Posted on 12/26/2004 7:31:24 AM PST by beyond the sea
Ben Roethlisberger can take it full circle today against the Ravens. Back on Sept. 19 in Baltimore, the rookie quarterback was flung into the NFL's high seas, sink or swim. Today, he can skipper the Steelers to the AFC's treasure island, the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
"That first game, he got his feet wet,'' receiver Hines Ward said. "He's in the water now."
Roethlisberger went from "some little young kid who's just out of college" -- Alan Faneca's infamous description -- to royalty in Pittsburgh in the past three months. He's 12-0, a Pro Bowl alternate, Dapper Dan Man of the Year, a David Letterman guest, Big Ben, with sandwiches and untold babies named after him. He hasn't lost in the past 25 games, going back to his days at Miami (Ohio), as a starter. He did taste losing Sept. 19 when he replaced injured Tommy Maddox early in the third quarter and threw two touchdowns and two interceptions in a 30-13 Ravens victory.
It is the only Steelers loss in a 13-1 season. One more victory, either today or next Sunday in Buffalo, would earn the Steelers a bye in the first round of the playoffs, setting the stage for two victories at home to reach the Super Bowl in Jacksonville.
(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...
It's tough to believe the kid is too big for his britches. It ain't braggin' if he can do it. It's also tough to believe there could be much resentment for 13 and 1.
Word on the street is that the Steelers' locker room ain't the happy place it should be at this point. Some of the veterans seem to think Big Ben is getting a little too big for his britches.Roethlisberger really hasn't been all that impressive if you look at his numbers. He's more Mike Kruczek than Terry Bradshaw. He benefits from having a tremendous OL (and the resulting running game) and, ironically, from being a little hesitant. He takes sacks at times when Stewart would have tried to force a play and fumbled or thrown a pick. The main reason the Squealers have been so good, their D, has been overlooked.
Luke McCown is going to be a better NFL quarterback than Roethlisberger, if the Browns ever get him a line (D'Brickshaw Ferguson....come on down).
-Eric
Just telling you what's coming, off the record, from the beat reporters who cover the locker room. None of them will report it officially, for obvious reasons.
Sounds a bit like disease that has infected the Dimocrats.
Those supposed rumored "unhappy" players wouldn't be suffering from the same thing, would they?
I mean ... I mean ... they are all team players, right?
Try to be an adult.
Guess who the backup QB for the Ravens is??Pun intended?
-Eric
That's BS. Ben gives more credit to his teammates than any other quarterback I've ever watched. You never get the feeling listening to this guy or the other offensive players that there is anything but mutual respect.
What street are you hanging out on in Pittsburgh, by the way?
Yep, sure thing. The particluar player voicing these concerns used to be the media darling in Pittsburgh before Big Ben took off.
Cordell Stewart is no pun. Pun(k) maybe.
I am still trying to figure out how Miami beat New England last monday.
Buffalo, Jacksonville, the Ravens, and Denver are all currently vying for the final playoff spot in the AFC (assuming the Jets win one of their final two games, they have the fifth spot). Denver won last night to go to 9 - 6. Ravens, Bills and Jags are all 8 - 6 this morning. I just don't think 9- 7 will get them in (and that's assuming the Ravens beat Miami next week). Today:
Jags vs Houston
Buffalo vs San Fran
Ravens vs Pitt
NY Jets vs Pats
Oh man, not that rumor again!
Hubby and our 13 year old daughter are at the game. We were fortunate to find tickets...it was her favorite Christmas gift!
I still am worried about this game, but I'm glad to see that the long range forecast for Buffalo is decent weather for next week.
I just hope Burress does not hurt anything worse today as he tries to play a little, and I pray that 'The Bus' stays as healthy as he is. I am astounded by the way he's running!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
the kid's looked more ordinary as of late, but keeping it in context, his poise at that age is really something. new england's slip-up in Miami sets the table for the Steelers, and a potential rematch with those Pats in Pittsburgh.
Maybe what he was trying to say was that we need not win this week in order to have all the homefield advantage. A win next week can do the same thing.
I say .... let's get it over with in the next few hours!
www.mcmillenandwife.com
LOL!
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