…is a big compliment!


From Bob Labriola at Steelers.com this morning:

The Steelers have made the mistake of depending upon an injured RB in the playoffs before.

Saw the playoff runs in both 1996 and 2001 die at least partly as a result of the decision to play an injured franchise running back.

In 1996, the defending AFC Champion Steelers crushed Indianapolis, 42-14, in the Wild Card Round at Three Rivers Stadium, a game in which Jerome Bettis rushed 25 times for 102 yards, scored two touchdowns, and sustained a significant groin injury. Bettis gutted out 13 carries for 43 yards the following weekend, but the Steelers lost to the Patriots, 28-3, in the Foxborough fog.

In 2001, the 13-3 Steelers entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the AFC, and Jerome Bettis had been the hub of the offense while rushing for 1,072 yards in 11-plus games that season before injuring a groin on Dec. 9. After the bye, the Steelers’ first game in the 2001 playoffs was a rubber match against the Ravens, but the plan to return Bettis to the lineup was sabotaged when his whole leg accidently was numbed during a pregame injection. The Steelers still crushed the Ravens, 27-10. Bettis would play the next weekend, but he was neither healthy nor in sync with what the offense had become, and as a result he was ineffective in a 24-17 loss to the Patriots at Heinz Field.

Le’Veon Bell’s injury and where this Steelers offense is right now in its development creates a completely, completely different situation for this team than was the reality for the 1996 and 2001 Steelers teams. But there is an underlying lesson, and that is this: don’t hang the team’s hopes on an injured player.

Of course the glaring difference between this team and those is that this one has Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback and those didn’t.

For everything he contributed to the Steelers getting to January with an 11-5 record and a division championship in the hopper, Le’Veon Bell isn’t the Steelers best offensive player. Back then, Jerome Bettis WAS the Steelers. This leads to one final point about the election of Le’Veon Bell as the Steelers MVP this year. What should be reiterated is that this was the outcome of […]

Did you miss Ben’s radio show this morning on 93.7 The Fan? No worries, we have the highlights:

Coming off a win against the Cincinnati Bengals that locked up the No. 3-seed in the playoffs and a first-round home game against the Baltimore Ravens, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger joined “The Cook and Poni Show” for his weekly “Ben Roethlisberger Show.”

The biggest storyline coming out of that victory over the Bengals was the knee injury suffered by running back Le’Veon Bell that has his status for the first round of the playoffs in question. Roethlisberger addressed that injury and whether or not he expects to have the team MVP in the backfield this week.

“You know what, I’m not sure,” Roethlisberger said. “I talked to him a little bit yesterday, he seemed to be in good spirits, he seemed to be doing well, but I’m not a doctor so I can’t tell you exactly what’s going on. He’s going to have to just see how he progresses throughout the week. He’ll do everything he can I know to get on that field.”

If the team is without Bell, Roethlisberger gave us a glimpse into what the offense could look like.

“I don’t know if we’ll have to revamp it considerably,” Ben speculated. “We’ll get some runs that the other guys are best at, we’ll make sure that everyone is ready to go with maybe some no-huddle, more passing maybe, some empty stuff. We’ll see, we’ll kind of put together a plan and see how it goes throughout the week.”

When asked if the Steelers keep track of what the Ravens are doing like the Ravens keep tabs on them, Ben said he personally doesn’t worry about what their rivals are doing on a week to week basis. “I don’t, not unless we’re getting ready to play them…It’s got to be about you and about your team.”

Ben also looked at what the future may hold for offensive coordinator Todd Haley as he’s leading one of the league’s top offenses and may be a candidate for one of the four head coaching spots already opened up across the NFL.

“He’s done it, he’s been there, he’s done that. I think it’s just a matter if he wants […]

“When Ben Roethlisberger threw for his second six-touchdown game in as many weeks, the game ball became destined for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, where it will be exhibited forever.” — BR Productions.

A BR Productions exclusive:

We’ve got a behind-the-scenes look at the journey a ball takes to become an exhibit at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

When Ben Roethlisberger threw for his second six-touchdown game in as many weeks, the game ball became destined for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, where it will be exhibited forever.

Final Score: Steelers 27, Bengals 17

“It feels good. We’ll enjoy this for about 12 hours and get ready to get back to work.” — Ben, on the Steelers winning the AFC North title.

From Will Graves at the AP this morning:

Ben Roethlisberger spoke quietly while teammates raucously pulled on AFC North champion T-shirts around him. The Pittsburgh quarterback has been here before.

“Hopefully, the journey is not over,” Roethlisberger said. “I’m not going to talk about journeys and where we are. We’re still going.”

Even if they might be a little short-handed. Actually, make that a lot short-handed.

The Steelers reclaimed a spot the NFL franchise has considered practically a birthright this millennium with a 27-17 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday night. They turned away a late charge on Antwon Blake’s timely strip of Bengals wide receiver AJ Green and Antonio Brown’s ensuing 63-yard catch and run for the clinching score.

Pittsburgh (11-5) earned their first division title since 2010 and sixth since 2000 by sweeping the season series from the Bengals (10-5-1). The Steelers are the No 3 seed in the AFC and will host Baltimore in the wild-card round Saturday night. Pittsburgh split two games with the Ravens this season, each team winning at home.


You can read more here.

“He played his butt off. My hat’s off to that guy, man. He didn’t bat an eye. He wasn’t perfect — but neither was any of us, also. Tough dude. I told him after his first touchdown I appreciated him because a lot of guys would have tapped out in that situation.” — Ramon Foster on Ben.

And from Chris Adamski at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Ben Roethlisberger missed pregame warm-ups Sunday because of what the Steelers called “a minor stomach virus.”

By the time the virtual AFC North championship game ended, it was the Bengals who were left feeling sick.

Roethlisberger, though visibly weakened and speaking softly, felt much better after the game than he did before it.

“We won,” he said after a 27-17 against Cincinnati that clinched the AFC North division title, “so I feel pretty good.”

Sunday’s performance — 24 for 38, 317 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and one lost fumble — wasn’t Roethlisberger’s finest this season. But it did cap the […]

…for Steeler Nation!

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from Ben, Ashley, Benjamin Jr. & Baylee!

Steelers to say ‘Thank You Fans’ on Sunday with prizes and giveaways before and during the game. Arrive early and be ready for the huge AFC North showdown.

“We enjoy calling Heinz Field home. We have the best fans in all of football. We love it when they get loud, and rowdy and make it hard on the other team. We look forward to having another one of those type of games this week.” — Ben.

From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com today:

The AFC North title will be on the line Sunday night when the Steelers host the Cincinnati Bengals at Heinz Field, and the atmosphere will be electric.

Steelers’ fans are encouraged to arrive early for the 8:30 p.m. kickoff, and wave their Terrible Towels at kickoff when a nationwide audience will be watching, showing the world why Steelers fans are the best.

The support of Steelers’ fans all throughout the year is a huge boost to the players and coaches, and on Sunday night the organization is showing their appreciation for fans as it’s the ‘Thank You Fans’ game.

The first 5,000 fans to arrive will receive a Steelers Nation Unite Terrible Towel, and all 65,000 in attendance will receive a special ‘Thank You Fans’ scratch off ticket where they can win a variety of prizes.

In addition, throughout the game fans will be selected to win prizes that range from in-stadium food and beverage to Heinz Field concert tickets and one lucky winner will take home a 55” inch flat screen television.

So, arrive early and be ready to cheer on the Steelers as they battle for the AFC North title.


You can read more here.