The Cleveland Browns have been haunted for 16 years by The Drive. Now they’ve got to live with The Comeback by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Tommy Maddox, the Comeback Player of the Year, led one of Pittsburgh’s greatest comebacks ever, throwing three touchdown passes in the final 19 minutes as the Steelers rallied from a 17-point deficit in the second half to stun the Browns 36-33 Sunday in an AFC wild-card game.
Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala’s 3-yard touchdown run with 54 seconds left won it as the Steelers kept their postseason going with one of the franchise’s most memorable victories.
“I don’t think anybody in the building thought we weren’t going to win,” Browns quarterback Kelly Holcomb said. “I think everybody thought we were going to go on.”
Holcomb, in just his fourth NFL start, shredded the Steelers defense for 429 yards and three scores.
But Maddox was just as good.
The former first-round draft pick who went 10 years between NFL starts finished 30-of-48 for 367 yards and three touchdowns.
THE PLAYOFFS
Divisional playoffs
Saturday
– Steelers at Titans, 3:30 p.m.
– Falcons at Eagles, 7 p.m.
Sunday
– 49ers at Buccaneers, noon
Jets at Raiders, 3:30 p.m.
