It is never easy for the Pittsburgh Steelers to win in Baltimore although they do have a 15-13 edge and have won the last four games there.
After the Ravens moved from Cleveland in 1996, the teams would split the series that first season with the home team winning. The Ravens had a 4-12 season with one of their wins being a 31-17 triumph over the Steelers in Baltimore.
While the Ravens were finding their feet after their move, the Steelers went to the playoffs with Mike Tomczak at the helm. They won their divisional game against the Colts 42-14 before travelling to New England where they lost 28-3.
After using their 1996 first round draft pick on tight end Mark Bruener, the Steelers selected Kordell Stewart in the second. Stewart became a cult hero in Pittsburgh. He was a receiver. He was a rusher. He was a quarterback. He earned the nickname “Slash” for his flexible role in the offense.
Stewart was too versatile to sit on the bench as a backup quarterback. He brought so much to the offense with his adaptability to confuse the team’s opponents.
As early as July, before the 1997 exhibition season began in Dublin, Coach Cowher’s decision to make Stewart the Steelers starting quarterback was announced. After going 5-0 in the preseason, the Steelers went into their season opener against the Cowboys with confidence very high.
Troy Aikman soon shattered that illusion. He threw for 295 yards and four touchdowns as Dallas destroyed the Steelers 37-7. Bruener’s late 4-yard touchdown catch made sure the Cowboys didn’t get the shutout.
The Steelers squeezed past Washington the following week before losing in Jacksonville. A win over another division rival Tennessee saw them travel to Baltimore in third place in the Central division behind the Jaguars and the Ravens.
The Steelers were hoping to break a streak of five losing games away from home to division foes. The previous year Pittsburgh became the first NFL team since the 1970 merger to lose all their division games on the road.
Two former Steelers were now wearing Ravens uniforms. They were two of my favorites, tight end Eric Green and running back Bam Morris.
The (2-2) Steelers at the (3-1) Ravens; October 5, 1997
Both quarterbacks began by throwing interceptions in their opening drives. Vinny Testaverde recovered from his error first. He led his team on a 7-play drive of 67 yards that finished with his 22-yard touchdown pass to Eric Green.
Kordell Stewart replied by throwing a second interception which Nick Moore took back to the Steelers five. Bam Morris added to the Steelers pain with his 1-yard touchdown run.
At the beginning of the second quarter, Stewart took his team 57 yards before throwing his third interception. The Ravens took full advantage again as Testaverde threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Brian Kinchen. Two minutes into the second quarter the Steelers were 21 points down.
The crowd of 64,000 were ecstatic witnessing the humbling of their local rivals.
After both teams had gone three and out, Baltimore began a series on their 29. A Testaverde fumble saw the Steelers take over on their opponents’ 29 after Joel Steed recovered the loose ball. Stewart finished the short drive with a 1-yard touchdown run.
The Ravens replied with a Matt Stover 34-yard field goal to take a 24-7 lead into the locker room at the half.
The Steelers needed a spark in the second half to ignite their offense into a fightback. It came from Will Blackwell when his burst of speed began a Steelers avalanche. His 97-yard return of the second half kickoff for a touchdown reduced the Steelers deficit to ten points and it was now game on if Pittsburgh could build on the score.
After exchanging punts again, Kordell Stewart guided his team on a 12-play drive of 90 yards as Jerome Bettis rumbled through Baltimore’s defense. The drive was extended by a 2-yard run from Stewart on a fourth and one. Stewart then found Charles Johnson with an 8-yard touchdown pass to bring his team within three points.
As the game went into the final period, Testaverde dropped back to attempt a pass. Mike Vrabel’s hit forced a fumble that Kevin Henry recovered to give the Steelers a first down on their opponents’ 23. Bettis ran twice for 19 yards to move the chains before Stewart looked for his favorite red zone target.
Mark Bruener ran a pattern to the right corner of the end zone and Stewart threw it at the back of Tyrus McCloud who was covering the tight end. The linebacker never looked back and ran smack into Bruener before the ball arrived. Bruener stuck out his hand to haul the ball in for a 4-yard touchdown that put the Steelers ahead for the first time.
The Steelers and Stewart began to turn the screw. Stewart’s pass of 63 yards to Yancey Thigpen sustained a drive of 89 yards that finished with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Charles Johnson.
Baltimore’s next drive was kept alive by a pass interference call that moved the ball to the Steelers’ 10. Testaverde’s 10-yard pass to Derrick Alexander and his two-point conversion to Earnest Byner saw the scoreboard display a 35-32 Steelers lead.
With just two minutes remaining and only a three-point lead, the Steelers were faced with a third and four on their 26. Stewart would display all the skills that saw him earn his Slash nickname.
Stewart faked a handoff to Bettis before faking an end around to Thigpen. Stewart ran left end and seeing an open field just ran. His 74-yard run finished in the end zone for the score.
The Ravens immediately came back with an impressive series until Green fumbled his 29-yard catch on the Steelers’ 10 after a huge hit from Chris Oldham. When the Steelers failed to gain any yards, Coach Cowher called on punter Josh Miller to give up a safety, but he failed to take sufficient time off the clock.
The Ravens had one final chance to make an impact, but Testaverde left his mark with another interception.
The Pittsburgh Steelers 42 at the Baltimore Ravens 34
The Steelers 21-point comeback tied for the biggest in team history. The previous time they achieved it was in 1985 when they beat the Baltimore Colts 30-24.
Kordell Stewart admitted, “It was one of the best victories of my career.” His 74-yard touchdown run was the third longest in NFL history by a quarterback. The longest was Stewart’s 80-yard touchdown against the Panthers the previous season.
The 137 yards by Jerome Bettis was his single-game high with the Steelers until the following week against the Colts when he rushed for 164. His career high was the 212 for the Rams in 1993 against the Saints.
Mark Bruener’s 4-yard touchdown was his fourth score of the season from just seven receptions.
The Steelers finished the season 11-5 to win their fourteenth division title. They squeezed past the Patriots 7-6 in the divisional game before losing 24-21 to the Broncos in the Conference final.
