Steelers survive Indy’s Temple of Doom

Associated Press

INDIANPOLIS

Pittsburgh’s defense and Ben Roethlisberger’s late-game mastery did it again.

James Harrison’s late sack of Curtis Painter and Troy Polamalu’s 16-yard fumble return for a touchdown finally gave the Steelers a second-half lead.

Then Roethlisberger set up Shaun Suisham for a 38-yard field goal with 4 seconds left to give Pittsburgh a 23-20 victory Sunday at Indianapolis.

It looked nothing like the Steelers’ trademark pattern until the closing minutes.

Roethlisberger turned over the ball three times during an 11-minute span in the first half, Pittsburgh (2-1) rushed for only 67 yards and the vaunted Steelers defense produced only one sack — the one Polamalu scored on.

But Roethlisberger took the Steelers on a 60-yard scoring march that ended with Suisham’s kick.

Roethlisberger was 25 of 37 for 364 yards with one touchdown. Mike Wallace caught five passes for 144 yards and an 81-yard score, the longest of his career.

But the feisty Colts (0-3) rallied from a 10-point first-half deficit, took a 13-10 halftime lead and didn’t fall behind again until Polamalu scored with 5:13 left in the game.

Joseph Addai ran 17 times for 86 yards and scored on a 6-yard run that tied it at 20 with 2:09 to go.

Indy’s defense just couldn’t hold it.

Pittsburgh took advantage quickly.

It got a 48-yard field goal from Suisham on the opening possession and took advantage of a terrible mismatch — linebacker Pat Angerer on Wallace — for the 81-yard pass to make it 10-0 in the first quarter.

Then Indy’s defense did its best Pittsburgh impersonation.

Robert Mathis stripped Roethlisberger on a sack near midfield and recovered the ball, too, setting up Adam Vinatieri’s 21-yard field goal midway through the second quarter.

On the next series, Dwight Freeney stripped Roethlisberger on another sack. Jamaal Anderson scooped up the ball, cut to the middle of the field and scored a 47-yard touchdown that made it 10-10.