DETROIT – Ben Roethlisberger was a 22-year-old rookie in 2004 when he came jogging onto the field against the Baltimore Ravens for his first play as a pro.
Originally, he was the Steelers’ third-string quarterback. The idea was to bring him along slowly, to let him learn. But starter Charlie Batch would miss the season with a knee injury. And on this day, backup Tommy Maddox went down with an elbow injury.
So it was time for the rookie to get some on-the-job training.
“He was very timid,” receiver Hines Ward said. “I remember he got into the huddle and a couple of the offensive linemen couldn’t hear the play because he was talking real softly. He was looking down, calling the play off the wristband. A lot of people couldn’t read his lips. It was a long day.”
Today, just a season later, teammates, coaches and opponents have gone off about the Steeler quarterback’s maturity. He is the true leader of the Steelers offense. He plays through injury. He praises and criticizes. He makes plays with both his arm and his legs. The respect he draws is palpable.
Roethlisberger is 23, but apparently, that’s just a number. He carries himself as a man. What’s more, he carries himself as The Man.
“I can’t say enough about our quarterback,” Steelers running back Jerome Bettis said. “His development is why we are here.”
The Seahawks led the NFL this season in sacks with 50. It’s reasonable to assume that a large part of the game plan is to get to Roethlisberger, to pressure him, to get hits on him even if they don’t sack him.
Push around your basic 23-year-old and you might expect a reaction, especially on the ultimate stage, the Super Bowl.
Not Roethlisberger. It’s no coincidence that the Steelers are 26-4 in games he’s played in.
“I don’t know if you can rattle him,” Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu said. “You have to make sure you tackle him. If he does get sacked, he’s getting up and coming after you the next play. But we’ve got to pressure him, which will help us in coverage.”
Round-file the book that says to take away the run and make the Steelers one-dimensional. The Colts and Broncos did and lost. The dimension left is an intelligent, mature, 6-foot-5, 241-pounder.
The Colts held the Steelers to 112 rushing yards in the AFC Divisional playoff. Roethlisberger went 14-for-24 and threw a pair of touchdown passes in a 21-18 victory.
Denver held them to 90 rushing yards. Roethlisberger completed 21 of 29 passes for 275 yards and two TDs. Pittsburgh won, 34-17.
At 23, he’s a vet, much more so than last season, when he gained confidence in each game, led the Steelers to 15-1 until the Patriots beat them in the AFC Championship game.
“I was a little nervous in the playoffs,” he said of last season. “I probably went out there and tried to do too much. I probably let it get to me a little too much. I’m going to try and not let it happen this game.”
He won’t, say his teammates. Roethlisberger is levels beyond where he was last season in every way.
“I see a big difference from last year to this year in Ben,” said tackle Max Starks. “The way he carries himself and the confidence he has when he gets in the huddle and the way he commands the huddle. He’s more mature and that just comes with experience. He speaks up more. He gets the plays called a lot faster in the huddle. He reads the defense a lot better and is able to make the audible calls a lot quicker.”
The Seahawks want to keep Roethlisberger in the pocket because of his ability to throw while scrambling. His vision allows him to see the entire field; his powerful arm allows him to zip the ball anywhere.
Most of all, they plan to test Roethlisberger’s head and maturity by hitting him at every opportunity. Everyone, the theory goes, has a breaking point.
“I think with any quarterback, if you get to them early, it affects their rhythm,” Seahawks defensive end Grant Wistrom said. “That’s our philosophy going into every football game, not just facing Ben.
“But that’s easier said then done.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
