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Steelers Win on an "Immaculate Deflection"
The Pittsburgh Steelers successfully ended the unbeaten streak of the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday afternoon, with a 27-17 victory at Heinz Field. The game was more like a roller coaster ride, with plenty of momentum swings, lead changes, and dramatic plays. The win extends the Steelers' home record to a perfect 4-0 and will surely, put the team back in the spotlight of the NFL. The Steelers will now head into their much deserved Bye week with a solid 5-2 record, before they take on another unbeaten team, the Denver Broncos, in Week 8.
Coming into this game, many believed this game would be a showcase between the two quarterbacks, Ben Roethlisberger and Brett Favre. Instead, this was a game where the defenses controlled the tempo, and much of the game was a battle of field position. Fans did not see the offensive explosion from the Steelers that they expected. Ben Roethlisberger, who was leading the league in passing yards, had just 175 yards passing. The league's leading wide receiver, Hines Ward, had just one reception for three yards. In a game where the offenses were expected to reign supreme, it would be the defensive fireworks that would steal the show.
The Steelers' defense did an admirable job shutting down the running game of the Minnesota Vikings. Halfback, Adrian Peterson, was held to just sixty-nine rushing yards on the day. The defense forced the Vikings to become a passing team and rely on the arm of Brett Favre. Although Favre threw for over 300 yards, he felt the pressure of the pass rush from the Steelers, as he was sacked a total of four times throughout the game. On this day, the defense of the Steelers was not exactly dominant, but when they needed to make a play, the defense certainly rose up to the occasion in a big way.
In the fourth quarter, with the Steelers leading 13-10, Brett Favre and the Vikings were driving deep in the red zone. Looking to take the lead, Favre dropped back only to have the ball stripped out of his hand by Steelers' defensive end, Brett Keisel. The ball would be picked up by LaMarr Woodley and returned 77 yards for the touchdown. The score would give the Steelers a 20-10 advantage, but the comfortable ten point lead would be short lived. On the ensuing kickoff, Vikings' rookie wide receiver, Percy Harvin, would return the kick for a staggering 88-yard touchdown. After a Steelers' punt, the Vikings, trailing by three, once again found themselves deep in the red zone. With just minutes left, Favre threw a pass that deflected of the hands of halfback, Chester Taylor, and into the arms of Steelers' linebacker, Keyaron Fox. Fox would rumble 82 yards to the game-winning touchdown, shocking the Vikings, and sending Heinz Field into euphoria. Steelers win in dramatic fashion, 27-17.
Michael C. Smith
SteelerSal.com
The Pittsburgh Steelers successfully ended the unbeaten streak of the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday afternoon, with a 27-17 victory at Heinz Field. The game was more like a roller coaster ride, with plenty of momentum swings, lead changes, and dramatic plays. The win extends the Steelers' home record to a perfect 4-0 and will surely, put the team back in the spotlight of the NFL. The Steelers will now head into their much deserved Bye week with a solid 5-2 record, before they take on another unbeaten team, the Denver Broncos, in Week 8.
Coming into this game, many believed this game would be a showcase between the two quarterbacks, Ben Roethlisberger and Brett Favre. Instead, this was a game where the defenses controlled the tempo, and much of the game was a battle of field position. Fans did not see the offensive explosion from the Steelers that they expected. Ben Roethlisberger, who was leading the league in passing yards, had just 175 yards passing. The league's leading wide receiver, Hines Ward, had just one reception for three yards. In a game where the offenses were expected to reign supreme, it would be the defensive fireworks that would steal the show.
The Steelers' defense did an admirable job shutting down the running game of the Minnesota Vikings. Halfback, Adrian Peterson, was held to just sixty-nine rushing yards on the day. The defense forced the Vikings to become a passing team and rely on the arm of Brett Favre. Although Favre threw for over 300 yards, he felt the pressure of the pass rush from the Steelers, as he was sacked a total of four times throughout the game. On this day, the defense of the Steelers was not exactly dominant, but when they needed to make a play, the defense certainly rose up to the occasion in a big way.
In the fourth quarter, with the Steelers leading 13-10, Brett Favre and the Vikings were driving deep in the red zone. Looking to take the lead, Favre dropped back only to have the ball stripped out of his hand by Steelers' defensive end, Brett Keisel. The ball would be picked up by LaMarr Woodley and returned 77 yards for the touchdown. The score would give the Steelers a 20-10 advantage, but the comfortable ten point lead would be short lived. On the ensuing kickoff, Vikings' rookie wide receiver, Percy Harvin, would return the kick for a staggering 88-yard touchdown. After a Steelers' punt, the Vikings, trailing by three, once again found themselves deep in the red zone. With just minutes left, Favre threw a pass that deflected of the hands of halfback, Chester Taylor, and into the arms of Steelers' linebacker, Keyaron Fox. Fox would rumble 82 yards to the game-winning touchdown, shocking the Vikings, and sending Heinz Field into euphoria. Steelers win in dramatic fashion, 27-17.
Michael C. Smith
SteelerSal.com
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