PITTSBURGH – While Curtis Martin continued his march toward the Hall of Fame yesterday by moving into fifth place on the all-time career rushing list, Jerome Bettis, the man he passed, had the magical day.
While Martin took the slight edge in career rushing yards (13,046 to 13,037), it was Bettis who was responsible for both Steelers TDs that foiled the Jets in a 17-6 Pittsburgh victory.
Bettis (10-57, 1 TD rushing) threw a 10-yard halfback option pass to give the Steelers the lead in the fourth quarter and later ran for his 12th rushing TD of the season to clinch the game with three minutes remaining.
“I take my hat off to him,” Martin said of Bettis after the game. “We got together after the game and I told him ‘Congratulations’ and he told me ‘Congratulations.’ You learn to appreciate the consistency the man has had in this game.
After failing to execute the halfback option play very well in practice, Bettis wasn’t sure he’d be given the opportunity in the game. In fact, after throwing the ball about 10 feet short in practice earlier in the week, Steelers’ coach Bill Cowher had Duce Staley run the play in a Saturday walkthrough.
“I told (Cowher) that was not right, that was unfair and he was laughing and joking about it,” Bettis said. “My quarterback grip is not very good. I tried to get it around the laces and tried to get it up and over the safety and was fortunate.”
The play, called a “4-38 counter pass,” was the difference in a tight, defensive game.
Bettis, who has enjoyed a rejuvenated season this year with Staley missing time with some injuries, said he’d “be lying” if he said he loved the role as the No. 2 back off the bench.
“I’m just trying to find a way to flourish in the role that’s been given to me,” he said.
“We probably made more mistakes in this game than we had all year,” Martin said. “We kept fighting and then they delivered that final blow and then there was nothing we could do.”
That final blow, of course, came from Bettis.