Ben bounces back in a big way

Local Sports

Discussion

December 21, 2009

By JIM WEXELL The Tribune-Democrat Mon Dec 21, 2009, 04:56 PM EST

PITTSBURGH — Against the worst defense in the league, the Steelers managed only six points in a demoralizing loss.

Ten days later, against the No. 2 defense in the league, Ben Roethlisberger set a team record with the 10th-most productive passing game in NFL history in leading the Steelers to a 37-36 win over the Green Bay Packers.

What happened between those games?

“I have no idea,” said Roethlisberger. “It’s a crazy league. It really is.”

It’s a crazy season, too. Roethlisberger’s roller-coaster ride has put the Steelers back in playoff position by throwing for 503 yards and a 19-yard touchdown to Mike Wallace with zeroes on the clock.

The extra point sent the Steelers home improbable come-from-behind winners after the zaniest game of a zany season.

“It’s amazing how one play can change everything,” Roethlisberger said. “If that last play’s incomplete, everyone’s down and we probably have the worst Christmas ever. But because that play was a touchdown, it’s a different ball game.”

The Steelers blew a 10-point lead; that much was predictable, or as predictable as regaining the lead, which they did with 3:58 remaining. Back to the unpredictable, the Steelers attempted an onside kick, which failed, and the Packers retook the lead.

Roethlisberger and the Steelers took over at their own 14 with 2:01 remaining.

Roethlisberger overcame a sack with a 37-yard pass to Santonio Holmes on 4th-and-7; and then he overcame a holding penalty, and an interception on the following play, with the help of a defensive penalty. Heath Miller bailed out the team with a tough catch on 3rd-and-15 near the sideline.

“The guys were coming back to the huddle worn out, but nobody quit. Nobody,” Roethlisberger said. “Everybody believed we could do it.”

From the Green Bay 19, Roethlisberger threw high to Wallace at the 4, but Wallace was supposed to continue the route into the end zone, and Roethlisberger chewed the rookie out.

Then he went back to him two plays later. With three seconds left, Roethlisberger took the snap and looked for Santonio Holmes to his right, then Rashard Mendenhall, then Heath Miller, then Hines Ward. All were covered. That left Wallace, and he made the catch and dragged his feet for the game-winner.

The 19-yard play put Roethlisberger into the 500-yard club with nine other players. The record is 554 set by Norm Van Brocklin in 1951. Roethlisberger completed 29 of 46 passes for 503 yards.

“We needed all 503,” he said.

He wasn’t intercepted and threw touchdown passes of 60 yards to Wallace on the Steelers’ first play, 10 yards to Mewelde Moore, and 19 yards to Wallace on the last play. Roethlisberger joked that “we could’ve had 600” yards if not for several drops.

Had the Steelers not pulled the game out, Roethlisberger certainly wouldn’t have been in a joking mood because the Steelers were down to their last strike. But the catcher dropped the foul tip. And because Wallace was able to drag his feet the way Holmes did in ending the last great Roethlisberger drive, the Steelers have life.

“It was big,” Roethlisberger said. “And it’s big to win it that way. Of course, it’d be nice to blow a team out, but to win it like that shows a lot of heart and it opens up something inside all of us that says this team never quits, it never backs down, and fights to the end.”

Text Only | Photo Reprints

Local Sports

UPDATED Bedford advances in PIAA wrestling in odd way
It’s not often that a team can win a match at the PIAA Class AA Dual-Meet Championships while giving up two forfeits, but that’s exactly what Bedford did this afternoon at the Giant Center.

In fact, the Bisons won 30-29 over Pen Argyl because they forfeited.

February 10, 2012 1 Photo
Bedford goes to Class AA quarterfinals by thumping first-time participant Western Wayne
Bedford was making its fifth straight appearance in the PIAA Class AA Dual-Meet Championships on Thursday.

February 10, 2012 1 Photo
Steelers introduce Haley as offensive coordinator
Throughout the 16 minutes that followed him glowingly introducing former Kansas City Chiefs coach Todd Haley as his new offensive coordinator, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin stood proudly in the corner of the second-floor media room at the team’s facility.

February 9, 2012 1 Photo
College basketball in brief
A closer look at Thursday night's men's and women's college basketball games:

February 9, 2012
High School Basketball in Brief
A closer look at Thursday's boys and girls high school basketball games:

February 9, 2012
Penn State men absorb fifth straight loss
Penn State refused to be routed the first time No. 11 Michigan State had a chance to pull away for an easy victory.
The Nittany Lions, though, couldn’t stay consistent enough to keep their comeback hopes alive.

February 8, 2012 1 Photo
South Florida rebounds with win over Pitt
South Florida’s Hugh Robertson combined a perfect night offensively with a stellar defensive performance that helped the Bulls rebound from their worst-ever Big East loss.
Robertson had a season-high 18 points and helped USF
(14-10, 7-4) hold Pittsburgh star Ashton Gibbs to a season-low four points in a 63-51 victory over the Panthers on Wednesday night. Augustus Gilchrist added 10 points for the Bulls, who lost by 30 points at Georgetown last weekend.

February 8, 2012 1 Photo
High School Basketball in Brief
February 8, 2012 1 Photo
Local sports in brief 2-9-2012
February 8, 2012
[VIDEO] Cory Berchick sets Township school mark, but Somerset wins the match
Jarod Feathers didn’t necessarily see this moment coming four years ago.

February 8, 2012 1 Photo
More Local Sports Headlines

Local Sports

Search Results

Discussion

Ben bounces back in a big way

Do you support Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposed state budget for fiscal year 2012-13?

Contact Us