BALTIMORE (93.7 The Fan) – It's been like a playoff game the last two weeks for the Steelers coming off an embarrassing loss at Kansas City. To have to flip it around and you think of the emotion around the Ben Roethlisberger send-off at Heinz Field. Then another unlikely comeback Sunday against the Ravens.
Now the team that was left for dead at 1-3, likely gets another shot at the Chiefs in the playoffs
"You can't describe it," said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. "You have to be a part of a group like that, and then you know what it is. Just know it's special and it's sweet. It wasn't three out of four, we had to win three individually. That was our focus. We were living week to week, and we did what we had to do."
"Everybody's dancing, it's a cool feeling," said linebacker TJ Watt. "We put so much hard work into this, and it is an awesome feeling to win the game. We actually had to win to make the playoffs."
"Guys are excited," said Cam Heyward.
"Guys have worked their tails off. It hasn't been perfect, but we have grinded out these wins, and we're just hungry. Just give us a shot."
"I told a lot of those guys [on the Ravens] that I am not going to miss playing them," Roethlisberger said. "Football is hard and a very violent game. But playing these guys has always been one where when you wake up on Monday morning, you are hurting. It's never dirty, it's just good old-fashioned football."
"Someone on the sideline asked me if this is always how these games go, and I can only think of one or two times when it wasn't something like this. In all of the games that I have played against these guys, I'm just so thankful for this rivalry and thankful for the games and the players that I've gotten to play against in this rivalry. And I'm just proud we were able to get the win today."
Watt record
The Steelers linebacker had a sack taken away, but late in the second quarter TJ Watt able to bring Tyler Huntley down near the Steelers goal line for a sack. The 22nd and a half of the season tied him with Michael Strahan for the NFL record in a single season.
"I don't know if any of this has hit me," Watt said. "It's not just myself. It's so many other people involved, great players, coaches, schemes, and a lot of unselfish guys in the locker room that allow me to make plays. So, that record is not just mine."
"I couldn't be more excited for that dude," Heyward said. "I knew he was a little bit nervous to start the game. But we as a team, you just want to see the guy succeed. It's going to be cemented in the NFL forever, to see it happen with the Pittsburgh Steelers is special."
A couple of times during his interview session Roethlisberger said he wants the NFL to give him another half-sack. The play he's likely referring to is the one the NFL called 'aborted' that Tyler Huntley fumbled. Huntley then picked it up and moved forward, still behind the line of scrimmage. Watt knocked it out of his hand, but since the play was 'aborted', it's only a forced fumble for Watt and not a sack.
Heyward double
It has been an amazing year for Watt, but also for Heyward. For just the second time in his career, the 32-year-old reached double-digit sacks. Dropping Huntley in the first quarter, gave him 10 on the season to go with 15 tackles for loss, one shy of a career-high. He also led the team in tackles Sunday.
Heyward the only member of the starting defensive line to play every game. Not only to play every game, but Heyward played without Stephon Tuitt for all season and Tyson Alualu played a game and four snaps in 2021.
Another Ben comeback
It may not rank with the playoff win in 2011, the 'helmet catch' by Antonio Brown, nor the 'immaculate extension' on Christmas Day 2016 or the other extension by Santonio Holmes in Baltimore in 2008 or maybe even his first game-winning drive against the Ravens in 2005. However, this comeback for Roethlisberger against the Ravens is something to remember.
"It's pretty special," Roethlisberger said. "Do you expect anything different in this rivalry? It's special. Anytime you come to this place and get a win. People always ask me where is my least favorite place to come and play? It's always Baltimore, and it's for a couple of reasons. It's because of how good the team is and its defense. And this place is always crazy loud. The fans are ruthless, which I think is a compliment to this place and how hard it is to play here. So, it's pretty special to get this win."
Injuries
On the second series, Diontae Johnson hit hard apparently in the ribs and left after a nine-yard reception. Johnson would return after missing one play.
Three touches in the first series, rookie record-setting running back Najee Harris went out with an elbow injury to be replaced by Benny Snell. Harris wouldn't return until 5:30 left in the third quarter. His 15-yard run in overtime put them in automatic field goal range for Chris Boswell.
Boswell clutch too
He referred to his counterpart Justin Tucker as the greatest kicker of all-time, but Boswell has provided every bit of that to the Steelers winning three of their final four this year. In the three wins, Boswell has 11 field goals including the game-winner on Sunday.
"There was never a doubt that he wasn't going to make [the game-winning field goal]," Roethlisberger said. "No offense to the guy on the other side, but Boswell is pretty good, too. Yeah, I think our guy is pretty good, too."
Boswell may have one of the most laid-back attitudes on the team, if not the most. Boswell consistently says every kick is important and he doesn't take one bigger than another. Did he ponder that the game might come down to him?
"No I don't really spend too much time on that," Boswell said. "You know, whatever happens, happens in the game.
I'm not going to try to look into the future or try to predict what's going to happen. If they need a kick, they need a kick, and if they don't, I'm fine with that, too."
