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Cowher Says One Call Did Not Cost Game
Steelers coach Bill Cowher apologized Tuesday for charging referee Ron Blum at the end of the Steelers' overtime playoff loss at Tennessee, protesting a denied timeout and costly penalty that set up the decisive field goal.
Cowher was upset with a running into the kicker penalty on Dewayne Washington that allowed the Titans Joe Nedney to kick a game-winning 26-yard field goal. He also was unhappy the Steelers were denied a timeout just before the kick.
Immediately after Saturday's 34-31 loss, Cowher described the penalty on Washington as 'ludicrous'' and said, 'We had something taken away from us today'' -- an implication the officials cost his team the game.
'I want to make very clear that the last play did not decide the football game,'' Cowher said Tuesday. 'I don't feel any differently than what my responses were (Saturday). But certainly, as I said last week, I don't believe any one play decides a game. I don't want to be a hypocrite and sit here a week later and say that it did. We had plenty of opportunities in that game.''
Cowher explained he went running after Blum because he thought the officials might wave off the field goal and give Pittsburgh the timeout. Only last week, he said a coach has no recourse to get a call changed once the officials leave the field.
'I saw him (Blum) talking to the umpire, Chad Brown, and I thought there was a timeout, but obviously the game was over at that point,'' Cowher said. 'I should never have done what I did.''
Cowher also acknowledged what Titans coach Jeff Fisher said after the game: The Steelers took too long to call the timeout. Several Steelers, notably linebackers Joey Porter and Jason Gildon, were outraged Brown refused to grant the timeout.
'We did not get it called in time,'' Cowher said. 'There was a conversation taking place that should not have taken place. But we did not get it called in time.''
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