Sport

Steelers move clear at top

The Pittsburgh Steelers claimed sole possession of first place in the AFC Central division on Sunday with a 23-17 overtime victory…

Tue Oct 28 1997 - 00:00

The Pittsburgh Steelers claimed sole possession of first place in the AFC Central division on Sunday with a 23-17 overtime victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Kordell Stewart's third-down shovel pass to Jerome Bettis resulted in the game-winning 17yard overtime touchdown, after Norm Johnson booted the gametying field goal with 2:21 left in regulation.

Stewart set career highs for completions, attempts and yards passing by going 25-of-42 for 317 with two touchdowns throwing and one running. Bettis rushed for 99 yards on 28 carries as Pittsburgh (with six victories and two defeats) took a one-game lead over Jacksonville (5-3) in week nine of the National Football League season.

The Steelers drove down to the Jacksonville 17, and appeared to be settling for a field goal, facing a 3rd-and-2. Instead, Stewart dropped back and flipped a short pass to Bettis, who found an opening and dragged a would-be tackler into the end zone.

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The Minnesota Vikings survived a late charge and moved into first place in the NFC Central with a 10-6 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

After outscoring their opposition 115-76 en route to a 5-0 start, Tampa Bay (5-3) has lost three straight division games and has been outscored, 58-31.

"We were the kings of the hill," Tampa Bay defensive end Chidi Ahanotu said. "We were the ones everybody wanted to beat. Teams were geared to beat us. We have to step it up and understand that teams are coming after us."

The New York Giants cemented their position at the top of the NFC East with a 29-27 victory over Cincinnati. Behind them the Eagles pulled level with Dallas with a 13-12 victory over the Cowboys in Philadelphia.

The Cowboys will have to try to regroup before travelling next week to San Francisco, who concluded their seven-game romp against NFC West division opponents with a 23-0 whitewash of the hapless New Orleans Saints.

The Denver Broncos also moved to 7-1, defying a furious Buffalo rally to beat the Bills 2320 in overtime.

The Kansas City Chiefs posted their sixth victory in seven games, a 28-20 victory over the St. Louis Rams in the NFL's first-ever Battle of the Missouri.