NFL FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL --- --- --- --- ----- BUFFALO 3 0 3 0 6 PITTSBURGH 7 17 0 0 24 FINAL
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: BUF - FG, STEVE CHRISTIE 31 YD, 7:29. Drive: 8 plays, 28 yards in 2:39. Key plays: Thomas 13-yard run on 3rd-and-10 to Pittsburgh 21; Thomas 8-yard run to Pittsburgh 13. BUFFALO 3-0 PIT - TD, JEROME BETTIS 1 YD RUN (NORM JOHNSON KICK), 11:05. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards in 3:36. Key plays: Bettis 11-yard run to Pittsburgh 36; Tomczak 48-yard pass to Stewart on 3rd-and-7 to Buffalo 13; Tomczak 9-yard pass to Bettis to Buffalo 4. PITTSBURGH 7-3 2ND QUARTER: PIT - FG, NORM JOHNSON 30 YD, 6:25. Drive: 7 plays, 12 yards in 3:46. Key plays: Olsavsky 5-yard interception return plus 14-yard run with lateral by Woodson to Buffalo 29; Pegram 9-yard run to Buffalo 15; Stewart 1-yard run on 3rd-and-1 to Buffalo 14. PITTSBURGH 10-3 PIT - TD, JEROME BETTIS 43 YD RUN (NORM JOHNSON KICK), 13:12. Drive: 8 plays, 96 yards in 4:12. Key plays: Tomczak 10-yard pass to C Johnson on 3rd-and-3 to Pittsburgh 21; Bettis 13-yard run to Pittsburgh 41; Tomczak 11-yard pass to Hastings to Buffalo 43. PITTSBURGH 17-3 PIT - TD, CARNELL LAKE 47 YD INTERCEPTION RETURN (NORM JOHNSON KICK), 15:00. PITTSBURGH 24-3 3RD QUARTER: BUF - FG, STEVE CHRISTIE 45 YD, 4:51. Drive: 14 plays, 43 yards in 4:51. Key plays: Kelly 10-yard pass to Early to Buffalo 40; Kelly 10-yard pass to L Johnson on 3rd-and-7 to Pittsburgh 47; Kelly 11-yard pass to Early to Pittsburgh 34. PITTSBURGH 24-6 4TH QUARTER: NONE
TEAM STATISTICS
BUF PIT -------- -------- FIRST DOWNS 11 22 Rushing 5 15 Passing 4 7 Penalty 2 0 3RD-DOWN EFFICIENCY 4-14 9-16 4TH-DOWN EFFICIENCY 2-2 0-0 TOTAL NET YARDS 185 382 Total plays 56 70 Average gain 3.3 5.5 NET YARDS RUSHING 86 222 Rushes 23 49 Average per rush 3.7 4.5 NET YARDS PASSING 99 160 Completed-attempted 15-31 14-21 Yards per pass 3.0 7.6 Sacked-yards lost 2-17 0-0 Had intercepted 4 0 PUNTS-AVERAGE 4-41.5 3-26.0 RETURN YARDAGE 69 142 Punts-returns 0-0 0-0 Kickoffs-returns 3-69 3-74 Interceptions-returns 0-0 4-68 PENALTIES-YARDS 7-56 3-15 FUMBLES-LOST 0-0 2-1 TIME OF POSSESSION 21:02 38:58
PLAYER STATISTICS
Missed field goals: Pittsburgh (Norm Johnson 37, 24).
Buffalo rushing: Thurman Thomas 16-68, Darick Holmes 5-15, Tim Tindale 1-3, Eric Moulds 1-0.
Pittsburgh rushing: Jerome Bettis 20-133, Erric Pegram 17-84, Jon Witman 4-14, Kordell Stewart 4-minus 5, Mike Tomczak 3-minus 4, Tim Lester 1-0.
Buffalo passing: Jim Kelly 15-31 for 116 yards, 4 INT, 0 TD.
Pittsburgh passing: Mike Tomczak 12-19 for 150 yards, 0 INT, 0 TD, Kordell Stewart 2-2 for 10 yards, 0 INT, 0 TD.
Buffalo receiving: Andre Reed 5-31, Quinn Early 3-41, Lonnie Johnson 2-13, Eric Moulds 1-11, Darick Holmes 1-6, Thurman Thomas 1-6, Russell Copeland 1-5, Tony Cline 1-3.
Pittsburgh receiving: Andre Hastings 4-27, Kordell Stewart 3-65, Jerome Bettis 3-32, Charles Johnson 2-17, Erric Pegram 1-12, Jonathan Hayes 1-7.
