Respect….


From WTAE-Channel 4 this evening:

As usual, there will be plenty at stake when the Steelers (8-3) and Ravens (8-3) clash Sunday night. But the hype has been surprisingly, and to some unfortunately, tame.

Asked if he hated the Ravens, Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger replied, “I don’t hate anybody. That’s a very harsh word.”

Pressed to explain the reason behind his 7-2 record as a starter against Baltimore, Roethlisberger offered: “I have no idea. Luck?”

Baltimore running back Ray Rice was asked whether the rivalry was based more on hate or respect. He began talking before the question was completed.

“I didn’t mean to cut you off, but I learned from my own leader on this team – and that’s Ray Lewis – the power of respect is to never disrespect,” Rice said. “That’s first and foremost about playing the Pittsburgh Steelers. We respect them. That’s what the rivalry has all been about.”


Rivalry…

“Just based on previous matchups, one could assume that there’s a chance that this is going to be a close football game,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said.

Baltimore hasn’t beaten Pittsburgh with Roethlisberger starting at quarterback since 2006.

“Well, there’s no game better than this one to break that streak,” said Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs, who has 11 career sacks against the Steelers.


You can read the rest here.

Today, Ben announced the eighth grant of the 2010 season from The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation.

The foundation will be distributing a grant to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, located in Rockville, Maryland, just outside of Baltimore where the Steelers take on the Ravens this Sunday.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office will use the grant to purchase explosive detection training supplies and equipment for the continued training of their explosive detection K-9 units.

The grant will put more certified and much needed explosive detection K-9 units on the street to protect the lives and the property of the citizens of Maryland and the surrounding states.

Sheriff Darren M. Popkin said, “As the Sheriff-elect in Montgomery County, Maryland, it is my honor as one of my first official acts, to acknowledge the generosity of The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation for their grant for our K-9 explosive detection training program. The grant will allow the Sheriff’s Office to expand our explosive detection training for the Sheriff’s Office and other affiliated law enforcement agencies in our region.” Sheriff Popkin, who was sworn in yesterday, added, “Attempted detection of concealed explosives is an extremely sensitive and hazardous undertaking. Ben Roethlisberger’s foundation’s grant will improve our K-9 expertise and provide years of enhanced explosive detection training.”

Ben’s foundation has been giving grants for use in the purchase of K-9 dogs and equipment, assisting with training and even veterinary bills, to police and fire departments across the country since 2006.

Every city in which Ben plays football is eligible, so regardless of what team wins, the community where they play always comes out a winner.

The idea for the foundation came from Ben’s father, Ken. In 2006, a K-9 police dog in Findlay, Ohio named “Flip”, was shot and killed.

“I’ve always been a dog person,” Ben said. “So it just made sense to do this. A couple of months later, my dad asked, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to buy a dog for every city that you play in?'”


For more information, check out Ben’s Foundation page here.

For information on the Giving Back Fund, click here.


You can also contact them directly:

Stephanie Sandler
The Giving Back Fund
310.649.5222
ssandler@givingback.org



Also Today:

Ben on the cover…

Ben is the cover boy for the latest issue (Dec. […]

“It’s an AFC North game. Any time we play an AFC North team to me it’s a huge rivalry. I think people make a really big deal about it because it’s kind of a marquee NFL matchup. It’s usually decided by a few points. It’s usually hard-hitting. It’s usually a prime-time game. I think that’s why it’s made such a big deal of.” — Ben talked to reporters today after practice about the Steelers vs Ravens rivalry.

Looking ahead to Sunday…


From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette‘s Ed Bouchette:

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger strapped on a fortified right shoe and went through nearly a full practice with his Steelers teammates today.

“I only missed probably 10-15 snaps,” said Roethlisberger, who has a sprained right foot. “We did some different kind of looks to adapt and make it so we could still do stuff, so I think it went fairly well.”

“It hurts because it’s my plant foot, my right foot. When I hit the ground, I want to get the ball out.”

He vowed that he will play Sunday night in Baltimore.

“I’ll find a way to make it happen.”


You can read his column here and more from Mr. Bouchette here.



From Ben’s interview after practice today, shown on NFL Network:

On whether there is any doubt he will play Sunday –

“Not in my mind. I want to play all the time.”


On playing with the sprain –

“John Norwig, the mastermind that we have at trainer, and I are in the middle of putting together a cleat that kind of has some stability in it to keep me from moving the foot. Hopefully we’ll come up with something good that I can take the boot off and put the cleat on, but it’ll have the same stability of the boot.

“You know I’m going to give it my all. You know that. I will not be out there if I’m going to hurt this team. If I can help the team win, I’ll be out there.”


Update: You can check out Ben’s locker room interview at Steelers.com.



From an article featured in the L.A. Times:

When Ben Roethlisberger plays under center, the Steelers rarely lose to the rival Ravens.

Ben Roethlisberger is the […]

From Mike Bires this morning in the Beaver County Times:

Considering the way he plays the game, it’s mind-boggling that anyone would ever question Roethlisberger’s manhood.

But on Sunday in Buffalo, Roethlisberger showed again what most expert NFL observers already know. There is nothing soft about the way Roethlisberger plays football.

He’s clearly one of the best QBs in the game, and he just might be the toughest.

