Steelers Given a Wide Berth

Larry Foote, an inside linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers who dabbles in special teams, was pinned to the turf late Sunday afternoon, listening for the end of a football game that had risen again.

This side of the AFC divisional playoffs had come to the 28-yard line, where the Indianapolis Colts sent the best kicker in league history to find overtime.

Mike Vanderjagt had not missed at the RCA Dome this season, which, in the loopiest of playoff games, was of small comfort; the Colts were there, blocking for Vanderjagt, because Jerome Bettis, who had not fumbled all season, had, not a minute earlier. And because Ben Roethlisberger, who, being a quarterback, couldn’t remember ever having made a tackle, had, shortly after the Bettis error.

So lay Foote, at the far end of what appeared sure victory, that much closer to more football, when Vanderjagt, with a delirious crowd in his ear, missed right from 46 yards by what seemed half that much, with 17 seconds to play.

The Steelers, by a 21-18 score that wobbled and then stood, to the sounds of their racing hearts, and after six consecutive victories, advanced to the AFC championship game next Sunday in Denver.

“If you don’t hear the crowd reaction,” Foote said of his prone perspective, “you got a good chance he missed it.”

Vanderjagt had made 218 of 249 field goals in his career, an .876 percentage that is the highest in NFL history.

“I’m somewhat in shock that I am standing here after a missed field goal,” he said. “I’m not sure what happened.”

Pinned by the early precision of Steeler quarterback Roethlisberger, who directed two first-quarter scoring drives, smothered by the resurgent Steeler rushing attack in the second half, then thrilled by late life from its Colts and their 15 fourth-quarter points, the crowd dispersed quietly.

The Colts, 13-0 as of Dec. 11, lost two of three to end the regular season, had suffered the death of Coach Tony Dungy’s 18-year-old son, and arrived Sunday to find the Steelers had learned something from a Monday night loss to them in November.

“But we’ll survive,” Dungy said. “Personally, a couple of big disappointments. Obviously, this one doesn’t rank anywhere close to the last ones. From my standpoint, it’s disappointing. My job is to get this team to play well, and we didn’t quite do that today.”

Seven weeks later, the Steelers went first to Roethlisberger, then to Bettis and halfback Willie Parker. They zone-blitzed and dropped defensive linemen into coverage and, at times, overran the Colts, sacking quarterback Peyton Manning five times.

The result was a 21-3 Steeler lead entering the fourth quarter, which is where it appeared another promising Colt season would end, the Steelers in a play-it-out quarter on the way to Denver and their second consecutive AFC championship game. They left the quarter spent, winners only because Roethlisberger made a tackle near midfield that saved their postseason.

Near the conclusion of three-plus hard-played, closely fought quarters, in which the unexpected had been limited to Manning’s inability to get the ball to receiver Marvin Harrison and Dungy’s unwillingness to give the ball to running back Edgerrin James, the bizarre came pouring through the tented roof.

“My heart,” Foote said of the final few minutes, “was going to my feet.”

An apparent interception by Steeler safety Troy Polamalu near midfield with 5:26 remaining set the Steelers to celebrating, as they were ahead, 21-10. It was overturned by replay. Four plays later, James ran three yards for a touchdown, Manning passed to Reggie Wayne for a two-point conversion, and the Steeler lead was down to three.

After two sacks of Manning -- the last orchestrated by linebacker Joey Porter, who last week dared the Colts to play “smash-mouth football” -- the Steelers took possession on the Colt two-yard line, 80 seconds from Denver. Roethlisberger gave the ball to Bettis.

On Bettis’ way over right tackle, however, linebacker Gary Brackett jarred the ball loose, Bettis’ first fumble since last postseason.

Colt cornerback Nick Harper, recovering from a knife wound in his knee police say his wife inflicted on Saturday, gathered the football and raced away from the goal line.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Bettis said.

The Bus had a lot of passengers on that ride.

“After the sack,” Porter said, “I pretty much thought the game was over. I’m having fun on the sideline, and hear all this stuff. I’m like, ‘What the hell’s going on?’ ”

He turned to see Roethlisberger sort of lining up Harper, sort of grabbing Harper’s right leg, and then sort of holding on.

“I was saying, ‘Just get him down,’ ” Steeler receiver Antwaan Randle El said. “‘Somebody get him down.’”

With only a quarterback and green ahead, Harper fell at the Colt 45.

“Once in a blue moon Jerome fumbles,” Roethlisberger said. “And once in a blue moon I’m going to make a tackle.”

And, then, five plays later, Vanderjagt swung his leg. The moon was blue again.