Nov 25, 2002 By Mike Ciarochi 5 min read

PITTSBURGH – It was a homecoming for Kordell Stewart, short-lived though it may be, but Pittsburgh’s 29-21 win over the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday was more of a welcome for new kicker Jeff Reed. Reed kicked three field goals and made a touchdown-saving tackle on Cincinnati’s last kickoff return to lift the Steelers to 6-4-1 and 5-0 in AFC North Division games. The Bengals fell to 1-10.

Stewart completed 22 of 26 passes for 236 yards and a 64-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward. He compiled a passer rating of 117.3 in his brief role as Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback. He more than likely will take his seat on the bench next week, if Tommy Maddox is able to return from his cerebral and spinal concussions suffered a week earlier.

“It felt good to get back out there,” Stewart said. “It feels good to be this tired on a Sunday evening again and to have a `w’ under our belts.”

“Our kicker did a good job, until that last extra point,” Steelers coach Bill Cowher said. “And I thought Kordell Stewart did a good job. This was the first game in a long time that we didn’t have any turnovers.”

Asked if it was, in fact, like riding a bike, Stewart said, “Yes, with some training wheels on it a little bit.”

The Steelers wasted no time establishing their running game and got on the scoreboard early because of it. Pittsburgh moved 68 yards on nine plays, with only 10 yards coming on two passes, leading to Jerome Bettis’ 1-yard touchdown run with 9:34 remaining in the first quarter.

Reed got a bigger ovation when he converted the extra point than Bettis got for the touchdown, but he took the Bronx cheer in stride.

“It’s tough kicking here, but you can’t blame the field or the wind or the weather,” Reed said. “I was hired to kick the ball and that’s all I can control.

“I’ve heard a lot of history about this field, but this is my home field now. I’ve got to make the most of that.”

The Steelers mixed up the runs, with wide receiver Hines Ward running a reverse for 29 yards and Stewart gaining 12 on a QB keeper.

Then, Stewart went to the air. After an improvised shovel pass to Bettis gained 15 yards, Stewart passed short to Ward, who turned the play into a 64-yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead for Pittsburgh with 3:32 left in the first quarter.

Reed got into the act on Pittsburgh’s third possession and the new kicker did not disappoint. Reed connected on a 33-yard field goal that capped an 11-play, 66-yard drive and extended the Steelers’ lead to 17-0 10:40 before halftime.

“The first three times, we went right down the field and scored points,” Cowher said. “After that, we had trouble converting third downs and we couldn’t pull away from them. But give Cincinnati a lot of credit. (Bengals coach) Dick LeBeau does a good job over there and they are very close to winning games.”

All the while, Pittsburgh’s defense was flexing its muscle against the seemingly out-manned Bengals. To that point, Pittsburgh had allowed only two first downs and had limited Cincinnati to one third-down conversion in three attempts and even stopped a fourth-down attempt.

But the defense laxed on the Bengals’ next possession. Jon Kitna marched Cincinnati 75 yards in 7 plays, the last one a 10-yard touchdown run by Corey Dillon that got Cincinnati back in the game, 17-7.

After a Steelers punt, Kitna again marched the Bengals into the red zone and converted two more third-and-10s. He was hurt on a 55-yard completion to Chad Johnson, but returned one play later. He hit Johnson again for 19 yards on second-and-20. The play carried to the Steelers’ 2-yard line. On third-and-1, Dillon went in for another touchdown to make it 17-14 1:04 before intermission. The Bengals’ drive covered 98 yards on 10 plays.

Reed attempted a 51-yard field goal on the last play of the first half, but it was well short.

He made good from 43 yards away into the open end of the stadium with 6:02 remaining in the third quarter to extend the Steelers’ lead to 20-14. The kick was set up by a 44-yard pass interference penalty against Cincinnati’s JoJuan Armour, who had no other choice on a pass from Antwaan Randle El to Plaxico Burress.

Kitna did what he does best – lead the Bengals from behind – midway through the fourth quarter. He marched the Bengals 64 yards on 9 plays and capped the drive with a 20-yard touchdown pass to tight end Matt Schobel with 8:35 remaining in the game. Kitna converted two third downs on the drive.

The Bengals then stuffed the Steelers to force a punt, but Bengals return man T.J. Houshmandzadeh fumbled on the return and Mike Jones recovered for Pittsburgh at the Bengals 29-yard line. The Steelers advanced the ball one yard, setting up Reed’s 45-yard field goal with 4:44 remaining to give Pittsburgh a 23-21 lead.

Bettis capped the win with a 24-yard run with 2:45 remaining to make it 29-21. Reed’s conversion kick was wide left. The touchdown play was set up by a 37-yard pass from Stewart to Ward.

“There is no excuse for missing that extra point,” Reed said. “I just got too relaxed.”

The Bengals remained alive and Houshmandzadeh returned the ensuing kickoff to the Pittsburgh 46, where he drew a 15-yard face mask penalty against Reed, putting the ball at Pittsburgh’s 31-yard line.

“I was bound and determined to keep him from going all the way for a touchdown,” Reed said. “I didn’t mean to grab his face mask, but that’s what I got.”

Facing a fourth-and-3 at the 24-yard line, Kitna passed to Johnson for seven yards to the 17. On second down, he ran a draw that Dillon carried to the five for a first-and-goal. Kitna passed incomplete three times, bringing up fourth-and-goal from the 5-yard line. Chad Scott broke up Kitna’s pass to Johnson to give Pittsburgh the win.