Linebacker Lawrence Timmons intercepted a pass from Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel on the second play of overtime to set up a 23-yard game winning field goal by Shaun Suisham to give the Pittsburgh Steelers a 16-13 win Monday night at Heinz Field.
The turnover by the Chiefs, who had 29 of them entering the game, was their first and only one of the night and it couldn\’t have come at a better time for the Steelers, who now move to 6-3 on the season.
The win could have come at high price, though, as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger left the game early in the third quarter with a right shoulder injury. Backup Byron Leftwich, who hasn\’t taken a regular season snap since week 17 of the 2009 season, was forced into duty and looked rusty as you would imagine. Leftwich finished the game 7-of-14 passing for 73 yards.
The Steelers running game struggled against a Chiefs defensive front that was led by linebacker Derrick Johnson, who recorded 11 tackles and lived in the Steelers backfield most of the game. Running backs Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer combined to rush for 77 yards on 27 carries with the longest run of the night being 17 yards by Dwyer.
Redman also fumbled late in the first quarter and that turnover resulted in the Chiefs settling for short field goal to give them a 10-0 lead with 14:24 left to go in the first half.
The Chiefs had their running game going early on as running back Jamaal Charles finished with an even 100 yards on 23 carriers. Charles had 65 of those yards in the first half. Where the Chiefs struggled the most on offense was on third downs. After failing to convert all of their 5 opportunities in the first half, they finished 2-of-13 on the night.
The Steelers lone touchdown in the game came courtesy of a great one-handed catch by wide receiver Mike Wallace from 7 yards out in the right corner of the end zone with 3:16 left in the first half. It was 1 of only 3 catches that Wallace would have on the night as the Steelers passing game never had any rhythm in the rain. Tight end Heath Miller led the Steelers in receptions with 4 that totaled 47 yards.
The Steelers held a 13-10 lead with just under 2 minutes to go in the game, but the defense allowed the Chiefs to drive 52 yards from their own 20 yard-line to set up the game tying field goal by Ryan Succop as time expired in regulation.
The Chiefs won the toss and chose to take the ball first in overtime. On second down Timmons picked off the Cassel pass intended for wide receiver Dwayne Bowe to set Suisham up for the win.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin did not apologize for the ugly win after the game and the only information that he would give on Roethlisberger is that he suffered a right shoulder injury that he did not yet know the extent of. It has since been reported that the Steelers quarterback may have only suffered a sprain, but the results of the MRI that was taken at the hospital will ultimately decide if those reports are true.
