Steelers win 3rd in row after Adam Vinatieri shanks potential winner

It took the most productive kicker in NFL history missing a 43-yard field goal Sunday for the Pittsburgh Steelers to reverse the type of late-game misfortune that defined the first part of their season.

When Adam Vinatieri shanked his go-ahead attempt wide left with 1 minute, 14 seconds left, the Steelers escaped with a 26-24 victory against the Indianapolis Colts at Heinz Field that represented a deviation from earlier close encounters.

Three losses in the Steelers’ 1-4 start — the “September stench,” as coach Mike Tomlin called it — were decided by a combined nine points. Among them was a fumble that set up a last-minute touchdown pass for the San Francisco 49ers. A field goal late in regulation and another in overtime — also set up by a lost fumble — that produced a loss to Baltimore. A two-point setback against Seattle thanks in part to a controversial pass interference call.

And it looked like more of the same against the Colts (5-3) until the 46-year-old Vinatieri, one week removed from kicking a 51-yard winner, hooked his attempt in the direction of PNC Park.

“You just start thinking that the football gods were on our side,” defensive captain Cameron Heyward said.

If Vinatieri makes the kick, the Steelers likely fall to 3-5 entering the second half of the season. Instead, they have won three in a row and are .500 for the first time this season with the Los Angeles Rams visiting Heinz Field next weekend to complete a three-game homestand.

“It’s good to be sitting at 4-4,” Tomlin said. “I never thought I’d hear myself say that.”

The lead changed hands three times in the second half before Vinatieri’s miss prevented a fourth. Bud Dupree’s strip sack/fumble recovery set up Mason Rudolph’s 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Vance McDonald with 5:25 left in the third quarter that gave the Steelers their first lead, 20-16.

Brian Hoyer, playing most of the final three quarters for an injured Jacoby Brissett, threw his third touchdown pass, a 4-yarder to Chester Rogers that put the Colts up 24-23 with 8:43 left.

Chris Boswell booted his fourth field goal, a 26-yarder with 6:36 to play, to put the Steelers back in front. Boswell has made 17 of 18 attempts this season after going 13 of 20 last year.

“That’s what we’re used to,” Tomlin said. “That’s what he’s used to.”

Sacks by Mike Hilton and T.J. Watt set up a third-and-25 and a subsequent punt on the next series. The Steelers, however, couldn’t get a first down, and the Colts got the ball back at their 15 with 2:28 left.

Tomlin challenged — to no avail — a pass interference call on cornerback Steven Nelson on a third-down incompletion that resulted in a 35-yard gain. He also challenged a 19-yard completion for offensive pass interference. Again, the call on the field stood, and the Colts had a first down at the Steelers 31.

“I know I’m running on the beach in that regards,” Tomlin said. “Given the circumstances and the gravity of those plays, it was worth the risk. Although the risk, I acknowledge, was extremely high.”

Tomlin lost two timeouts on the challenges, and the Steelers used their third after Dupree broke through the line and stopped running back Marlon Mack for a 3-yard loss on third-and-1.

Rudolph was going over play calls with offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner when Vinatieri, who has made 29 career field goals inside the final two minutes or overtime, trotted onto the field. Heyward, who blocked a Vinatieri extra point earlier, was hoping for another dose of good luck.

“Make sure we stay onsides and get our hands up because, you never know, he might miss this one,” Heyward said.

The only offensive plays necessary for Rudolph, it turned out, were a pair of victory kneeldowns to burn the final 1:11.

“It feels good to be on the right side of one of those,” he said.

Rudolph completed 26 of 35 passes for 191 yards, one touchdown and an interception. Half of his completion were check-downs to running back Jaylen Samuels, who totaled 73 yards on his 13 receptions. But Rudolph eschewed the dink-and-dunk approach for a 40-yard completion to James Washington on the first play after the Colts had taken a 24-23 lead. It set up the Steelers at the Indianapolis 35 and led to Boswell’s fourth field goal.

“We got in the red zone a few times and need to punch those in for six opposed to just coming away with three,” Rudolph said. “We’re right there, close.”

The Steelers scored 17 points off turnovers, with Minkah Fitzpatrick’s 96-yard interception for a touchdown turning a potential 17-3 deficit into a 10-10 tie late in the first half. Dupree’s fumble recovery — he had two sacks and three quarterback hits — set up the other touchdown. On special teams, Johnny Holton’s fumble recovery on a free kick led to Boswell’s third field goal.

“Our defense is creating turnovers at an unbelievable rate,” Rudolph said. “On our end, I would like our offense to punch some of those balls in the end zone.”

Despite the deficiencies on offense, the Steelers were good enough to get their first win against a team with a winning record. They’ll get a chance to stack another next Sunday against the Rams.

“We’re far from where we want to be,” Tomlin said, “but we’ll take it.”