Steelers Fall to Titans 16-9, Lose 4 Players to Injuries

Steelers fall to Titans 16-9, lose 4 players to injuries
September 8, 2013 By Ed Bouchette / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...uarter-702502/
:mad:
The Steelers, hoping to bounce back from an 8-8 season, tripped over their 2013 opener today, losing to the Tennessee Titans, 16-9.
It was one bad day all around for the Steelers. They lost four players to injuries, including what appears to be a serious knee injury for center Maurkice Pouncey. He was taken to the hospital in the first quarter. One Steelers official told the Post-Gazette that it is "not good" and that it is a possible ACL injury.
Halfback LaRod Stephens-Howling left the game in the third quarter with a right knee injury. Cornerback Cortez Allen left with an ankle injury. Linebacker Larry Foote left with a biceps injury in the fourth.
Ben Roethlisberger was sacked five times.
It was the first home opener the Steelers have lost in 11 years, although they've now lost their last three season starts.
Tennessee, which trailed 2-0 following a safety on the opening kickoff, held the Steelers offense off the scoreboard until Roethlisberger threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Jerricho Cotchery with 1:23 left in the game.
Shaun Suisham then tried an onside kick, but Tennessee's George Wilson recovered it.
Jackie Battle scored the game's only touchdown, and the only score in the second quarter, on a three-yard run.
The Steelers lost their second turnover of the game when cornerback Alterraun Verner intercepted Roethlisberger to start Tennessee's scoring drive at the Steelers 49.
On that drive, Tennessee coach Mike Munchak elected to go on fourth-and-one, and Battle, momentarily stopped in the backfield, picked up the yard at the Steelers 25. It ended with Battle running three yards over right guard for the touchdowns.
The Titans led 7-2 at halftime.
Tennessee used good field position to score for the second time in the game, a 26-yard field goal by Rob Bironas to give the visitors a 10-2 lead in the third quarter. He followed with two more field goals in the fourth quarter.
Initially, the Steelers led after a weird and costly first quarter.
The game began with what might be the fastest score in NFL history. Tennessee's Darius Reynaud fielded the opening kick with one foot in the end zone and the other over the goal line. He then backed up and took a knee for what he thought would be a touchback.
Instead, it was ruled a safety and a 2-0 Steelers lead three seconds into the game.
The Steelers lost Pouncey on the drive following the free kick, when right guard David DeCastro, in what appeared an outside zone blocking scheme, tried to throw a block and dived straight into the lower legs of his center. Kelvin Beachum replaced him at center.
The Steelers reached the Titans six, where on third-and-one, Isaac Redman never seemed to grasp the handoff from Ben Roethlisberger, the ball bounced into the end zone and Tennessee's Moise Fokou recovered for a touchback.
For more on the Steelers, read the blog, Ed Bouchette on the Steelers at www.post-gazette.com/plus. Ed Bouchette: ebouchette@post-gazette.com and Twitter @EdBouchette.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...#ixzz2eL3rbrFR