“I can’t turn the ball over, plain and simple”
The Steelers fell to the Bears 40-23.
“We’re frustrated, we’re disappointed, but we’re not going to lose our confidence. We’re going to have to put it together, and put it together fast.” — Ben, post-game.
From Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Five turnovers, two of them returned for touchdowns, doomed the Steelers to a 40-23 loss to the Chicago Bears, who held off a second-half rally by the home team to improve to 3-0.
Despite those turnovers, they stormed back in the second half from three touchdowns behind to within four points early in the fourth quarter. But the Bears put them away quickly with a Jay Cutler touchdown pass to Earl Bennett and Julius Peppers’ 42-yard touchdown run with a Ben Roethlisberger fumble.
It was Roethlisberger’s third of four turnovers, including another that went for a score when safety Major Wright ran an interception back.
The loss ruined a big game by Antonio Brown, who caught nine passes for a career-high 196 yards and two touchdowns. He did not have to plead with any coach on the sideline Sunday night to get him the ball more often, but he was not satisfied, either.
Roethlisberger topped 400 yards passing for the fourth time in his career. He completed 26 of 41 for 406 yards, his two touchdowns to Brown and two interceptions.
That, too, was small consolation to him, as was how the offense stormed back in the second half.
“I don’t know if we can’t dig out of it. We’re going to give it everything we’ve got to get out of it, it’s a deep hole, it’s getting deeper, but we’re not going to quit.” — Ben, when asked if 0-3 is too deep a hole to dig themselves out of.
A lightning-strike, three-play drive that ended when Brown caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger with one hand helped put the Steelers back into the game late in the third quarter.
The Bears, who once led by three touchdowns, clung to a 27-20 lead as the drama entered the fourth quarter.
Then, Shaun Suisham’s 44-yard field goal with 10:38 to go brought the Steelers within four, and it looked as though they might avert the 0-3 start.
The game, then, ended much the way it had begun.
You can read more from Mr. Bouchette here.
You can watch & listen to […]
“Steelers make a wish come true”
Young Kendrek not only got to meet #43 at Steelers practice, but a lot of his teammates too, including #7!
From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com:
Kendrek Tarver couldn’t stand still, so excited to be watching the Steelers practice on Friday afternoon and see his favorite player Troy Polamalu in person.
Tarver, who is from Baltimore, Maryland, attended practice and will be at Sunday night’s game against the Bears as a part of the Steelers commitment to Make-A-Wish. Tarver has Muscular Dystrophy, something he was born with but showed up when he was around five years old.
“This is good to make him happy, let him meet people he plays on Madden and watches on television,” said his mother Michelle Tarver. “It’s just exciting. It fills my heart that he is happy and got to do something he wanted to do.”
You can see more great photos, including on of Kendrek posing with his favorite player, here!
September’s Fan Photos are here!
Just last month, Steelers Mexico sent photos and a message to show Big Ben that they “had his back”. Well, closer to home the Harr Family does too!
This Party of 5 shows their support for #7!
Season ticket holders Brian, Hannah, Hunter, Hayleigh, and Shelly Harr.
“We LOVE the Steelers! I grew up in Pittsburgh, but now live in St. Clairsville, Ohio, after marrying Brian. We had our wedding reception at Heinz Field (no place with a better view than the East Club Lounge)! We are now passing along our love of the Steelers to our three children, who are learning how to wave their terrible towels with pride!” — Rachelle “Shelly” Harr
Three little cheers for Big Ben!
This is big sister Destiny Boulton, age 7, with Marissa Boulton, age 4, and Landon Beauregard at 7 months, posing for a their family photo – their Steeler Nation family photo!
Meet Ashton Drennon and his big brother, Chase have much to celebrate this month!
“This little Steelers fan was born April 23, 2010 with a tumor in his abdomen; he was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, a “rare” childhood cancer a few days later. He started chemotherapy at 2 weeks old! Within the first year of his life he endured 4 rounds of chemotherapy, 2 surgeries, several blood transfusions, numerous IV sedations, permanent hearing loss and MUCH, MUCH more; but in the end, he came out a SURVIVOR! Take that cancer! However, even going through all that, he is a lucky one. He has lost several friends in the last few years. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month; the same month that Ashton will celebrate 2 years CANCER FREE! We are so blessed to have our son still with us today. He and his brothers continue to amaze and entertain us every day! The boys can usually be found running around the house decked out in their Steeler gear or pretending to be Big Ben as they launch the football at each other! Ashton is super proud to show off his black and yellow hearing aids, especially during football season! GO STEELERS!” — Brian Drennon
You can find some of the Drennon Family’s favorite links for cancer organizations […]
Fall fun is just around the corner…
In fact, you can find it this weekend at Irons Mill Farmstead, an agritourism farm located in scenic Western Pennsylvania!
