Kevin Connelly: Steelers must believe

For the first 28 minutes Monday night, they were the same, unwatchable Pittsburgh Steelers.

Couldn’t stop the run. Couldn’t pressure the quarterback. And, surprisingly, couldn’t move the ball one iota on offense.

The boo birds were out at Heinz Field, and rightfully so. It appeared the 3-3 Steelers were headed for another embarrassing loss — this one on a national stage.

Then, gifts from the football Gods started raining down in the most unlikeliest form: turnovers.

(For new Steelers fans, that’s when the defense makes a play to take the ball from the offense.)

Not only did the Houston Texans cough up a dominating first-half performance in a matter of 73 seconds, but they also gave the Steelers the most dangerous thing you can give a struggling team: belief.

It’s what the Cleveland Browns gave the previously winless Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday and it’s what the Steelers gave the then-winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers a few weeks ago.

Texans running back Arian Foster had fumbled only once in his previous 301 touches. He fumbles inside the Texans’ 5-yard line.

And if that wasn’t bizarre enough, on the ensuing play, Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley steals a play out of former Pittsburgh play-caller Bruce Arians’ bag of tricks and calls for the toss sweep reverse wide receiver pass.

Antwaan Randle El would be proud of Antonio Brown’s quarterback skills.

Then, just when you thought you’d seen it all, Brett Keisel — yes, 36-year old out-of-retirement Brett Keisel — does his best J.J. Watt impression and deflects a pass that winds up back in his hands for two turnovers on consecutive defensive plays.

It was just Keisel’s second interception in 151 career games.

Suddenly, the reeling Steelers were the ones in control. And what caused both of the turnovers?

Pressure in the backfield from the Steelers’ defense.

I don’t know about you, but I’m going to go ahead and pencil in the Steelers for Super Bowl XLIX.

OK, maybe not. But at least something lit a fire under them.

It was never more clear than in last week’s loss at Cleveland that a once-proud Pittsburgh team had lost all belief.

And for the first 28 minutes again Monday night, it was the same feeling. That’s what turnovers can do for a team. That’s what belief can do for a team.

Mike Tomlin alluded to it after the game.

“It’s not anything mystical,” he said. “I think when we are doing what it is that we are supposed to do and playing with energy, it happens. It was a good thing it happened tonight. We needed it.”

They certainly did, because the Steelers still aren’t a lot of things. But at least Monday night that didn’t feel like an insurmountable reality.

It’s not easy to win in the NFL — especially on the road. Which is precisely why they need to take advantage of the next two games at home.

A well-oiled Indianapolis Colts team comes to town fresh off a thrashing of divisional foe Cincinnati.

Then, it’s the Baltimore Ravens for another prime time game.

“We always believe and have faith no matter how things are going,” quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. “We believe in ourselves and found a way to get it done.”

Whether belief will be enough against the league’s elite remains to be seen.

Kevin Connelly is a sportswriter for The Vindicator. Write him at kconnelly@vindy.com and follow him on Twitter, @Connelly_Vindy.