NEW ORLEANS -- Sunday was the 46th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception, a moment that will forever be the biggest play in the Steelers' history.
Heading into the final week of the 2018 season, they'll be hoping for a different kind of miracle.
The Saints made sure of that Sunday, scoring with 1:25 remaining after some controversial calls -- both by the officials and Mike Tomlin -- to pull it out, 31-28 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, clinching the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs for themselves and putting the Steelers' playoff hopes on life support.
It was the Steelers' sixth-consecutive game decided by one score. They're now 2-4 during that stretch, with the four losses coming by a combined 16 points.
"We made the bed, we'll lay in it," Tomlin said. "I'll expect us to lay in it very well and perform. We'll control what it is that we can control and that's our preparation to play next week. All other things out of our control, we won't worry much about.
"Like everyone else, we've had 15 opportunities to this point to state a case for ourselves so we won't lament about our positioning. We'll just simply control the things that are in front of us, and that's next week's preparation and play."
Now, the Steelers (8-6-1) find themselves in need of a helping hand. Not only do the Steelers need to win next Sunday against the Bengals at Heinz Field, they also need the Browns to beat the Ravens (9-6) in Baltimore to win the AFC North. They're also still alive -- if barely so -- for a wildcard spot if the Ravens do, indeed, win. In that instance, the Steelers would need the Colts and Titans to finish in a tie in their game at Tennessee to slide in as the No. 6 seed.
To add a little drama to the situation, the NFL moved those games to 4:25 p.m. starts.
"We don’t control our own destiny, so whatever happens, happens," corner Joe Haden said. "We have Cincinnati, we want to finish strong. Whatever else happens, happens."
For 58 minutes Sunday, it looked like the Steelers would pull this one out to keep their playoff chances in their own hands.
Trailing 17-14 at the half, the Steelers grabbed a 28-24 lead late in the third quarter on the second of two touchdown passes from Ben Roethlisberger to Antonio Brown. That second touchdown, of 20 yards, was Brown's 14th of the season and the 33rd for Roethlisberger, both of which set team records.
And it looked like the Steelers might make that hold up against the Saints (13-2).
They forced a three-and-out on the next possession, and Roethlisberger continued to attack the Saints down the field, moving the Steelers to the New Orleans 34.
But on third-and-2, Stevan Ridley entered for Jaylen Samuels and was stuffed for a 1-yard loss. Worse yet, he fumbled and the Saints recovered.
The Saints drove to the Steelers' 32 before stalling and sent Will Lutz out for a 50-yard field goal attempt with 6:17 remaining. But L.J. Fort blew through a hole created by T.J. Watt and blocked the attempt as the Steelers maintained a 28-24 lead.
Roethlisberger completed a 5-yard pass to Brown on first down but was sacked for a nine-yard loss on second down. He completed a 9-yard pass to Brown to set up fourth-and-5 from the Steelers 42 and Tomlin sent his punting unit onto the field.
Instead of punting, however, with 4:11 remaining, the Steelers snapped the ball directly to fullback Roosevelt Nix. Linebacker Craig Robertson and safety Chris Banjo sniffed it out and stopped Nix a half-yard short of the first down marker and the Saints took possession at the Pittsburgh 46.
"I just wanted to be aggressive," said Tomlin. "I wanted to ensure we had an opportunity to win the game. ... I kind of liked the play. I thought where the game was and the time of which was left in the game, that if we did not stop them, we would have the opportunity to have the ball last. We did, obviously unsuccessfully."
The Steelers appeared to get the stop they needed just after the two-minute warning. On fourth-and-2, Drew Brees threw a 4-yard pass to Michael Thomas that was broken up by Haden, touching off a celebration by the Steelers.
But it was a short-lived one. As Haden stood up, a pair of flags came in. Pass interference. Steelers. First down Saints.
"He’s very physical coming off the ball, so I tried to get my hands on him," Haden said of Thomas. "We’re both competing inside of five yards. They threw the flag about a minute after the play. It is what it is."
Haden, however, wasn't happy about it, especially after being called for another pass interference in the first half in the end zone on a pass to Alvin Kamara. In fact, of the Saints' four touchdowns, three were aided by pass interference calls on the Steelers.
"It’s an offensive game. You can’t touch these guys," said Haden. "They didn’t say anything about Michael pushing me off on the last play in the end zone. It’s just tough being a defensive back, but that’s what we do. It sucks sometimes when those plays are so big. They make or break you, momentum and everything. It sucks. I’m pissed. But the next time, I’ll have to make sure I can make those plays without getting called."
The play to which Haden referred came moments later. The Steelers got the Saints to third-and-20 from their own 32 when they gave up a 25-yard catch to Ted Ginn at the 7. Two plays later, Brees threw a quick out to Thomas from the 2 with Haden in coverage.
At the top of the route, Haden felt Thomas pushed off. In the end, however, this happened:
Initially ruled down at the 1, it was reviewed by the booth and called a touchdown with 1:25 remaining. The Saints took a 31-28 lead but had left the Steelers plenty of time with which to work.
Roethlisberger got the Steelers to midfield with passes to Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster, who combined to catch 25 passes for 300 yards. Then, after a defensive holding penalty put the ball at the Saints' 42 with 41 seconds remaining, Roethlisberger threw a short pass to Smith-Schuster, who played despite suffering a groin injury in practice Thursday.
