Final Story/ writers choice

Former Oregon Duck Dennis Dixon misses opportunity to become hero in NFL.

At a glance:

What: Sunday night football game
Who: Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens
When: Sunday, November 29th
T.V. Station: NBC
Outcome: Ravens win game 20-17 in overtime




Former Oregon Duck quarterback Dennis Dixon got his chance to come up huge for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night playing against the Baltimore Ravens. He fell short of becoming a Pittsburgh hero and giving ducks fans everywhere much satisfaction though. The Ravens won the game in sudden death overtime with a short field goal.

Dixon played good early in the game showing good consistency with his throws and mainly handing the ball off to multiple Steelers running backs. The game was a close defensive battle the entire first half and into the fourth quarter.

The steelers were down by four points 14-10 in the fourth quarter. That was when Dixon came up huge scoring a touchdown by looping around the outside and running untouched into the endzone. The steelers took the lead and ducks fans everywhere were gleaming with pride, to quote my friend Cole at that exact moment. "It's all about the "O"."

However the steelers did not hold the lead long as ravens kicker Billy Cundiff connected on a mid-range field goal to tie the game at 17-17.

Dixon took the field with barely under two minutes left in the game and did not perform nearly as well as when he scored earlier in the fourth quarter. The steelers called two straight passing plays and Dixon threw two incompletions, both on very bad reads of the defense.

The ravens then got the ball and after a good return of the steelers punt they had decent field position. Thats when steelers cornerback Ike Taylor called was for pass interference on a deep pass and the ravens were in field goal range.

However the ravens allowed the clock to wind down and had to force a very quick field goal attempt up. Billy Cundiff almost became the hero then, but barely missed the the last second field goal by just inches.

The game went to sudden death overtime and after Pittsburgh captain Hines Ward called tails and won the coin flip the steelers had a chance to win the game.

After Dixon ran a quarterback sneak for a first down on the first drive of overtime it looked as though the steelers were gaining momentum and ready to march down field for the win.
Then Dixon threw two straight passes and once again missed them both horribly and the steelers were forced to punt the ball away to give the ravens a chance to win the game.

The steelers defense held strong though and stopped the ravens from scoring and forced them to punt the ball away for yet another chance for Dixon to run a game winning drive. Like the other chances he had earlier in the game Dixon failed on this one as well by throwing an interception and putting the ravens in field goal range.

Billy Cundiff did not miss his second chance at winning the game and sealed the sudden death win with a short field goal in overtime. Putting an end to Dennis Dixon's and all Oregon ducks fan's chance of glory tonight.