Steelers Take North

Shortly after they couldn’t gain a yard with the Indianapolis goal line within reach, the Steelers suddenly couldn’t be stopped.

Their rally from a 24-7, third-quarter deficit for 21 unanswered points produced a 28-24 victory that snapped a three-game losing streak and clinched the AFC North Division championship on Sunday afternoon at Heinz Field.

“I’m proud of the guys to finally get it done,” quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. “This wasn’t our end goal.”

The T-shirts handed out afterward read “Division Champions Won Not Done.”

“We’re excited about the hats and T-shirts,” head coach Mike Tomlin said. “We’ve been waiting to put them on for a few weeks now.”

The Steelers improved to 12-3 and scored 20 or more points for the first time in five games.

The Colts fell to 10-5.

The Steelers picked up 20 first downs and 260 total net yards while scoring 21 second-half points. The Colts managed eight first downs, 148 total net yards and three points after halftime.

Defensive end Stephon Tuitt summed up the locker room celebration as follows:

“It was exciting. It was overcoming. It was brotherhood.”

The Steelers took their first lead midway through the fourth quarter with their third touchdown during a span of 10:38 in the second half.

Roethlisberger found wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster for a 25-yard touchdown, Roethlisberger’s third touchdown pass of the game, with 7:38 left in regulation and kicker Matthew Wright’s extra point put the Steelers ahead, 28-24. The touchdown pass capped a 10-play, 84-yard drive in 4:28.

Colts quarterback Philip Rivers was intercepted by cornerback Mike Hilton three plays later and the Steelers produced two first downs before punting the ball back to the Colts with 2:18 left in the fourth.

Indianapolis drove to the Steelers’ 33-yard line on what would be its final possession, Rivers’ fourth-and-8 pass for wide receiver Zach Pascal fell incomplete with 1:14 to play.

“We needed this game,” Tuitt said. “We knuckled down. We made the plays we needed to make.”

Outside linebacker T.J. Watt had two of the Steelers’ five sacks (Tuitt, defensive tackle Cam Heyward and inside linebacker Avery Williamson had the other three).

The Colts had allowed 16 sacks in their first 14 games but were without starting offensive tackles Anthony Castonzo and Braden Smith. A 5-yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger to tight end Eric Ebron and Wright’s extra point drew the Steelers to within 24-21 with 14:52 left in the fourth. The five-play, 74-yard drive in 1:51 followed a second consecutive three-and-out series induced by the Steelers’ defense.