The second-year receiver caught the short pass and was hit low by corner P.J. Williams and high by defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, who took him to the ground and yanked the ball loose as Smith-Schuster rolled over top of him. The Saints recovered, sealing the Steelers' fate.
"I got tackled. I fumbled. Game over," Smith-Schuster said. "I was trying to get down and couldn’t get down. They made a good play."
And just like that, the division lead -- and a potential playoff spot -- slipped from their grasp.
"Turnovers," Maurkice Pouncey told me. "It’s as simple as that. You can’t turn the ball over."
“That’s football: You can be skillful as you want on both sides of the ball and special teams,” Roethlisberger said. “There is still an element of luck involved in football.”
THE ESSENTIALS
• Boxscore
THE GAME BALLS
My top three performers:
1. Antonio Brown
Steelers receiver
With the season on the line, Antonio Brown had his best game of the year working against Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore. Brown caught a season-high 14 passes for 185 yards and two second-half touchdowns, nearly willing the Steelers to victory himself.
2. Alvin Kamara
Saints running back
Alvin Kamara made two big plays in the passing game, one at the end of the first half to set up a field goal, and another on the opening drive of the second half to set up his second touchdown run of the game to keep the Saints within striking distance. He finished with just 23 yards on seven carries but did score two rushing touchdowns. He also caught four passes for 82 yards, getting 73 on those two receptions.
3. Ben Roethlisberger
Steelers quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger was nearly flawless in this game, outplaying his counterpart Drew Brees. He completed 33 of 50 passes for 380 yards and three touchdowns and did not turn the ball over. It was nearly enough.
THE GOOD
The Steelers passing game was clicking on all cylinders. Early on, it was Smith-Schuster who was carrying the load, as Brown was held in check by Marshon Lattimore in the first quarter.
Then, Brown got going on a 15-play, 97-yard touchdown drive after the Saints had taken a 14-6 lead and were threatening to pull away.
Roethlisberger completed six-of-nine passes during the drive — with Brown catching four passes for 64 yards during — that was capped off with a 3-yard TD pass to Samuels and then a two-point conversion to Eli Rogers to tie the game.
Those two continued to thrive in the second half, as Brown, who had one catch for minus-1 yards before that drive began, finished with 14 receptions for 185 yards and two touchdowns, including this 20-yarder that gave the Steelers the lead late in the third quarter.
"We were getting the ball out quick, moving the ball up and down the field," said Brown, who moved over 100 receptions for an NFL-record sixth consecutive season. "But we didn't get it done."
THE BAD
The Steelers could have put some extra distance between themselves and the Saints early in the fourth quarter after forcing a three-and-out following Brown's second touchdown.
They were driving and eating up clock and looked to be on their way to at least having an opportunity to attempt a field goal.
But on third-and-2 from their own 34, they went to Ridley, who has been serving as the team's short-yardage back with James Conner out. He lined up behind Nix at fullback, took a handoff and was stuffed. Worse yet, he fumbled and the Saints recovered.
"It was third-and-2," said Tomlin. "We felt like we were in two-down territory. We probably would have gone for it on fourth down had we been unsuccessful and maintained possession of the ball."
Because of the fumble, which was reviewed and upheld largely because there was no clear view of when the ball came out, it never happened.
THE PLAY
The Steelers felt Stephon Tuitt might have tipped the ball on the fourth-and-2 play on which Haden was called for pass interference.
But they didn't have a clear replay in the coaching booth. And since the play happened within the final two minutes, any review would have had to have been an official review. None was forthcoming.
"I thought it was tipped," Tomlin said. "But I didn't have the courtesy of a replay. We were asking for clarity on it, but you know that things start moving fast in those moments."
THE CALL
The fourth-quarter pass interference penalty wasn't the only one against Haden in this game. He also drew one in the first quarter on a fourth-and-1 pass from the 34. This one occurred in the end zone on a desperation pass from Brees to Kamara. And it had the Steelers irate.
"I don’t know what they saw," Haden said. "I jumped up to try and go get the ball and they thought I pushed him in the back."
The penalty placed the ball at the 1. Mark Ingram scored from there on the next play to give the Saints a 7-3 lead.
"I’m very frustrated, very pissed," Haden said. "This means a lot to me. I come out here and try to play good defense. It’s tough the way the game is changing."
THE OTHER SIDE
Saints head coach Sean Payton's team won't have to leave the Superdome — where it is 6-1 this season — throughout the playoffs with Sunday's win.
But he knows the Saints dodged a bullet with this one.
"Obviously (it was) an exciting win against a good team, a real good team," Payton said. "The game went back and forth. We expected it to be something that was hard fought. We ended up winning it in the fourth quarter. The momentum kind of shifted obviously. We had it early. They had it most of the second half and then were able to get it back and secure the win."
THE INJURY UPDATE
• James Conner, running back, missed his third consecutive game with a high ankle injury.
THE SCHEDULE
The Steelers are off on Monday and Tomlin will hold his weekly press conference at noon Tuesday. I'll have coverage of that as the Steelers prepare to play the Bengals next Sunday at Heinz Field.
THE COVERAGE
Visit our Steelers team page for everything from this game.
MATT SUNDAY GALLERY
Steelers at Saints, New Orleans, Dec. 23, 2018 - MATT SUNDAY / DKPS