American Football: Stewart's steel is bane of Baltimore

With three weeks remaining in the regular season, the race for the play-offs is gaining momentum. The Oakland Raiders became the first team to ensure their participation in the post-season party when they beat San Diego on Saturday night. They have been joined by the Chicago Bears and the Pittsburgh Steelers, two franchises not expected to be among the leading contenders when the campaign began in September.

The Steelers confirmed their place with a 26-21 victory against the defending champions, the Baltimore Ravens. It was a dour struggle, full of trash talking and hard-hitting. Pittsburgh, without their star player, the running back Jerome Bettis, rose to the occasion in style.

The Steelers quarterback, Kordell Stewart, had his most productive day as a professional, throwing for 333 yards, while also confounding Baltimore's formidable defence by rushing for a further 55 yards. Stewart is maturing after enduring a difficult few seasons, and Sunday's win confirmed that he has finally mastered the complexities of the position.

Against the Ravens, Stewart received considerable assistance from the receiver Plaxico Burress, who added a career-high eight catches for 164 yards and a touchdown. Like his quarterback, Burress began the season with questions being asked of his talent and temperament. Like Stewart, he is finding his form at the right time.

Little was expected in Chicago this year. The Bears had not made a play-off appearance since 1994, and in a division featuring Tampa Bay and Green Bay, their prospects appeared bleak once again.

The Bears boasted a sound defence, but now possess some legitimate attacking options too. Jim Miller, who once lost out to Kordell Stewart for the job in Pittsburgh, has enjoyed a steady campaign, two touchdowns in the 27-3 humbling of fading Tampa underlining his growing authority. The key for Chicago, however, has been the emergence of the rookie running back Anthony Thomas. Possibly their most productive runner since the legendary Walter Payton, Thomas capped another impressive outing with a five-yard touchdown run.

There will be no post-season appearance for Detroit this year, but the Lions were still celebrating on Sunday. After losing their first 12 games of the season, Detroit finally achieved victory, Cory Schlesinger scoring a late touchdown to give them a 27-24 verdict over the Minnesota Vikings. Detroit thus avoid becoming the first team in 25 years to endure a season of total futility. "It feels like we just won the Super Bowl," said their offensive lineman Tony Semple.

No such delight for Cincinnati, whose season continues to disintegrate after a promising start. Despite leading 14-3 against the New York Jets, the Bengals threw it away again, eventually subsiding 15-14, and tempers are starting to fray. "It's just not rewarding," said their impressive running back, Corey Dillon. "All the effort, all the fight, all the hits, all the licks, and for what? At the end of the season, what do I have to feel good about? Nothing at all."

The New England Patriots maintained their play-off drive with an over-time victory in Buffalo. Both teams struggled throughout, but a brave 40-yard catch by David Patten put the Patriots in range to kick a field goal. "I didn't know where I was, I could have been in Czechoslovakia," he said, after being knocked out on the play. Adam Vinatieri's 23-yard game-winning kick doubtless restored a sense of equilibrium.

The Green Bay Packers' world was also turned upside-down. A win in Nashville would have ensured their play-off berth. Instead, the Tennessee Titans prevailed 26-20, a pair of touchdowns from the quarterback Steve McNair doing the damage. Damage was on the cards in Cleveland too, where the Browns lost 15-10 to Jacksonville. After hurling abuse and bottles in equal measure at the Jacksonville players, enraged fans almost rioted following a game that effectively ended Cleveland's season.