Tripping penalty surprises Vikings

PITTSBURGH - The Vikings were upset over a tripping call on tight end Jeff Dugan that negated a 10-yard touchdown catch by Sidney Rice in the fourth quarter of their 27-17 loss at Heinz Field.

Dugan cut-blocked linebacker James Harrison at the line during a drive that ended on LaMarr Woodley's 77-yard fumble return for a touchdown. "I just cut him," said a frustrated Dugan. "I don't know what [the official] saw."

Said Vikings coach Brad Childress: "I didn't like it because Jeff Dugan is sitting there with a knot on his thigh on a tripping penalty. We blocked 8-7 double-snag fullback flat a thousand times and cut the defensive end just like we cut the defensive end here."

Asked if he got an explanation from the officials, Childress said: "I did not."

Adrian Peterson said he was not upset that he didn't get the ball on second or third down when the Vikings had the ball at the Steelers' 1-yard line in the third quarter. The Vikings ultimately settled for a 18-yard field goal by Ryan Longwell after two incomplete passes.

"That's tough, especially going against the Pittsburgh Steelers and their defense," Peterson said. "You have to get those seven points. I was highly upset about having to settle for three points."

Peterson rushed for 69 yards on 18 carries and had four catches for 60 yards. He flattened cornerback William Gay on a 29-yard reception late in the fourth quarter. "Clearly I felt like this was the best defense we've faced this year," Peterson said.

Chester Taylor had a screen pass deflect off his hands for an interception and 82-yard touchdown return by linebacker Keyaron Fox with one minute remaining. Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel read the play perfectly and drilled Taylor after the ball bounced off his hands. "I got hit when the ball was coming," Taylor said. "It was good timing on the defense."

Keisel had one of Sunday's biggest plays when he hit the ball out of Favre's hand in the fourth quarter, setting up Woodley's touchdown. Keisel made the play while going against Pro Bowl left guard Steve Hutchinson.

"I came down to block him, he made a good move rushing outside and I kind of was driving him like a tackle trying to widen him behind it," Hutchinson said. "I guess he reached out and got a hand on it."

The Vikings were called for a season-high 11 penalties; the Steelers were assessed only three. Hutchinson got a false start penalty, his first infraction in 26 games.

Vikings cornerback Benny Sapp disagreed with a third-quarter penalty against him after he hit Steelers Ben Roethlisberger with a diving tackle as the quarterback was going out of bounds. "That was a cheap call," Sapp said. "They know that. Both of our feet were inbounds. I felt like if I leave my feet before he gets out of bounds it's OK. I guess that's not what it is."

• The Vikings entered Sunday's game ranked first in the NFL in red-zone offense with a 65.2 percent touchdown conversion rate. That success did not continue against the Steelers as the Vikings were 1-for-5 inside the 20-yard line. In the second half, the Vikings failed to get a touchdown from the Pittsburgh 1 and committed two turnovers in the red zone that the Steelers returned for touchdowns.

• Fred Zamberletti, the Vikings former athletic trainer and current team consultant/historian, celebrated his 1,000th game with the organization. Zamberletti, who served as the team's head athletic trainer from 1961 to '98, has attended every Vikings game -- preseason, regular-season and postseason games. "I missed three out of four kids being born," an emotional Zamberletti said. "We didn't have anybody else in those days. If you were sick, didn't feel good, funerals or anything else, you still went to work and you didn't miss."

JUDD ZULGAD, CHIP SCOGGINS AND MARK CRAIG