Batch was determined to win on a sad day for his city
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Charlie Batch grew up in Pittsburgh and returned to play as the Steelers reserve quarterback even though he could have gone elsewhere and made more money. He is one of the few Steelers players who lives in the city all year, so he understands the intensity and loyalty of their fans as well as anyone. Batch knows the Steelers are more than a team, they are very much a part of the fabric of their town.
So when Batch was unexpectedly needed to start the NFL opening-night game against Miami on Thursday, he felt the pressure to win. On an otherwise sad and somber day when the Steelers tried to uplift their city, Batch knew he couldn’t let anyone down.
“It was time to lead this team,” Batch said.
Batch did that in his first season-opening start in five years, throwing three touchdown passes and overcoming a potentially momentum-stopping fumble in the fourth quarter during a 28-17 victory. The three TD passes were two more than the former Detroit Lions starter had in the previous four seasons combined.
Batch admittedly had a busy week of preparation after learning Sunday that starter Ben Roethlisberger had needed an emergency appendectomy and couldn’t play.
“They throw a lot of things at you,” said Batch, 3-0 as a fill-in starter the last two seasons. “We had a lot in the game plan, and it took me longer this week to make sure I knew the game plan. It took me until Wednesday to know I had the right checks, that I was able to put our offense in the right position to go out there and execute.”
Batch had other worries on his mind. Hours before the game, Pittsburgh Mayor Bob O’Connor was buried following a somber funeral service. O’Connor, who died Friday of brain cancer, was a longtime Steelers season ticket holder who kept sitting in his regular grandstand seats while he was the city council president and, later, an aide to Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell.
To honor O’Connor, fans placed a picture of the mayor, bedecked in Steelers garb, and a wreath on his Heinz Field grandstand seat.
Batch runs a summer basketball league in his hometown of Homestead, which borders Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh recreation department officials are using his league as a model for their own.
“The city was down because of the funeral,” Batch said. “I wanted to dedicate this game, this performance to the mayor. I think there was a negative vibe in the city during the day but, through sports, you’re able to forget some of the things that are going on around you. When the tailgate parties started and the TV news coverage switched to the game, I think that was something that kind of eased the tension around the city.
“Being able to top it off with a victory helped to take it from a sad moment to a happy moment.”
Batch would like to start Sept. 18 at Jacksonville, but knows Roethlisberger will return if he is healthy. Still, it’s obvious Batch’s coaches and teammates don’t fear there will be a big letdown if Batch must play – a feeling not universally shared around the NFL about backup QBs.
“We hit a little adversity coming into the game with Ben going down,” wide receiver Hines Ward said. “But Charlie made some huge plays. The game kept going up and down, but we kept responding.”
“I don’t worry about Charlie Batch,” coach Bill Cowher said. “Charlie Batch is fine. He’s a very confident guy.”