NFL Steelers shuffle Cards, snap streak

Three third-quarter touchdowns put Pittsburgh back in the AFC North race.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
PITTSBURGH -- When all else fails, play the Arizona Cardinals.
The cure for a five-game losing streak, the Pittsburgh Steelers discovered Sunday, was a home game against the NFC West cellar-dwellers.
Pittsburgh didn't just return to its winning ways in front of 59,000 fans at Heinz Field, it burst back onto the scene with a dominating performance.
"It's one game," Steelers coach Bill Cowher said. "But the way things have gone, it's an important one."
With an electrifying punt return by Antwaan Randle El, two Hines Ward touchdown catches and a defense responsible for a second-half revival, the Steelers beat Arizona 28-15 to stay alive in the weak AFC North.
"When you don't win football games, at some point you begin to question what you're doing," Steelers running back Jerome Bettis said. "This tells us, 'Hey, we're on the right page.' We just gotta get some breaks and keep working."
Steelers surge
Randle El unleashed the fans' Terrible Towels with a 52-yard punt return for a touchdown with 6 minutes, 33 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
"All you need is one guy who's real dangerous in that kind of position," Arizona quarterback Jeff Blake said. "They've got one."
Randle El's third career punt return for a touchdown put Pittsburgh ahead 28-3, highlighting an impressive second half and ultimately securing the victory.
"I can't say enough about the special teams," Cowher said. "The last two or three weeks, they've been the most consistent group."
After catching the ball at Pittsburgh's 48, the former Indiana University quarterback started to his left and quickly reversed direction.
He faked one defender before exploding down the middle of the field, getting a key block from Mike Logan.
"When you get a returner like that, he brings everybody else up," Cowher said. "They [his teammates] know if they can finish a block, he can be anywhere."
Two-TD game
Ward, the ever reliable receiver, did his part to help Pittsburgh (3-6) win its first game since beating Cincinnati 17-10 on Sept. 21.
He caught two quick touchdown passes from quarterback Tommy Maddox -- of 5 and 22 yards -- to start the second half and put Pittsburgh in command, 21-3.
"It's a one-game playoff. It's a must-win each and every game," said Ward, who had six catches for 64 yards. "This is a big weight off us, and it's something to build on."
Pittsburgh took a 7-3 lead after a lackluster first half in which receiver Chris Doering caught his first touchdown pass as a Steeler, a 9-yarder six minutes before halftime.
After recovering a Bettis fumble, Arizona (3-6) countered with a 20-yard field goal by Tim Duncan, but the Steelers saw something they liked.
"That was a big series for us," Steelers cornerback Deshea Townsend said. "We've been talking about trying to keep people out of the end zone, and we kept them to a field goal."
Cowher added, "That was a big stop we had down there. We got some momentum going into halftime."
Gildon leads
For that momentum carrying onto the field to start the third quarter, the Steelers can thank linebacker Jason Gildon, whose three sacks made him the franchise's career leader with 76.
Gildon's first sack dropped Blake on the 3-yard line, forcing a punt and giving the Steelers prime field position at the Cardinals' 29.
From there, the Steelers' success snowballed, with Ward catching his touchdown passes on consecutive possessions and Randle El scoring off the punt return.
"I just like how they didn't get discouraged or get down after that first half," Cowher said. "Obviously, we came out very fast in the third quarter."
So fast, the Steelers scored 21 points to take control and give them an extra boost heading into next week's Monday night game at San Francisco.
"We're not eliminated by any stretch of the imagination," Cowher said. "There's a sense of urgency, and we've created no margin for error.
"Like the guys said, maybe our playoffs started today," he added. "That's how we have to approach it."
richesson@vindy.com