He’s a big, strong guy who’s tough to bring down. He’s not afraid to run with the ball when he has to. And as he proved in the 19-16 overtime win over the Bills, Roethlisberger can play in pain.

Late in the second quarter, Roethlisberger suffered a sprained foot. He limped off the field as the Steelers headed into the locker room at halftime.

But in the second half, he didn’t miss a snap. He kept making plays…


You can read the rest of Mr. Bires column here.



From Ron Cook in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Did you see Roethlisberger in the 19-16 overtime win against the Bills?

“I told him after the game, ‘I’m happy to be on your team. I’m glad I’m playing with you,’ ” wide receiver Hines Ward said.

Roethlisberger’s 18-yard scramble was, for me, the best play of the season. He made a spectacular move in the pocket to spin away from linebacker Chris Kelsay, who beat offensive tackle Flozell Adams to the outside. An instant later, feeling pressure from defensive end Marcus Stroud who was chasing him with foul intentions, he sprinted to his right.

“My thought process at that point is to get up to the line of scrimmage but not go over it,” Roethlisberger said. “People talk about me taking too many sacks and not going down and taking hits. But that’s just me. Whatever it takes to make a play.”


You can read the rest of Mr. Cook’s column here.



Also Today:

Injury Update –

Coach Tomlin doesn’t expect Ben’s foot sprain to keep him out of the game this Sunday in Baltimore.

“He might be limited somewhat tomorrow,” said Tomlin during his press conference. “I am going to be optimistic and hopeful and he may be a full participant, but there is a chance he couldn’t be.

“There is some pain and discomfort. We will see where the week takes us.”

Ben is wearing a walking boot to protect his right foot.

Media Notes & Quotes…


From the Huffington Post:

This Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Buffalo Bills match-up was a tale of two halves (and then some overtime). The Steelers completely dominated the Buffalo Bills in the first half, heading into the locker room with a 13-0 lead. But the Steelers blew the lead and had to keep this exciting. This game actually went into overtime. The Bills, who were predicted to go 0-16 this season, gave the six-time Super Bowl Champions a run for their money.

But it wasn’t so in the first half. On the very first drive, they went 78 yards, with running back Rashard Mendenhall scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run, his ninth rushing TD of the season. He also ran for a season-high 151 yards. It was a beautiful 13-play, 78-drive led by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger that took 7:54 off the clock.


You can read the rest here.



From ESPN‘s James Walker:

Key players stepped up in key moments for Pittsburgh. Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger didn’t have his best game. But he led a late scoring drive in overtime and had an 18-yard scramble in the fourth quarter to set up a pair of big field goals for Pittsburgh. New Steelers kicker Shaun Suisham made both clutch field goals in the fourth quarter and overtime, which surely will acclimate him in Pittsburgh’s locker room. He was 4-for-4 on field goals for the day. Suisham connected on field goal kicks of 45, 46, 48 and 41. Steelers safety Troy Polamalu also made an interception off a tipped ball late in the fourth quarter to prevent the Bills from scoring a potential go-ahead touchdown.


You can read his full blog here.



From the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

Buffalo’s Stevie Johnson sat with his head down at the end of the bench as Shaun Suisham hit a 41-yard field goal with 2:14 left in overtime to secure the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 19-16 victory over the Bills on Sunday.

The wide receiver was upset because he could’ve ended the game in the Bills’ favor on the previous possession by dropping what would have been a 40-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick.

In a game the Bills (2-9) proved they’re not all that bad, the Steelers (8-3) showed why they’re better.

The Steelers dominated […]

“Yeah he’s playing great. Coach [Tomlin] called him a gunslinger today and that’s kind of what he’s doing. He’s just coming out and playing fearless and he’s doing some great things. It’s really fun to watch.” — Ben on Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, from an article in the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle.

From The Sports Network:

A little history…

Pittsburgh holds an 11-8 lead in its all-time regular-season series with the Bills and has won seven of the last eight meetings between the teams, including the last three matchups. The Steelers posted a 26-3 victory at Heinz Field in the most recent encounter, which took place in 2007, and also prevailed in stops in Buffalo in both 2001 and 2004. Buffalo last topped Pittsburgh via a 24-21 decision at Ralph Wilson Stadium in 1999, the last year the Bills reached the playoffs.


You can read the rest of their preview here.



From the Sporting News:

For the fantasy football crowd…

Ben Roethlisberger and Co. can’t get caught looking ahead at a schedule that features the Ravens, Bengals and Jets over the next three weeks. Roethlisberger is averaging 263.2 yards with 12 touchdowns and four interceptions this season, and he should be able to move the ball against a Buffalo defense that has struggled to create sacks and interceptions.


You can read the rest here.



From the “Inside the Bills” blog at Bills official site:

Comparing the QB’s…

Roethlisberger and Fitzpatrick have been neck and neck all year in one important offensive category this season, third down passing. Roethlisberger is currently tops in the AFC (and the NFL) in third down passer rating with a figure of 119.6. Ryan Fitzpatrick is second in the AFC (4th in NFL) and a passer rating of 107.5.


You can read the rest of the blog here.



From the Steelers official site:

The rest of the way…

There isn’t any better time than now in the minds of the players to start a winning streak that they hope will extend their season.

“In this league you have to go on runs,” said Roethlisberger. “You want to get hot and you want to get hot at the end of the year […]