Ron Cook: Don’t write off season just yet
From Mr. Cook’s column at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette today:
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had a brief chat with linebacker James Farrior near the end of their 35-7 smackdown Sunday by the Baltimore Ravens. It was a man-to-man talk. It was a captain-to-captain talk. And it wasn’t anything like you might imagine.
“There’s not much we can do about this game. Let’s just make sure we stay together and keep fighting as an offense and a defense. Let’s don’t let anything come between us. I know we won’t.”
I know what a leader Roethlisberger has become. He played a miserable game Sunday against a team he had owned and had beaten seven consecutive times. But his body language never betrayed him. He knew he couldn’t afford to sulk. He knew teammates were watching him.
“I grabbed the offense and told the guys, ‘The season isn’t won or lost today. The division isn’t won or lost today. We just have to regroup,’ ” Roethlisberger said.
Presumably, Farrior said the same thing to his defense. I know what a leader he is, as well.
Most of all, I know what a leader coach Mike Tomlin is.
Is it really that much of a stretch to think Tomlin will bring the Steelers back again?
Not for me.
You can read more of his column here.
Also Today:
Over 500 passing yards in a game? Ben there, done that!
Last night, the Patriots’ Tom Brady became just the 11th quarterback in the 92 year history of the NFL to pass for more than 500 yards in a single game as his team won 34- 24 against the Dolphins in Miami.
It’s an exclusive club that includes Hall of Famers like Norm Van Brocklin, Y.A. Tittle, Dan Marino and Warren Moon.
It’s a club that also includes Big Ben. He is also just the third player to throw for 500 yards and 3 TDs without an interception:
Norm Van Brocklin – 554 yards, 5 TDs
Warren Moon – 527 yards, 5 TDs
Boomer Esiason – 522 yards, 3 TDs
Dan Marino – 521 yards, 3 TDs
Tom Brady – 517 yards, 4 TDs
Phil Simms […]
Ben: We’ll come back stronger than ever”
“I need to play a lot better. It’s the first one, first game of the year. I grabbed our offense at the end and just talked to them and said, ‘the season’s not won or lost today, the division’s not won or lost. We just dug ourselves a little hole. We’ll be all right. We’ll learn and will come back stronger than ever.'” — Ben, after the game.
More from Ben post-game:
“It hurts so much to lose but you can’t quit, you can’t give up. That’s probably what I’m most proud of, the offense, the defense – never quitting. Even to the last couple plays we’re out there trying to score. They didn’t give up.
“It was just one of those days. But this was good for us. We just have to watch the film, and get those mistakes corrected. I told the guys on the sideline you can’t quit. You can’t give up. and I was proud that everybody kept going.
“I guess they were waiting for this one. It’s not the way you want to start it for us, obviously.
“I’d rather this be a Week 1 loss than a Week 13, 14, 15 loss.”
On how he “felt” out there:
“This might sound crazy, but I felt more comfortable identifying, seeing what was going on out there probably than ever when we’ve played these guys. Saw the coverages, saw the blitzes, and just felt like maybe I was off today. I’m not sure, I need to go back and look at film to give you a better answer. It wasn’t like we were out there and I was confused. I felt good. They just made plays and the ball got away from me…we dug ourselves a little hole but we’ll come back and be ready to play.”
On the play of the Raven’s Terrell Suggs:
“I said it all along, he’s one of the best I’ve played against, and he really got after us today.”
You can see video from some of his post-game interview here (after Coach Tomlin).
And…
Just a few (of many messages) from Steeler Nation, via the site’s Facebook page:
“Don’t see any championship rings being handed out today, it’s a long season to go. Let’s see who wins when it matters most. Keep on slinging Ben.” — Chris […]
Ben: A tough character
From Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
“Broken Beak is Ben’s Badge of Baltimore Courage”
By now, you might have heard Ben Roethlisberger plays pretty well against the Baltimore Ravens.
You probably also know some of Roethlisberger’s signature moments against the Ravens.
But you’ll never guess the career highlight Roethlisberger most cherishes against the Ravens.
Would you believe it’s his broken nose in the game in Baltimore last season?
“What makes me smile about that is I know people from Homestead, McKeesport, places all over the city… real Steelers fans everywhere were watching and saw the blood all over the place,” Roethlisberger said. “I hope they said, ‘That’s our guy. He’s one of us. He never came out. He never quit. He’s pretty tough.”
You can read the article here.
The “Look Back” quote from that game:
“Ben Roethlisberger, you have to give him credit – with all that he’s been through to stand in there and play the way he played today for that football team says a great deal to his football team, to the organization, to the whole city – ‘I am committed and I am here to play for this football team.’ He deserves some love for the way he battled today.” – NFL HOF player and NFL Network analyst Michael Irvin (December 5, 2010).
