We continue with out countdown with Heartbreak #5. As a reminder, after the write-ups, we are going to take the winners of the two polls already taken (2002 Titans and 1994 Chargers are currently in the lead) and add them to the final six to be counted down individually to create the Great Eight Heartbreak Tournament. We'll have quarterfinals, semifinals and then the championship. Here we go with #5.
#5 - 2001 Season: Patriots 24 Steelers 17
Very rarely does the Good Lord intervene in sporting events. He has more important things to do. He made exceptions in 2000 and 2001. Infuriated with the City of Cleveland for not building Art Modell's Browns a new stadium (though curiously they built a new stadium as soon as he left), and the way the fans and media vilified a future Hall of Fame coach, Bill Belichick, God decided to reward them both with championships in consecutive years. Modell's title came in 2000 with the Baltimore Ravens. Belichick's would come in 2001 with the New England Patriots. Belichick's would not come easy, however, needing divine intervention from time to time. First, God became a little perturbed when the Oakland Raiders sealed playoff victory over the Patriots by recovering a Tom Brady fumble with less than two minutes remaining in the game. He invoked His first executive order by instantly dusting off the now-famous "Tuck Rule," which miraculously gave
With the Patriots traveling to
Another Steelers' mistake in the third quarter gave the Patriots the ball on
The Pittsburgh Steelers don't ever give up. It is one of the hallmarks of their identity and has been for 76 years. That never-say-die attitude is woven throughout this entire series of heartbreaking stories. In this game in particular, everyone got into the act. Kordell Stewart and Hines Ward did some damage in the passing game and Jerome Bettis capped off a nice drive with a one-yard plunge to slice the lead to 21-10. Jason Gildon (sack) and Troy Edwards (nice punt return) chipped in before Amos Zereoue skirted in from 11 yards out to make the score 21-17.
In the fourth quarter,