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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, December 15, 2008

Steelers wrap up North crown, 13-9

Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Pittsburgh's Santonio Holmes, front, celebrates with Casey Hampton after Holmes' TD catch helped beat Baltimore.

GAIL BURTON | Associated Press

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BALTIMORE — The Pittsburgh Steelers are AFC North champions, and earning the crown at the expense of the Baltimore Ravens added an extra measure of joy to the accomplishment.

Santonio Holmes caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger with 43 seconds left, and the Steelers clinched their second straight division title and earned a first-round bye by beating Baltimore, 13-9, yesterday.

In a duel between the top two defenses in the NFL, Pittsburgh did not permit a touchdown in earning its first win in Baltimore since 2002.

Pittsburgh (11-3) limited the Ravens (9-5) to a season-low 202 yards. The Steelers have gone 14 straight games without yielding 300 yards, tying the 1973 Los Angeles Rams for the longest streak to start a season since the NFL merger in 1970.

Running back Willie Parker said, "This is like our biggest win. I know we won the Super Bowl, but you just can't understand the feeling of the players in this locker room right now."

Pittsburgh trailed 9-6 before moving 92 yards in 13 plays to score the game's lone touchdown. Roethlisberger went 7 for 11 for 89 yards on the drive.

"We make the plays when they count," Holmes said. "It doesn't matter how the game goes through the course of three quarters. It always comes down to playing four quarters of football."

On the go-ahead score, Roethlisberger scrambled left, then found Holmes over the middle for the winner.

The play was reviewed because it appeared that while Holmes' feet were in the end zone, the ball was not.

Later, referee Walt Coleman said: "He had two feet down. When he gained control of the ball, the ball was breaking the plane."

TEXANS 13, TITANS 12

HOUSTON — Andre Johnson atoned for one of the worst games of his career in Houston's first meeting with Tennessee this season with a career-high 207 yards and a touchdown to lead the Texans (7-7) to their fourth consecutive win.

The Titans (12-2), who have already clinched the AFC South and a first-round playoff bye, could have secured home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win and a Pittsburgh loss.

Johnson caught just two passes for 29 yards and dropped two would-be touchdown passes in a 31-12 loss to the Titans in September.

JETS 31, BILLS 27

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — One big hit and one favorable bounce kept New York in control of its playoff destiny.

Abram Elam sacked J.P. Losman and Shaun Ellis picked up the fumble and rumbled 11 yards into the end zone with 1:54 left for the go-ahead score for the Jets (9-5).

With the Bills (6-8) nursing a 27-24 lead, Losman was hit from behind by Elam. The ball squirted out and bounced around before Ellis grabbed it and ran down the sideline for a touchdown.

PATRIOTS 49, RAIDERS 26

OAKLAND, Calif. — Randy Moss caught two of Matt Cassel's career-high four touchdown passes in his first game against the Raiders since his trade to New England last season.

Cassel's sterling performance just six days after the death of his father, Greg, kept the Patriots (9-5) in a three-way tie for first place in the AFC East with Miami and the Jets.

The Raiders (3-11) fell behind 35-14 less than 18 minutes into the game, allowing the most first-half points against them since the merger in 1970.

CHARGERS 22, CHIEFS 21

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Philip Rivers rallied the Chargers (6-8) from a 21-3 third-quarter deficit, throwing two touchdown passes in the final 73 seconds in a victory over the Chiefs (2-12).

The Chiefs, helped by a delay-of-game penalty against the Chargers, tried a 50-yard field goal on the final play, but Connor Barth's kick was wide left.

Rivers, who came in with an NFL-best 102.0 passer rating, was 34 for 48 for 346 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.