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Bironas kicks game-winning FG for Titans

Oct 12, 2012 - 6:08 AM Nashville, TN (Sports Network) - Rob Bironas buried four field goals on Thursday, including a game-winning 40-yarder as time expired to send the Tennessee Titans to a 26-23 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers at LP Field.

After Matt Hasselbeck led the Titans on an 11-play, 80-yard scoring drive to tie the game late in the fourth, Ben Roethlisberger moved the Steelers into Tennessee territory, but Shaun Suisham came up short on a 54-yard field goal attempt with less than a minute left to give the ball back to the Titans.

Hasselbeck then hit Chris Johnson for five yards up to midfield and after an incompletion, found Jared Cook across the middle for 25 yards down to the Pittsburgh 25.

After Johnson's 3-yard rush, Tennessee let the clock run down and called its final timeout with four seconds remaining to set the stage for Bironas' game- winning field goal.

"It's only one win, we know that," Titans head coach Mike Munchak said. "But it's a great win for us at this point in the season when we needed a win to show people what we're all about."

Hasselbeck finished 25-of-44 passing for 290 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while Johnson added 19 carries for 91 yards and also caught four passes for 23 yards as the Titans (2-4) snapped a three-game losing streak against the Steelers.

Roethlisberger threw for 363 yards, one touchdown and one interception on 24- of-40 efficiency for the Steelers (2-3), who were coming off a 16-14 victory over in-state rival Philadelphia on Sunday.

"We're not doing enough things to finish games in hostile environments," Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said. "We didn't do the job tonight. We defeated ourselves in some areas. We'll go back to work. Needless to say it's disappointing."

Roethlisberger made Steelers' history in the setback, passing Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw (27,989) for the most passing yards in franchise history with 28,066.

Tennessee led 16-10 at halftime, but Roethlisberger opened the second half with an 11-play, 65-yard scoring march. Isaac Redman, who finished with four catches for 105 yards, hauled in a 13-yard pass to move the visitors to the Tennessee 24, but the drive stalled at the 10-yard line and Pittsburgh settled for a 28-yard field goal from Suisham.

After a Tennessee punt, Roethlisberger found Heath Miller to convert a pair of third downs early in the drive and then hit Emmanuel Sanders for 10 yards on 3rd-and-8 to move the Steelers to the Tennessee 23.

A defensive pass interference call in the end zone gave the Steelers a 1st- and-goal from the 1-yard line and Baron Batch capped the 15-play, 80-yard trek three plays later with a 1-yard plunge to give Pittsburgh a 20-16 edge.

Hasselbeck was intercepted by Lawrence Timmons on the Titans' next drive and Pittsburgh used the short field to get a 52-yard field goal from Suisham and grab a seven-point advantage.

The Titans' signal-caller then led his squad on a game-tying scoring drive, as he hit Kenny Britt in the front of the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown. Britt bobbled the ball, but was able to secure it to knot the game at 23-23.

The teams exchanged field goals early in the game, as Bironas connected on a 22-yard field goal on Tennessee's opening drive before Suisham answered with a 29-yarder to tie the game.

Pittsburgh then forced a three-and-out and Roethlisberger uncorked a deep ball intended for Mike Wallace on the first play of the drive. Wallace outran his defender, hauled in the pass and outraced everyone to the end zone for an 82-yard touchdown reception to give the Steelers a 10-3 lead.

Tennessee answered with an 8-play, 52-yard drive that resulted in a 38-yard field goal from Bironas late in the first quarter before the Titans forced a three-and-out from the Steelers.

The Titans' special team unit came up with a big play, as Tim Shaw broke through the middle of the line and blocked the punt and Tennessee pounced on the loose ball at the Pittsburgh 1.

Two plays later, Jamie Harper punched it in from a yard out to give the Titans a 13-10 lead and their first rushing touchdown of the season.

Neither offense managed much from there until Pittsburgh made its way into Tennessee territory late in the second when Roethlisberger hit Redman for 55 yards down the left sideline.

Jason McCourty then picked off Roethlisberger's next pass and Hasselbeck moved the Titans into Pittsburgh territory when he shook off a defender and underhanded a pass to Johnson, who took it down to the Pittsburgh 44.

After back-to-back incompletions, Hasselbeck hit Kendall Wright for 15 yards, setting up Bironas' 47-yard field as time expired to send the Titans into the locker room with a 16-10 advantage.

Game Notes

Pittsburgh offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey injured his right leg in the first quarter and did not return ... Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu (calf) and linebacker LaMarr Woodley (hamstring) did not play ... Titans wide receiver Nate Washington caught three passes for 57 yards. He now was a catch in 68 straight games ... Redman is the first Steelers running back with a 100- yard receiving game since John "Frenchy" Fuqua in 1970.