On the Steelers: Team savors 3-0 start
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The Steelers will have a winning record when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger returns to the team.
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Ben Roethlisberger dug a large hole and threw his team into it, and the Steelers have turned it into the foundation for the 2010 season.
The happiest fan watching the Steelers' first three games of the season at home had to be Roethlisberger, whose four-game suspension to start the season robbed them of their franchise quarterback.
Given little chance to get off to a decent start and underdogs in their first two games, the Steelers have swept their first three games behind a quarterback deemed not ready (Dennis Dixon) and one who was considered too old and brittle even by his own coaches (Charlie Batch).
One more game, at home Sunday against their most bitter rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, and the Steelers can turn the offense back over to Roethlisberger. Whether they are 4-0 or 3-1, they will pass it on as a special gift to a man who could have stolen their season.
That, however, is not how they see it.
"Just because Ben isn't there, he's not the whole team," linebacker James Harrison said. "He's a big part of this team, no question, but he's not the whole team. He's not going to determine if we win or lose a game. It may be something that may be a contributing factor, but the next guy in line is just a starter in waiting, and that's how we look at everything."
The Steelers' defense and special teams virtually carved out victories in the first two games with the offense scoring one touchdown, Rashard Mendenhall's 50-yard run in overtime to win the opener against Atlanta. Sunday, Batch threw three touchdown passes, the offense scored four times and the defense did its thing again in a 38-13 victory at Tampa Bay.
No matter the outcome against Baltimore, the Steelers will reside in first place in the AFC North when Roethlisberger returns. At the end of the day Sunday, they were one of two NFL teams with a 3-0 record.
Chris Kemoeatu, one of the Steelers' offensive linemen who have hung out with Roethlisberger the most over the past few years, believes that Roethlisberger had to enjoy the first three games.
"Definitely, he was hungry to come back, but there's nothing he can do about it," Kemoeatu said. "All he can do is sit it out, and we have to do a good job too as far as covering for him until he gets back. Maybe when he gets back and he'll be ready to go and it will be downhill from there."
First Published September 28, 2010 12:00 am
