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Falcons beat Steelers in overtime, 41-38

Falcons beat Steelers in overtime, 41-38

Roethlisberger hurt
John Amis, Associated Press
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is carted off the field after he was hurt in the third quarter at Atlanta.
Click photo for larger image.

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Falcons erased an early deficit and beat the Steelers in overtime, 41-38, in a rollicking, back-and-forth monster of a football game at the Georgia Dome today.

Morten Andersen, a 46-year-old left-footed kicker who came out of retirement earlier this year, booted a 32-yard field goal to win it for Atlanta. The Falcons won the coin toss to begin overtime, took the ball and drove to the winning field goal.

The loss dropped the Steelers record to 2-4.

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Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger left the game midway through the third quarter with an apparent concussion. He was taken to the locker room for observation and later, wearing sweats, joined his teammates on the sideline in time for the fourth quarter.

Hines Ward caught three touchdown passes in a game for the first time in his Steelers career, as did Atlanta tight end Alge Crumpler.

John Bazemore, Associated Press
Falcons place kicker Morten Anderson is swarmed by teammates as he celebrates after kicking a game-winning field goal in overtime to defeat the Steelers.
Click photo for larger image.

Ward's third TD catch, from 17 yards, tied the game at 38-38 with 3:19 left in regulation. It was Charlie Batch's second scoring pass to Ward in the second half.

Roethlisberger was hurt after he let loose with a pass by Atlanta defensive end Patrick Kerney on what appeared to be an illegal helmet-to-helmet collison, although no penalty was called.

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After the quarterback lay on the ground for several minutes, he was helped to his feet and walked ever so slowly on his own to the sideline. He was replaced in the lineup by Batch.

At halftime, Roethlisberger and Vick had each thrown three touchdown passes in the first half.

Roethlisberger threw touchdown passes of 11 yards to Hines Ward, 1 yard to Heath Miller and 10 yards to Nate Washington for the Steelers, and Jeff Reed kicked a 28-yard field goal.

Vick threw scoring passes of 22 and 3 yards to tight end Alge Crumpler and a 12-yarder to Michael Jenkins. Each came after a Steelers turnover, of sorts.

One came after a muffed punt, the other after a fumbled snap from center and the third after a successful onside kick in which the Steelers could not handle.

The half ended when linebacker James Farrior intercepted a pass at the Steelers' 23 from Vick that tipped off Dunn's hands with 47 seconds left.

Atlanta scored first on Michael Vick's 22-yard scoring toss to Crumpler, but the Steelers scored the next 17.

The Steelers stopped the Falcons on the game's first series but Santonio Holmes fumbled the punt and Atlanta recovered at the Steelers' 26. It was Holmes' third fumble or muff on his past five punt returns.

Vick, on the next play, hit tight end Alge Crumpler inside the five and he carried it into the end zone for a 22-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead for Atlanta.

Jeff Reed kicked a 28-yard field goal as the Steelers scored on their first series to make it 7-3 after they failed to put it in the end zone after a first down at the eight.

The Steelers snapped in front 10-7 on their second series, which began after Troy Polamalu made a diving interception of a Vick pass near the sideline.

Roethlisberger completed passes of 16 yards to Cedrick Wilson, and 12 yards to Ward around a 16-yard run by Willie Parker.

On third down, Ward caught Roethlisbeger's 11-yard touchdown pass in the front middle of the end zone.

Roethlisberger was a perfect 4-for-4 for 56 yards as the Steelers made it three series three scores. He completed passes of 19 to Ward, 18 to Santonio Holmes, 18 on third down to Wilson and the final, 1 yard to his tight end Miller, for a 17-7 lead.

The Falcons scored for the second time after a second Steelers turnover, this one a fumbled snap from center Jeff Hartings to Roethlisberger at the Steelers 25. The Falcons recovered and later scored on Vick's second TD pass to Crumpler to cut the Steelers lead to 17-14.

Atlanta then pulled a surprise onside kick. The Steelers' Tyrone Carter jumped and had the ball in both hands but could not grasp it. Jerious Norwood recovered for the Falcons at their 49 and they went in and took the lead with 2:03 to go. Vick threw a 17-yard fade pass over cornerback to Deshea Townsend that was caught by Michael Jenkins in the corner of the end zone to put Atlanta back on top, 21-17.

Roethlisberger, though, moved the Steelers 80 yards in six plays, the big one a 36-yard pass to Santonio Holmes that carried to the 10. On the next play, Washinngton caught Roethlisberger's 10-yard pass in the end zone to put the Steelers back in front 24-21 with 58 seconds left.

However, Ward and Holmes joined Washington in a celebration dance, an NFL no-no, and they were flagged 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct, something coach Bill Cowher promised would not happen again after his team was charged with the same offense in a home loss to Cincinnati.

When Atlanta's Allen Rossum then returned the kickoff, moved back to the 15, 51 yards to the Steelers' 28, it seemed like a costly penalty indeed -- until Farrior's interception brought the first half to a thumping close.

First Published: October 22, 2006, 4:00 a.m.

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