11/18 — The Steelers last gave up a 100-yard rusher to Edgerrin James in 2005. It had been 34 games in a row, including postseason, since that game. As of right now, Thomas Jones has 102 yards. He's having an excellent day, and unless he loses 3 yards from here, that streak is over.

But Jones is stopped on third down. Head coach Eric Mangini decides to go for it on fourth-and-2 at the Steelers 31. Then Brandon Moore false-starts — although it sure appears the Steelers encroached first — followed by Clemens throwing just short for Brad Smith. Pittsburgh takes over with 12-plus minutes left at their 36.

The pattern is familiar. A drive inside the 30 — into what Paul Hackett used to call "the gold zone" — and then the Jets stiffen. A Roethlisberger incompletion, Eric Barton tackling Willie Parker for a yard loss, a fumbled snap and incompletion, and Jeff Reed comes on for a 48-yarder, which he feathers just over the West crossbar and now the Steelers have their first lead of the game with 8:41 to play.

Steelers 16, Jets 13

Another popup kickoff and Cotchery gets nowhere again, to the Jets 29. Then Leon Washington takes a toss right for 8 yards. Then Kellen Clemens executes a decent playfake, except that Cotchery is not open amid three Steelers defenders, and Deshea Townsend takes the pick back to the Jets 45 with just under eight minutes left.

But just as quickly, the Big Katt strikes. Shaun Ellis comes around Pitt's right side and sneaks up on Roethlisberger, swatting the ball from his grip as he's about to throw a third-and-13 pass. And Ellis picks it up and gets 6 more yards to the Steelers 46. The Jets are back in business with just under six minutes on the clock.

However, another spark gets extinguished. ONn third-and-2, James Harrison gets by D'Brickashaw Ferguson again to drop Jones for a 3-yard loss. Again the Jets go for it on fourth-and-5. This time Clemens easily overthrows Justin McCareins and the offense comes up short again.

The Jets, with the clock stopped at 4:15 to go, spend their first timeout after seeing the Steelers' offense.

The defense pitches another three-and-out, though, with another third-down sack of Roethlisberger, split by Kenyon Coleman and Dewayne Robertson. Then a hold on long-snapper Greg Warren on Daniel Sepulveda's punt, so Sepulveda will repunt from the Pitt 35. But Abram Elam gives the yardage back with an illegal block in the back on Leon Washington's return. So the Jets start their most important two-minute drive of the season from their 14 with 2:23 left plus one timeout and the two-minute warning.

It had been a struggle for Clemens since hitting that fleaflicker to Laveranues Coles on the second play of the game. But with the game on the line, Clemens starts to hit his receivers. He hits first-down completions to Chris Baker, Brad Smith and Justin McCareins, then draws an interference call on CB Bryant McFadden. Add to that a 15-yard scramble by Clemens to the Steelers 30 and the Jets still live with 1:17 to go.

And then completions to McCareins and over the middle to Chris Baker to the 5. Clemens spikes it with 37 seconds left. The second-down pass for Brad Smith is just too wide in the left end zone, then, after a delay pushes the ball back to the 10, an incompletion to Smith in the right end zone.

So on comes Mike Nugent for the 28-yard game-tying field goal. There is no wind to speak of and Nugent puts it through. With 23 seconds left, it appears the Jets will play their second consecutive overtime game at the Meadowlands.

Two Roethlisberger passes, one short completion to Najeh Davenport, one long incompletion, and a Big Ben kneeldown send us to OT.