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ARTICLE Steelers victorious in Heinz Field opener
Sunday, October 7, 2001
PITTSBURGH - RB Jerome Bettis became the 14th NFL player to rush for more than 10,000 yards in his career Sunday, helping the Steelers to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals at home, 16-7. "What a milestone and what a guy," exclaimed Steelers Coach Bill Cowher. "He's a true team leader. If there's anybody that deserves the accomplishment and had done it in a non-fanfare way, he's done it."
While Bettis racked up 153 yards on 23 carries for his 4th 100-yard game, it was the feet of QB Kordell Stewart that provided Pittsburgh's only touchdown. Stewart scrambled as he had all game long for a nine-yard touchdown in the second quarter to give the Steelers a 10-0 halftime lead. Kris Brown tacked on a fourth-quarter 42-yard field goal to give Pittsburgh some breathing room and added a 48-yarder to ice the game, giving him a perfect 3-for-3 afternoon. In between Brown's last two kicks, the Bengals scored their only points of the contest. At the 4:45 mark of the fourth quarter, QB John Kitna connected with fullback Lorenzo Neal for a one-yard touchdown pass. The play capped an 11-play, 81 yard Cincinnati drive in which Kitna threw 10 passes.
Otherwise, Kitna's day was unimpressive. He finished the game completing 19 of 34 passes for 164 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Five of those completions and 69 of the yards came on the touchdown drive. RB Corey Dillon fared even worse, carrying the ball 19 times for just 64 yards. Last season, Dillon broke the NFL single-game rushing record for the Bengals. Bettis wasn't the only Steelers rusher to find holes in the Bengals defense. Stewart had 61 yards on nine carries (including two one-yard losses at the end of the game and another one-yard loss on his fumbled snap) and RB Amos Zereoue ran the ball eight times for 60 yards. The three rushers combined for 274 total rushing yards. "Every Sunday when we step out there, we know that we want to run the ball no matter what happens," Zereoue said. "We want to establish the running game. Everything else comes second."
After losing the first game at Three Rivers Stadium to the Houston Oilers in 1970, the Steelers turned things around for their Hines Field opener. Pittsburgh scored the first points at Heinz Field with Brown's first field goal of 26 yards. The Steelers also scored the first touchdown at Heinz Field with Stewart's scramble. Stewart also had the dubious honor of committing the first turnover at the new stadium.
Of course, Pittsburgh won for the first time at Heinz and Bettis picked up the first 100-yard game at the stadium. Chad Scott's interception was the first at Heinz Field and Kendrell Bell's sack was a first as well. The Steelers also set an all-time home attendance record with 62,335 fans at the game despite a gametime temperature of 44 degrees and biting winds. "We want to make this place special," Cowher said. "We want our fans to be a big part of it because we're going to need them down the stretch." All in all, it was a good day to wear black and gold. However, there would be no complaints lodged if you chose to don red, white and blue. |
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RB Jerome Bettis surpassed
10,000 career rushing yards with a 153-yard performance. Only 13 other
NFL players have reached 10,000 yards.
CB Chad Scott led the team in
tackles with eight and also had three assists and a 26-yard interception
return.
Kris Brown nailed all
three of his field-goal attempts including kicks of 42 and 48
yards.
For the third consecutive game, WR Hines Ward led the
Steelers in receiving with eight catches for 68 yards. WR Plaxico Burress caught
three balls for 37 yards but could have had two more that were thrown just out
of his reach by Stewart early in the game. 
