Sunday Rewind: Steelers cage upstart Bengals in 2005 AFC Wild Card
By Brendan Howe
Next Man Up
A month and four days later, as if bewitched by Houshmandzadeh’s ill-mannered doing, the Queen City’s palpable enthusiasm was cut awfully short.
On what was the Bengals’ second offensive snap of the contest, quarterback Carson Palmer took a five-step drop back from his own 12-yard-line, promptly letting loose on a floater downfield to Chris Henry.
In a manner that to this day appears more lumbering than forceful, Steelers defensive tackle Kimo von Oelhoffen plunges under Eric Steinbach’s block and into Palmer’s left knee. As everyone else followed the 66-yard pass, Von Oelhoffen scanned remorsefully around as Palmer rolled on the grass in agony.
Fresh off a nine-year contract extension, Palmer had torn his ACL and MCL. His kneecap was also dislocated.
Out trotted understudy quarterback Jon Kitna, who in the regular season had completed 17 of 29 passes for 99 yards and a pair of interceptions.
A ninth-year pro, Kitna wasn’t unfamiliar with postseason football. A decade earlier, as a senior starter at NAIA school Central Washington, he led the Wildcats to a national championship. Later, in NFL Europe, he guided the Barcelona Dragons to a World Bowl victory over the Rhein Fire, picking up game MVP honors, as well.
Behind center, he moved the Bengals to the five-yard-line with three completions and a few handoffs, setting up a can’t-miss field goal for Shayne Graham and capping the team’s first drive of the day.
Still, Bengals players sat staring on the bench, concerned with their leader’s condition.