catch on third and five by former UCLA player Drew Bennett.