In a game that many figured to be a shootout between “Big” Ben Roethlisberger and his idol Brett Favre, it was the defense for the Pittsburgh Steelers that stole the show.
The Vikings came into this game at 6-0 and put their undefeated streak on the line against a rejuvenated Steelers team that had won three games in a row after opening the season 1-2 and the game would be a great measuring stick for both teams.
It was a game of one-upmanship between two NFL power houses’s as a slow start for both teams, in which Pittsburgh led 10-7 at the half, turned into a drama filled second half that was fit for a big screen movie.
The plot had several twist and turns late in the game with the first being a fumble by Rashard Mendenhall on a drive by the Steelers that ended deep in Vikings territory. Mendy would get careless and leap forward for a few extra yards but when he landed, he forgot to bring the ball with him and the Vikings would recover it and begin a long drive of their own as they looked to take the lead.
The second twist came when a strip sack fumble by Favre was returned for a touchdown by the Steelers LaMarr Woodley, after scooping up the ball and returning it for the 77 yard score, while what seemed like the entire defense, lead the convoy to the end zone.
The touchdown put the Steelers ahead by 10 and it looked like the Vikings fate had been sealed, the climax to the story had unfolded and a happy ending was in store for the Steelers as Brett Keisel’s forced fumble would lead to the rolling of the credits. Though that were true but an unexpected twist makes for better story telling.
The very next play the Steelers would kick off to the Vikings and rookie returner Percy Harvin was off to the races weaving in and out of traffic on a mission to rewrite the script and change the ending. Harvin’s version of the climax would end on an 88 yard kick return touchdown that drew the Vikings to 20-17 and set the stage for Favre, who specializes in late-game heroics.
The Steelers would get the ball back and attempt to run out the clock but had very little luck and were forced to punt it back to the red hot hand of Brett Favre and just like that the Vikings were driving the ball down the field as time was running out and it looked as if he would lead his team to victory.
Just as the story was about to end another twist would be added to the plot as Favre threw a lightning-fast short pass to Chester Taylor, which Minnesota Coach Brad Childress later said probably came in too hot. It bounced off Taylor’s hands and into the grasp of Steelers linebacker Keyaron Fox, who raced 82 yards for a touchdown that finally sealed the victory for his team by putting them ahead 27-17 with just over a minute left on the clock.
Even for a franchise built on defense, it was extraordinary. It was the first time the Steelers had scored two defensive touchdowns in a game in almost 11 years.
The game ended, fittingly, when Favre was brought down hard by James Harrison as time ran out. For Favre, a 40-year-old quarterback who had been enjoying a turn-back-the-clock season, this was a hard jolt from reality.
When he emerged from the locker room, eyes rimmed in red, he wore a knit hat pulled low over his brow. “I would have felt a lot better had we won,” Favre said. “Physically, we knew it would be a Pittsburgh matchup.”
Favre said that the Steelers’ defense blitzed him on nearly every snap, a hallmark of a game plan by the defensive coordinator, Dick LeBeau. On the interception, Favre said, he was not sure if the Vikings could have run the play any better.
The Steelers will have some time off to celebrate the big win as they head into a bye before getting ready to face another team that could still be undefeated when they line up to play, the Denver Broncos.
About the Author Jim McMillen
The Editor & Chief, the brains so to say, behind Pittsburgh Blitz. Jim is a rabid sports fan who just loves his Stillers, Pens and Buccos. Feel free to contact us at steelerguy26[@]yahoo.com if you have any questions or comments or would like to join our staff and write for Pittsburgh Blitz.
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This killed me. I drafted the Steelers defense and had to drop them when Troy got hurt. They just weren’t producing and I need a DST that would. When I heard Troy was coming back somebody else had already picked them up.