Buffalo tackles-assists-sacks (unofficial): Chris Spielman 8-6-0, Ted Washington 5-4-0, Phil Hansen 7-1-0, Mark Maddox 4-3-0, Bruce Smith 5-1-0, Bryce Paup 4-2-0, Kurt Schulz 4-2-0, Henry Jones 4-1-0, Thomas Smith 4-1-0, Ken Irvin 2-1-0, Marlon Kerner 2-0-0, Sam Rogers 1-1-0, Jim Jeffcoat 1-0-0, Emanuel Martin 1-0-0, Sean Moran 1-0-0, Marlo Perry 1-1-0, Lonnie Johnson 1-0-0, Eric Moulds 1-0-0, Glenn Parker 1-0-0, Mark Pike 1-0-0, Tim Tindale 1-0-0.
Pittsburgh tackles-assists-sacks (unofficial): Chad Brown 5-2-1, Carlos Emmons 1-0-1, Rod Woodson 5-1-0, Darren Perry 4-2-0, Carnell Lake 3-3-0, Willie Williams 3-3-0, Levon Kirkland 2-4-0, Jerry Olsavsky 4-1-0, Joel Steed 3-1-0, Bill Johnson 1-2-0, Deon Figures 1-0-0, Chris Oldham 1-0-0, Eric Ravotti 1-0-0, Myron Bell 1-1-0, Corey Holliday 1-0-0, Tim Lester 1-0-0.
Interceptions: Pittsburgh (Levon Kirkland 2 for 2 yards, Carnell Lake 1 for 47 yards, Jerry Olsavsky 1 for 5 yards, Rod Woodson 14 yards on lateral).
Fumbles lost: Pittsburgh (Tim Lester).
Opponent's fumbles recovered: Buffalo (Sam Rogers).
Officials: Referee-Larry Nemmers, Umpire-Ed Coukart, Head linesman-Paul Weidner, Line judge-Larry Upson, Back judge-Bill Lovett, Side judge-Dave Wyant, Field judge-Jeff Triplette.
A: 59,002; No shows: 558; T: 2:39.
GAME RECAPJerome Bettis rushed for 133 yards and two touchdowns and the Pittsburgh Steelers intercepted Jim Kelly four times in a dominant 24-6 victory over the Buffalo Bills.
Bettis had a one-yard scoring run just before the half and sealed Pittsburgh's second straight victory by bowling over defenders on a 43-yard run just before the half.
After Bettis' run gave the Steelers a 17-3 lead, the Bills chose to try and operate in the two-minute offense. But Kelly threw a pass that Carnell Lake picked off and returned 47 yards for a score as time expired.
"Obviously a big win for us, a good win," said Steelers coach Bill Cowher. "We did a lot of good things. We still have room to improve, pulled back a little in the second half but that was due to circumstances in the game."
"We played well tonight, I think we're jelling as a team," Woodson said. "Our run offense is going along well right now. I think the defense is coming together. If you're going to play in the NFL you need to play all four quarters."
Kelly, who was 15-of-31 for 116 yards, was picked off four times in a game for the third time in the regular season. He was picked off four times against the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl 26.
Bettis became the first running back to rush for 100 yards in consecutive games since Barry Foster accomplished the feat in 1992. Erric Pegram added 84 yards on 17 carries for the Steelers, who amassed 382 yards of offense.
"This is great, I just wanted a chance and every day I thank God I'm here," Bettis said. "I couldn't have asked for a better situation. The offensive line worked their tails off, they have a great work ethic. I can't forget the tight ends and the fullbacks, I even saw Kordell Stewart throw a block out there."
"This was a discouraging loss and we all contributed to it," Bills coach Marv Levy said. "The offense, the defense, the coaching, we're all responsible for the loss. This was humiliating, Pittsburgh by every stretch of the imagination was the better team."
The Bills (2-1) actually led 3-0 midway through the first quarter on a 31-yard field goal by Steve Christie. Thurman Thomas set up the score with a pair of runs, including a key 13-yard dash on 3rd-and-10 deep in Pittsburgh territory.
Thomas finished with 68 yards on 16 carries for the Bills, who were held to 185 yards of offense.
The Steelers took the ensuing kickoff and moved 75 yards in eight plays. Tomczak completed a screen pass to Kordell Stewart that the versatile back broke for 48 yards to the 13. Bettis then cashed in with a one-yard touchdown plunge for a 7-3 lead.
Mike Tomczak completed 13-of-20 passes for 157 yards in improving to 2-0 as a starter this season.
"The barometer reading right now is that we're playing with good confidence," Tomczak said. "We're playing with the will to win and we're preparing well all week."
Norm Johnson added a 30-yard field goal, 6:25 into the second quarter, to give Pittsburgh a 10-3 advantage. The drive was set up by an interception by Jerry Olsavsky who lateralled the ball Rod Woodson for 14 more yards.
Bettis capped the Steelers next possession by breaking free for 43 yards and a score. Pinned back at their own four, the Steelers mixed the pass and run effectively to move to midfield. Bettis reeled off a 13-yard run just prior to his scoring burst.
The Steelers then reeled off 17 more points before Christie's second field goal, a 45-yarder just under five minutes into the third quarter capped the scoring.