By: G.Stryker
Each and every game has a pivotal moment where victory is decided. Not always the game winning play, but a play that determines the outcome, and if it went differently, a different result would be likely. So each week we will explore the exact moment of drama where the game is decided on: As the Game Turns.
Steelers were back in Pittsburgh this week for their home opener vs Kansas City and boy did they dig themselves into a hole, allowing 3 touchdowns on the Chief’s first 3 possessions. A start like that could have had the game turning play in the first quarter, but the Steelers did show some grit and resilience, to tie the game at the half, despite missing a field goal and an extra point!
The second half opened much like the first, with Kansas City again finding it easy to score quickly and often. But with their backs against the wall, the Steelers mounted another comeback, to give them a chance to win yet again. The defense, who had been playing on their heels all day, finally made a play with Anthony Chickillo recovering a Cam Heyward forced fumble. This gave the offense the ball, down by 12 with just over 5 minutes to play. Jessie James makes the biggest offensive play of the day on a 46 yard catch and run from Ben Roethlisberger extending the play and finding him for the big gain. Still not where the game turned.
Now the Steelers’ offense is set up on the 20 yard line with 4:52 to play in the game. The most amazing aspect is not overcoming 2 4th downs, but using nearly 3 minutes of game time to move 20 yards. The drive culminated on a bittersweet play that Big Ben ran right and dove for the pylon on a broken play. Even though it was 4th down, and the Steelers found a way to get in the end zone, the biggest problem was they did it at the 2 minute warning, losing the ability to use that stoppage of time on defense to get the ball back. This is the play where the game turned. The Steeler defense allowed a first down, and when all 3 timeouts were spent, Kansas City was lined up to punt with 11 seconds on the clock.
Many games are won with touchdowns scored late, but being on the wrong side of the two minute warning when reaching the game’s ultimate goal, turned this positive play into the moment that sealed the fate of the Steelers' loss.
