Big Ben plays with pain, sense of urgency
October, 9, 2011
By Jamison Hensley
PITTSBURGH -- The Steelers didn't have their best pass-rusher, their leading rusher and two starting defensive linemen.
But they did have Big Ben.
Limping to the sideline after every drive, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger rarely lost stride on the field, tying a team record with five touchdown passes and leading the Steelers to a much-needed 38-17 win over the Tennessee Titans. Pittsburgh avoided going below .500 and improved to 3-2 to keep within a half-game of the division-leading Ravens.
No one could say where the renewed sense of urgency came from Sunday, although the importance of this game should have been clear to every Steeler when Roethlisberger put on an oversized shoe with a steel plate in the bottom to stabilize his sprained left foot.
In warm-ups, a hobbled Roethlisberger trailed his teammates sprinting onto the field. After the opening kickoff, Roethlisberger was the one who was leading everyone.
He threw touchdown passes of 8, 7 and 1 yards on the first three drives. These are the same Steelers who had two touchdowns in the previous 21 drives entering the game.
This wasn't just a gutsy performance. It was a punch-the-other-team-in-the-gut effort.
"I just don't want to let my guys down," Roethlisberger said. "I want to give them my best. I'll be there until they take me off in a cart, which has happened before. Regardless of injury, there are lots of guys going through it. We just have to go out and do our best."
Maybe an injured Roethlisberger is a more dangerous one. In his first four games, he had three touchdowns and five interceptions.
(Read More:) http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/33036/big-ben-plays-with-pain-sense-of-urgency
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