Beginning this Saturday, September 21st, you can join the Milliron Family in not only welcoming in the season, but supporting the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at the same time!
Irons Mill Farmstead has a 10-acre corn maze, gigantic jumping pillow, tire mountain, hay maze, super slides, farm animals, pumpkins, and tons of fun for kids from 2 to 92.
Did we mention that the corn maze is not just any run of the mill corn maze! This is STEELERS COUNTRY so we’re talking about a 10-acre STEELERS CORN MAZE!
“This year we decided to make our corn maze design STEELERS! In doing so, we like to choose a relevant organization to work with to offer a fundraising opportunity. We chose the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation as a way to show our appreciation to those men and women in our police and fire depts. who risk their lives to serve and protect us. Our family is thankful for the incredible sacrifices they make each and every day. As a family farm, we know the important role animals play in all of our lives. It is so neat to see how the unique talents of animals can be utilized for such amazing things! We love the fact that we can support the men and women who rely on highly trained animals for support and protection.” — Stacy Milliron
Irons Mill Farmstead is located at 252 Greenfield Road in New Wilmington.
Just click on this link and print out the poster to take advantage of their money-saving coupons while helping benefit Ben’s Foundation:
http://www.givingback.org/documents/roethlisberger3.pdf
You can also visit Irons Mill Farmstead’s website here and “like” their Facebook page here!
*The “buy one, get one free” admission offer is for the first weekend (Sept 21-22nd) only, but the $1 off admission price is for the rest of the season (Sept 27-Oct 27th). They are open Fridays 1pm-dusk, and Saturdays & Sundays 11am-dusk starting September 21st through October 27th.
Thank you so much to Rob & Stacy Milliron!
Fall is also the perfect time…
Wednesday’s Q&A with the media
“I think everyone is looking at it as way more than it is. The older guys have met three or four time now – throughout OTA’s, we did it during mini camps, and we did it during training camp, and we said we wanted to meet periordically just to talk about the the state of the team, and where we were and things we need to do as leaders and older guys on this team. I think now is a just good time for us to get together and talk. It’s not a panic-type thing, it’s just a good time for us to get together and talk.” — Ben, on their upcoming player-only meeting.
Ben is also asked about the 0-2 start, Heath “the best tight end in the game” Miller; the wide receivers; the Bears defense; receivers lobbying for more catches, “I’ve gotten a lot of nice gifts from guys”; the confusion right after the Paulson fumble; the no-huddle and two-minute modes; and working with his offensive coordinator.
You can watch & listen here (video)!
The Ben Roethlisberger Show: Everyone Needs To Rediscover The Steeler Way
From Ben’s segment on 93.7 The Fan this morning during the Vinnie & Cook Show:
Hours after a tough loss at Cincinnati, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger joins Vinnie & Cook for his weekly appearance on Sportsradio 93.7 The Fan.
Roethlisberger says the Steelers’ 0-2 start is “uncharted territory,” and reveals that he is calling a meeting with the other veteran players.
“We’re going to sit down and talk and figure out a way to right the ship and make sure that these young guys know that this is unacceptable,” he says. “And it starts with all of us older guys. Maybe us older guys need to revisit it ourselves, because we need to find a better way of letting these guys know what it means to be a Pittsburgh Steeler.”
“Maybe that means bringing in the Lombardi [trophies] and setting them in the team meeting room and putting up the Hall of Fame pictures and all that stuff.”
Ben also reveals the physical toll the loss to Cincinnati took on his body.
“You wake up in the morning and you start to feel all the little shots,” he says. “The neck’s hurting, the back’s hurting, the ankles are hurting, the bruises are starting to come through. It doesn’t feel like flag football this morning, I’ll tell you that.”
Ben offers his theories on the team’s offensive woes, gives kudos to new center Fernando Velasco, and explains why balance is the key when it comes to a sound offensive scheme.
You can listen to the podcast here!
*Thank you to 93.7 The Fan & CBS Pittsburgh!