SportsFullCircle

Excluding the Pro Bowl, the Pittsburgh Steelers won the final game of the 2008-09 NFL season. After Thursday night’s season opener against the Tennessee Titans, we can now say that the Pittsburgh Steelers won the first game of the 2009-10 NFL season (excluding, of course, preseason games).

Jeff Reed’s 33-yard field goal in overtime lifted the Steelers to a 13-10 win over the Titans. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger completed 33 of 43 passes for 363 yards and one touchdown; however, Big Ben threw two interceptions: one to Cortland Finnegan, and the other to Vincent Fuller. Roethlisberger threw a touchdown strike to Santonio Holmes late in the 2nd quarter to give Pittsburgh a 7-0 lead; Holmes, who caught the winning touchdown pass in the Super Bowl last year (essentially the last touchdown pass of the 2008-09 NFL season), is also the recipient of the first touchdown pass of the 2009-10 NFL season.

Tennessee’s Kerry Collins was 22-of-35 passing for 244 yards and one touchdown; Collins, however, threw a pass to Pittsburgh’s Troy Polamalu. Shortly after Holmes made it 7-0 Pittsburgh, Collins connected with Justin Gage on a 14-yard touchdown pass to level the score at 7.

Rob Bironas’ 45-yard field goal gave Tennessee a 10-7 lead with eleven minutes left in the 4th quarter. Jeff Reed then tied the game after connecting on a 32-yard field goal with three minutes left.

Pittsburgh had a chance to win the game in regulation, but when Roethlisberger found Hines Ward, the Super Bowl XL MVP fumbled the ball inside the 10-yard line, giving the ball back to Tennessee with less than a minute left on the clock. Nevertheless, the game went to overtime, where the Steelers won the coin toss, elected to go on offense, and kicked the game-winning field goal.

The win for Pittsburgh, however, came at the expense of Troy Polamalu, who left the game in the 1st half; while the Pro Bowl safety was trying to recover a blocked field goal, Titans tight end Alge Crumpler fell awkwardly on Polamalu’s left knee.

According to Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, Polamalu was diagnosed with an MCL sprain in his knee and could be out for three to six weeks.

Tyrone Carter replaced Troy Polamalu in the second half.

Photo Source: Photobucket