Jacksonville edges Pittsburgh 23-17 in overtime

By Darrell Laurant | Sunday, October 16, 2005 | ( 0 )

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It was the unkindest way for a Pittsburgh Steelers team to lose -- death by turnovers.

On Saturday afternoon, the team that has built its reputation around taking the football away from other teams stunned its Heinz Field fans by committing two egregious mistakes in overtime, giving the Jacksonville Jaguars a 23-17 victory.

Both of those slipups came courtesy of Steelers backup quarterback Tommy Maddox, who wouldn't have been in a position to make them had not starting QB Ben Roethlisberger been on the sidelines with a hyperextended knee.

After Quincy Morgan -- playing because starting WR Hines Ward was out with a hamstring pull -- had hauled the opening kickoff in overtime 71 yards, putting the Steelers in reasonable field goal range for Jeff Reed, the Pittsburgh offense fell apart while trying to get closer. Willie Parker lost three yards and fumbled but managed to cover his error. Then, after a two-yard gain by Parker, Maddox bobbled the snap and coughed up the ball to the Jaguars' Reggie Hayward.

The Steeler defense stiffened and forced Jacksonville to punt. But after Maddox threw an incompletion to Heath Miller on first down from the home team's 35, Jacksonville DB Rashean Mathis jumped in front of a pass intended for Morgan and dashed 41 yards into the end zone for the deciding points.

The loss left the Pittsburgh Steelers 3-2, while the Jacksonville Jaguars improved to 4-2.

Jacksonville also entered the game with a large hole in its lineup, minus RB Fred Taylor. Backup Greg Jones rushed for 77 yards and a touchdown in his absence, however, and QB Byron Leftwich threw a 10-yard TD pass to rookie Matt Jones that put the visitors up 17-14 before Reed's 29-yard field goal tied it at 9:38 of the fourth quarter.

The Jaguars also scored on a 23-yard Josh Scobee field goal, while the Steelers got a 15-yard scoring pass from Maddox to Miller and a 71-yard punt return for a score by Antwan Randle-El.

Maddox, who was hobbled by a calf injury, completed only 11 of 28 passes for 154 yards and three interceptions. His obvious rustiness enabled the Jaguars to concentrate on the Steelers' running game, holding Parker to 55 yards in 21 carries.

Both teams failed to take advantage of late opportunities to avoid overtime. Reed missed a 46-yard field goal with 3:28 left in the fourth quarter, and Bryant McFadden intercepted Leftwich deep in Steeler territory on the next-to-last play of regulation.

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