Roethlisberger passes another key test
JACKSONVILLE – Through this nine-game winning streak, the Steelers haven’t asked rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to win many games. He led them from behind in Dallas, but other than that, Roethlisberger has had the luxury of protecting leads by making safe plays. All the Steelers asked him to do Sunday night against the Jacksonville Jaguars was be better than perfect.
Roethlisberger compiled a passer rating of 158.3 in the first half, which is the highest possible rating a quarterback can achieve. Roethlisberger completed 6-of-7 passes before intermission for 119 yards and two touchdowns without an interception.
But as the third quarter wound down, Jacksonville kicker Josh Scobee kicked his second 20-yard field goal of the half to cut Pittsburgh’s lead to a digit, 14-13.
In the fourth quarter, Roethlisberger would have to be better than perfect or the nine-game winning streak would be over. It was that simple after the Jaguars’ offense moved the Steelers’ defense all over the field in the third quarter. Jacksonville did everything but score a touchdown against Pittsburgh’s defense.
Roethlisberger got it started with an 18-yard completion to Antwaan Randle El on the last play of the third quarter and Duce Staley started the fourth with an 8-yard run. Former Steeler linebacker Jason Gildon sacked Roethlisberger to bring up a third-and-9. He converted with an 11-yard screen pass to Randle El.
The gain was reduced to 9 yards when a Jacksonville challenge was upheld and the Steelers had to punt.
Still, there was time and, of course, the Steelers still led by a point. Pittsburgh’s defense moved front-and-center. Pittsburgh needed a stop in the worst way. The defense was tired, having played most of the third quarter in the first game in this streak in which the Steelers did not dominate time of possession.
After Fred Taylor picked up 9 yards on first down, Pittsburgh stuffed the next two runs and forced a punt. The defense got a valuable rest and Roethlisberger got another chance to make a few plays to pad the precarious lead.
Randle El fumbled the punt return out of bounds and Oliver Ross was called for holding to move the ball to the Steelers’ 17-yard line. Roethlisberger passed to Hines Ward, who had disappeared after catching three passes on Pittsburgh’s first scoring drive, for 15 yards. Staley ran for 2, bringing up third-and-3. Roethlisberger then made the play his team had been waiting for.
He avoided a second Gildon sack and scrambled for 20 yards and picked up 15 more on a personal foul penalty against the Jaguars for a late hit.
The Steelers were at the far end of kicker Jeff Reed’s range and two Staley runs netted four yards, bringing up third-and-6. This time, Roethlisberger was sacked by Deon Grant and another Chris Gardocki punt fell into the end zone.
As Yogi Berra would say, it was d?j? vu all over again. Only a few minutes earlier, the Steelers defense was in the same spot, needing a stop to help the quarterback and win a game. This time, only 6:44 remained in the game, with only a point separating the teams.
Jimmy Smith picked up 12 yards on a sideline pass play, then couldn’t run under a deep Byron Leftwich pass, making it second-and-10. Taylor then ran for 18 yards into Pittsburgh territory at the 49-yard line.
Pittsburgh’s defense needed a stop badly and Clark Haggans and Troy Polamalu converged on Leftwich for a 5-yard sack to bring up third-and-12. James Farrior stopped Troy Edwards short of the sticks, but Chris Hope was called for illegal contact, giving Jacksonville new life.
Smith moved the ball to the Steelers’ 35-yard line and Taylor ran the Jaguars into field goal range with a 9-yard gain. He gained another for a first down and the Steelers started calling time outs, in hopes of getting the ball back with some time on the clock if Scobee could give Jacksonville the lead.
Taylor ran for 7 more to the Steelers’ 18-yard line and, after another Steelers timeout, the Jaguars faced third-and-3. He was stuffed on third down at the 2-minute warning to set the stage for Scobee’s 36-yard field goal try.
The kick was good and Jacksonville led for the first time, 16-14, with 1:55 remaining.
The defense had failed to hold the lead. It was time for Roethlisberger to either win the game or go down trying.
After an offside penalty against the Jaguars, Roethlisberger passed to Randle El for a gain out to the 42-yard line. He followed that with an 18-yard gain to Lee Mays and the Steelers were at Jacksonville’s 40-yard line. Willie Parker ran for 11 to the 29-yard line before Mays caught another for 9 yards.
Roethlisberger let the clock run down on second down and spiked it with 23 seconds remaining to set up Jeff Reed for the game-winning 37-yard field goal.
Roethlisberger completed all three of his throws for 30 yards on the drive.
Reed converted with 18 seconds left and he … and Roethlisberger … were heroes.
Such is life when things are going your way.
And, oh, by the way, Roethlisberger wasn’t quite perfect in the second half. His passer rating for the game was only 158.0.
Not perfect, but good enough.
The legend of Big Ben lives for another week.
Mike Ciarochi may be reached at mciarochi@heraldstandard.com