The Buffalo Bills clearly outplayed the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second half of their Week 12, 2010 meeting in Orchard Park. The Bills outscored Pittsburgh 16-3 in the second half to force overtime. You probably don't need to be reminded of how the Bills lost the game in overtime, so let's get right to the notes.
Week 12, second half: Bills outscore Steelers 16-6, lose in OT - NOTES
- Fred Jackson can't set up a Corey McIntyre lead block, allowing LaMarr Woodley to slip around the fullback and stop Jackson for a loss.
- Lee Evans only gets one hand up in traffic, and a really nice Ryan Fitzpatrick throw between three defenders falls incomplete.
- Jackson, in pass protection, gets to the edge to double up Chris Hoke. Geoff Hangartner leaves James Harrison to pick up Ike Taylor on a delayed blitz, likely figuring Jackson could take out Harrison moving across the formation. Harrison sacks Fitzpatrick.
Week 12, second half: Bills outscore Steelers 16-6, lose in OT - NOTES (cont.)
- Fitzpatrick fits a nice pass into the hole to Stevie Johnson, picking up 17 on 3rd & 17. Ball placed between Taylor and Troy Polamalu.
- Hangartner takes out James Farrior at the second level on a nice draw play with Jackson.
- Evans fumbles after catching a short slant. William Gay wrestles the ball out, aided by a big Harrison hit. Polamalu recovers.
- Hines Ward finds a hole in a Bills zone (behind a two-man rush package) for 24 yards and a first down.
- Johnson drops a comeback route. Play a little slow to develop, Gay put a nice lick on him. Ball was on his hands.
- Harrison flagged for roughing the passer, extending a Bills drive. Crown of his helmet hit Fitzpatrick's chin.
- Mansfield Wrotto flagged for a false start.
- Jackson pivots in the slot and catches a screen, then busts it right up the middle for a 65-yard touchdown. David Nelson, Andy Levitre, Kraig Urbik, Hangartner and Evans all throw big down-field blocks on the play. Bills now trail 13-7.
- Donte Whitner makes a pretty tackle for a loss on a run blitz. Got under a pulling Chris Kemoeatu to make the play.
- Leodis McKelvin makes a big open-field tackle on Mewelde Moore to force a Steelers punt. Kyle Williams had great pressure on the play.
- Johnson drops another comeback route. May have been interfered with. Back-shoulder throw was still catchable.
- Johnson limps off the field after a catch at the end of the third quarter. Bills still trail 13-7.
- Fitzpatrick moves left outside of the pocket and finds Nelson down field for another big first down.
- Kendrick Lewis called for pass interference on a fly route to Donald Jones. The penalty disrupts a great scoring opportunity for the Bills, as Jones had him beat.
- Evans runs a poor route on a third-down red zone slant, failing to come back to the ball. Taylor has a lane to get back in and break up the throw. Bills settle for a field goal (play preceded by two tipped passes). Steelers 13, Bills 10.
- Damn you, Maurkice Pouncey. Jairus Byrd strips the ball out of Rashard Mendenhall's hands, hops over the pile, and is off to the races. Pouncey makes one of the most heads-up tackles I've ever seen in football and prevents a Bills touchdown.
- Chan Gailey orders up a quarterback sneak on 3rd & 1 out of a one-receiver, tight formation. Steelers, of course, stack it up. Bills settle for a game-tying field goal after Byrd's big turnover.
- Mendenhall rips off a huge 42-yard run after Chris Kelsay misses a tackle, but the play is negated when Kemoeatu is flagged for holding on Williams.
- At this point, the Steelers are in 1st & 20 deep in their own territory, the Bills have scored 13 straight points, and the Ralph is absolutely rocking. The Bills can't get home on a four-man pressure and Ben Roethlisberger finds Heath Miller for 21 yards and a first down.
- Reggie Torbor shoots a gap and stops the Steelers for a loss.
- On 3rd & 18, a banged-up Roethlisberger escapes Kelsay and Aaron Maybin, then gimps 19 yards for a first down. What. The. Hell.
- Next play: Mendenhall explodes for 22 yards. Just like that, in four plays, all of Buffalo's crowd momentum is gone.
- Emmanuel Sanders cleanly beats Reggie Corner for a first down, but drops the pass. Steelers must settle for a field goal, take a 16-13 lead.
- McKelvin returns a kickoff for a big gain - and aided by two Steelers penalties, including a personal foul, the Bills begin their next drive in Steelers territory.
- Johnson beats Gay for an easy first down on 4th & 1.
- Jackson makes a pretty cutback run for good yardage, but fumbles at the end of the play. Evans makes an absolutely massive and critical fumble recovery to keep the Bills alive.
- On the next play, Fitzpatrick throws a slant to Johnson, and the ball glances off his hands. Polamalu rakes in the tip for the pick and ends the drive. Bills need the ball back to tie after being in scoring range.
- Kemoeatu holds Williams - again - negating a Steelers third-down conversion. After another false start, the Steelers are very backed up. They punt.
- Johnson drops another pass, but this time because he's leveled by Polamalu.
- Nelson rakes in a 15-yard gain for a first down. Bills are on the edge of field goal range.
- Gay drops an interception on a terrible Fitzpatrick throw.
- Nelson picks up nine more to create a 3rd &1. Fitzpatrick clocks it, setting up a 49-yard field goal attempt for Rian Lindell, coming off of a rough patch. He drills it dead center. Game's heading to OT.
- On the opening kickoff of overtime, McKelvin's game-winning kick return touchdown is negated when he runs into the back of Arthur Moats and falls down. Still, the Bills are starting at mid-field after a 49-yard return.
- Fitzpatrick takes a shot to an open Evans down the field, who can't quite get to the pass. Ball off his fingertips.
- Brian Moorman pins the Steelers at their own four-yard line with a beautiful coffin-corner kick.
- Kelsay torches the right tackle and sacks Roethlisberger on third down at his own goal line to force a Steelers punt. Ball was fumbled, but Roethlisberger got it back. Possibly the play of Kelsay's season.
- McKelvin fumbles the ensuing punt, and the ball bounces torturously around for what seems like four hours. Eventually, Drayton Florence emerges with it.
- Jackson catches a slant, then wiggles free and picks up 13. Bills are nearing field goal range, but heading into the wind.
- Oh, Stevie.
- Oh, Stevie Johnson.
- Come on now, Stevie Johnson.
- Fitzpatrick takes a coverage sack on third down, taking the Bills out of field goal range. Terrible decision from No. 14.
- Roethlisberger creates time, and Mike Wallace beats Florence for 17 yards and a first down on third down.
- Isaac Redman runs through Corner for a super easy first down on 3rd & 2. Steelers are now well within field goal range. Two plays later, Shaun Suisham drills it from 41 yards out to end the game.