Also Today:
From Will Graves, the Associated Press:
“Steelers offense primed for breakout year”
Call it part of Roethlisberger’s continuing maturation. Entering his eighth year, Roethlisberger has such a command of the system, offensive coordinator Bruce Arians believes his quarterback could call an entire game with ease.
He showed flashes of it two years ago while throwing for 4,328 yards operating out of a no huddle. Last season, working behind a patchwork offensive line, Roethlisberger led the Steelers to the Super Bowl.
Now, the line is healthy and the players at the skill positions have never been deeper. Roethlisberger’s teammates think he could be sitting on a career year and finally join the likes of Tom Brady and Peyton […]
From Steeler Nation
As we head into the 2011 season….
“Dear Ben and the Pittsburgh Steelers, my family and I are so excited for the upcoming season. Ben, you are a special quarterback (the best!) and you are leading a great team on the field. Thanks for being a wonderful role model for the kids and making football so exciting to watch. My son Zachary Martin and I had a wonderful time at your camp this year and he was lucky enough to play a little football with you at the camp. He will cherish that memory for life!! Have a wonderful season and we will be watching from home or at the game!! LETS GO STEELERS. #7 will lead us to #7 Ring!!!!” — Lori Martin
“I am proud to have you as my quarterback Ben. I am proud that you are our captain of OUR team and represent OUR men. I am extremely proud of the man you have become out of your tribulations. I told everyone that you were going to be fine. And I’m proud to say that while I can’t swoon you away with my sweet valley girl voice, I was right about one thing: You’re fine, you’re back, and stronger than ever. DO THIS BABY.” — Love, your biggest fan Denise Blanton (her three boys are in the photo above)
“We would like to wish Big Ben and the Steelers good luck in the season opener. And good health through the entire season. We will be cheering for them on game day.” — Your die hard Steelers fans in Fort Worth, Texas – The Rodriguez Family,
“Good Luck this Sunday Big Ben and all the Steelers!! Whoop, Whoop! It’s STEELERS NATION!! Take out that Terrible Towel and wave it high with pride!!”— Tom, Jackson, NJ
“Ben and all of my Steelers! Play smart… stay safe and know you have the support of a Nation behind you!! From sea to shining sea… it’s STEELER NATION! Looking forward to a great season! There is something very […]
The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation announces first grant of 2011
Today, Ben announced the first grant of the 2011 season from The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at The Giving Back Fund.
The foundation will be distributing a grant to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, in Rockville, MD – just outside of Baltimore where the Steelers will play the Ravens on Sunday, September 11th.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office will use the grant to purchase four “K9 Storm” bullet proof vests, to help protect the department’s four highly specialized canine teams.
All members of the Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit are trained as dual purpose K9s for the detection of explosives as well as patrol functions. The grant will add another level of safety for the canines while they handle their duties both in and around the Montgomery County area, protecting the lives and property of the citizens of Maryland and surrounding states.
The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation is distributing grants to police and fire departments in Pittsburgh and in the cities and surrounding communities of each regular season away game for the Steelers in the 2011 season. The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation invited police and fire departments in the nine cities to submit proposals detailing their needs.
Montgomery County, Maryland, Sheriff Darren M. Popkin acknowledging the 2011 police K-9 grant stated: “The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation program recognizes the importance of well-trained K-9 teams as part our overall law enforcement efforts. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office K-9 dogs are cross trained for search, patrol and explosive detection duties. The grant funds will provide our dogs with vests that protect them from attacks with firearms and knifes while engaged in their duties.”
For more information:
Check out Ben’s Foundation page here and the Giving Back Fund’s website here.
“Ben has come back and has become the leader of this team”
From Mark Kaboly, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review today:
Last year, after an offseason full of turmoil, Ben Roethlisberger’s teammates sent him a message by not voting him a team captain for the first time in three years.
His teammates sent a different message Sunday, voting Roethlisberger offensive co-captain for the third time in the past four years.
“Anytime you are voted captain by your teammates, it means a good deal to you,” tight end Heath Miller said, who replaced Roethlisberger as captain last year. “Ben has come back and has become the leader of this team, and that was indicative today.”
You can read more here.
Also Today:
From Scott Brown, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, a “short Q&A” with Ben:
Q: What does it mean to have the support to get voted a captain?
A: “It means a lot to be a captain of this team with all of the past captains and great players that have played here on this team.”
You can read more of the interview here.
And:
From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com this evening:
It doesn’t matter if they are ready or not, it makes no difference if it’s how they want to start the season. The bottom line is this – the Steelers open the 2011 regular season this Sunday in Baltimore and that means game on.
“We’ve got to be ready to play,” said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
“It’s a divisional game, any time we play a divisional opponent it means a little more for all of us. It’s the first game of the year, it doesn’t matter who we are playing, we are going to get up and get excited for it. You get a divisional opponent right from the get go. Both teams are in the same boat. It’s the first game for both teams. It’s a physical game. It you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. We consider them one of the best.”
You can read more here.