Steelers Stun Chargers In Monday Night Football

Five seconds left, down by three points and the ball inside the 1. The Pittsburgh Steelers needed a gutsy play against the San Diego Chargers. They got it for a stunning victory.

Le'Veon Bell scored on a wildcat run as time expired to give Mike Vick and the Steelers a 24-20 victory Monday night that had tens of thousands of Pittsburgh fans roaring and waving their Terrible Towels at Qualcomm Stadium.

Bell took the direct snap, ran left and was slowed in traffic before diving for the end zone and getting the ball across the line as Donald Butler dragged him down.

"It was time to go to the mattresses, if you will," coach Mike Tomlin said. "We had to do what was required to win. Le'Veon gave us an opportunity to win, and we were trying to do everything we could to move the football."

Bell said it was the most meaningful touchdown of his three-year career. "The game winner on the last play of the game, that's what you dream about," he said.

"`I got to get it in," Bell said. "We still had a timeout left. I was thinking we still have a timeout left, so I'm thinking, 'OK, maybe if I get stopped, maybe run like 4 seconds off and get a timeout and we could kick a field goal.' I wanted to end the game right there."

There was no way Tomlin was going to kick a field goal to force overtime.

"We have to run the football. We have Le'Veon Bell. We had an opportunity to win the game," Tomlin said. "We're on the road in a hostile environment. We've got to play to win, and that's what we did."

It wasn't all that hostile, not with all the black-and-gold-clad fans in Qualcomm Stadium, which could be hosting its final year of the NFL because Chargers owner Dean Spanos wants to move to the Los Angeles area.

Thursday, October 15 Schedule (Time Central)

Atlanta at New Orleans, 7:25 p.m.

Sunday, October 18 Schedule (All Times Central)

Washington at New York, noon

Arizon at Pittsburgh, noon

Kansas City at Minnesota, noon

Cincinnati at Buffalo, noon

Chicago at Detroit, noon

Denver at Cleveland, noon

Houston at Jacksonville, noon

Miami at Tennessee, noon

Carolina at Seattle, 3:05 p.m.

San Diego at Green Bay, 3:25 p.m.

Baltimore at San Francisco, 3:25 p.m.

New England at Indianapolis, 7:30 p.m.