Pittsburgh • Backed up deep in their own territory, their slow start to the season in danger of turning into a legitimate freefall, the Pittsburgh Steelers did what they always seem to do when things get tight.
They relaxed.
Ben Roethlisberger converted a pair of critical third downs during a remarkably patient 64-yard drive over the final 6:33, and Shaun Suisham drilled a 34-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Steelers to a 16-14 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in the rain on Sunday.
"We had the ball last," Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said. "Such is life."
It's a way of life the Eagles had grown comfortable with during the season's opening month. Philadelphia appeared on the verge of its third one-point win of the season when Michael Vick hit Brent Celek for a 2-yard score midway through the fourth quarter.
"I always have confidence in myself and the guys that we can do it," said Roethlisberger after engineering his 25th career fourth-quarter comeback. "It's good to go down. That was everybody on that drive."
Roethlisberger completed 21 of 37 passes for 207 yards, and Rashard Mendenhall, in his first game following ACL surgery, finished with 81 rushing yards and a score while adding 20 receiving yards as Pittsburgh's beleaguered running game showed signs of life.
"Our savior is back," Roethlisberger joked. "We've been teasing him all week. It was great to see him out there and he did a great job."
Vick completed 20 of 30 passes for 175 yards and two scores but fumbled twice for the Eagles, who couldn't keep their string of narrow early-season victories going. LeSean McCoy rushed for 53 yards, and caught four passes for 27 yards and a touchdown for Philadelphia.
"This one is going to burn for a minute," Vick said. Steelers 16,Eagles 14
Philadelphia 0 0 7 7 14
Pittsburgh 0 10 0 6 16
Second Quarter
Pit • Mendenhall 13 run (Suisham kick), 5:01.
Pit • FG Suisham 20, :06.
Third Quarter
Phi • McCoy 15 pass from Vick (Henery kick), 6:32.
Fourth Quarter
Pit • FG Suisham 34, 14:51.
Phi • Celek 2 pass from Vick (Henery kick), 6:33.
Pit • FG Suisham 34, :00.
Attendance • 64,737.
Phi Pit
First downs 19 22
Total Net Yards 246 343
Rushes-yards 23-78 31-136
Passing 168 207
Punt Returns 1-13 1-7
Kickoff Returns 3-65 2-57
Interceptions Ret. 0-0 0-0
Comp-Att-Int 20-30-0 21-37-0
Sacked-Yards Lost 3-7 0-0
Punts 4-44.0 4-46.3
Fumbles-Lost 4-2 3-0
Penalties-yards 5-35 9-106
Time of Possession 26:29 33:31
Individual Statistics
Rushing • Philadelphia, McCoy 16-53, Vick 5-16, Havili 1-5, Brown 1-4. Pittsburgh, Mendenhall 14-81, Redman 13-41, Roethlisberger 3-14, Rainey 1-0.
Passing • Philadelphia, Vick 20-30-0-175. Pittsburgh, Roethlisberger 21-37-0-207.
Receiving • Philadelphia, Maclin 5-39, Jackson 4-58, McCoy 4-27, Avant 3-34, Celek 3-9, Harbor 1-8. Pittsburgh, A.Brown 7-86, Miller 4-41, Sanders 3-22, Mendenhall 2-20, Wallace 2-17, Paulson 1-8, Cotchery 1-7, Rainey 1-6.