Steelers Snatch a Victory

Interception Return Caps Fourth-Quarter Rally to Beat Dallas: Steelers 20, Cowboys 13

PITTSBURGH, Dec. 7 -- It is looking more like a whatever-it-takes season for the Pittsburgh Steelers. On a cold, windy day at Heinz Field, it took a comeback from a 10-point deficit midway through the fourth quarter against a Dallas Cowboys team that was trying to remain unbeaten since quarterback Tony Romo's return to the lineup last month.

The Steelers got it done with a field goal and a pair of late touchdowns, the second one on an interception return by cornerback Deshea Townsend that gave them a 20-13 victory Sunday.

The Steelers (10-3) won their fourth straight game to stay atop the AFC North and near the top of the conversation about which team is the AFC's best. They also handed the Cowboys a stinging defeat that dropped their record to 8-5, putting them in the thick of the wild-card chase, and clinched the NFC East title for the New York Giants.

"We just didn't finish the game," Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens said. "We played good for three and a half quarters. The way the defense played today, I feel like they gave us every chance to win the game, and as an offense, we lost the game. There's no excuse for it."

The Cowboys led, 13-3, in the fourth quarter. But the Steelers got a field goal by place kicker Jeff Reed with just more than seven minutes to play and a six-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to tight end Heath Miller with 2 minutes 4 seconds remaining.

The Cowboys had time to craft a winning drive. Instead, Romo and tight end Jason Witten were on different wavelengths on a second-down pass. Witten ran one pattern. Romo thought the tight end would run a different one. Romo's pass sailed high over Witten's head directly to Townsend, who made the catch for the interception and raced 25 yards to the end zone with 1:40 to go.

"It was a route they were running all night," Townsend said. "Witten was catching the ball in the middle. I just said, 'Catch it. Catch it.' It was just a matter of securing the ball and then getting to the end zone."

The Steelers won on a day when they lost two fumbles, surrendered five sacks, converted 3 of 16 third-down chances, missed a field goal and averaged 32.8 yards per punt. The Cowboys had five turnovers and failed to convert three fourth-down tries. Romo lost a fumble and threw three interceptions as the Cowboys lost for the first time in four games since he came back from a three-game absence due to a broken right pinkie.

In the first half alone, the Cowboys had four turnovers and two failed fourth downs. They didn't have that sort of margin for error minus tailback Marion Barber, who was on the inactive list because of a dislocated toe suffered during a Thanksgiving triumph over the Seattle Seahawks. Barber didn't accompany the team to Pittsburgh.

"It was obvious after the first half it we don't turn the ball over, we can win the game," Cowboys Coach Wade Phillips said. "We felt if we didn't turn the ball over, we could win. And that was the case. [But] it's not the end of the season. I don't think our team thinks that way at all."

Romo threw a third-quarter touchdown pass to Owens for the Cowboys, and rookie tailback Tashard Choice ran for 88 yards while filling in for Barber. But it wasn't enough against the league's top-ranked defense.

"What a beautiful game," Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin said. "I mean that. I just told the team that people get too preoccupied with style points. That was a beautiful football game because we displayed mettle, and we hung together. . . . It's December. We'll take the 'W.' "