Cameron Heyward can sympathize with the millions of fans watching on television trying to decipher what transpired in the final seconds of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 29-24 victory at Ford Field on Sunday.
If the Kentucky Derby is the fastest two minutes in sports, that precise amount of time officials huddled to deliberate the conclusion of the Steelers game against the Detroit Lions had to be the longest.
And Heyward, the Steelers defensive captain, wasn’t getting any answers while he watched the drama unfold.
“I was asking for clarification on everything,” Heyward said in the aftermath of the win. “They weren’t willing to share with me. I had to wait like everyone else.”
Illumination didn’t immediately happen when referee Carl Cheffers turned on his microphone, either. Cheffers ruled the play — Amon-Ra St. Brown caught a pass at the Steelers 1, was pushed back about 5 yards and desperately lateraled to quarterback Jared Goff, who ran into the end zone as time expired — a touchdown.
With the scoreboard prematurely showing Lions 30, Steelers 29, the home portion of the Ford Field crowd erupted in cheers, drowning out what Cheffers said next.
“However, there is offensive pass interference on No. 14 on the offense,” Cheffers said, referring to St. Brown. “By rule, that penalty is not enforced, and there is no replay. The game is over.”
The explanation was as clear as mud until Cheffers uttered his next line.
“There is no touchdown.”
Only then could the Steelers officially celebrate a win that was their third in a row and moved them closer to securing the AFC North championship.
Cameras caught Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers walking across the field with his arms raised before Cheffers spoke to the crowd — and a national television audience.
“I was trying to read Carl’s lips and see what he was saying,” Rodgers said. “I saw him mouth, ‘OPI, end of game,’ so I felt pretty confident that was what was going to happen. But you never know.”
Cornerback Joey Porter and safety Jalen Ramsey had converged on St. Brown after he made the catch, driving the receiver backward while thinking they had stopped his forward progress. Several players said they heard a whistle blow, signaling the end of the play.
“It was a shock to all of us,” Porter said, “but I knew he didn’t get in.”
The final Lions drive that spanned the last 2 minutes, 5 seconds featured more twists and turns than a Kennywood roller coaster. The Lions had two touchdowns erased by pass interference calls, the first coming with 22 seconds left when Isaac TeSlaa was flagged in the end zone on a pick play that left St. Brown wide open for an apparent score.
On the Steelers’ side, they thought they had ended the game earlier in the drive until defensive pass interference was called on safety Kyle Dugger on a fourth-and-2 incompletion. That came one play after the Lions got a favorable replay review on an 11-yard catch by Shane Zylstra. A play after the pass-interference penalty on Dugger, the Steelers were flagged again when Alex Highsmith tripped Goff, moving the Lions 15 yards closer to the goal line.
“This game is reason why I got gray hair,” said second-year tackle Troy Fautanu. “It was stressful.”
After St. Brown was called for pass interference, the Lions were hoping to get one last play. But games can end on offensive penalties, and the down was not replayed.
“We knew what call they were going to make,” Ramsey said. “We thought maybe we had to play one more down. We were prepared for that.”
So were the Lions.
“Replay it or back it up, one more shot,” coach Dan Campbell said. “And it doesn’t. That’s just, I guess that’s the way it’s written in the rulebook, so it’s frustrating.”
For the Lions. Not so much for the Steelers, who improved to 9-6 with their third consecutive victory. As confusing as the conclusion was, the magnitude wasn’t lost on rookie outside linebacker Jack Sawyer, who had to start following injuries to T.J. Watt and Nick Herbig.
“The games aren’t over,” Sawyer said, “until you’re walking to your car in this league.”
