Steelers Report Card: AFC Championship
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QUARTERBACKS C
Good thing Ben Roethlisberger orchestrated an offense that outgained the Jets, 231 to 50 in total yards, and had more first downs, 16-5, in the first half. Because the rest of it wasn't pretty, starting with two interceptions and a safety off a fumbled snap in the fourth quarter. Roethlisberger had 96 yards passing in the first half, only 37 in the second half, but he had two big completions to run out the clock.
RUNNING BACKS A+
Rashard Mendenhall was one of the stars in the first half when the Steelers built a 24-0 halftime lead. He rushed for 95 yards on 17 carries, including a 1-yard touchdown, and caught two passes for 35 yards before halftime. He finished with a playoff-high 121 yards on 27 carries, the longest a 35-yarder to set up a field goal. Isaac Redman added 27 yards on four carries in the first half.
WIDE RECEIVERS C
The Jets locked down on WRs Hines Ward and Mike Wallace, holding them to a combined three catches. Ward never had another catch after the first half and Wallace had just one for 5 yards. TE Heath Miller had two big catches -- a 24-yarder that led to the second touchdown and a 14-yarder in the final 2 1/2 minutes. Antonio Brown's only catch was huge -- a 14-yarder to run out the clock.
OFFENSIVE LINE B-
The unit lost C Maurkice Pouncey (left ankle) in the first quarter. The Steelers rushed for 135 of their 166 yards in the first half and Roethlisberger wasn't sacked until late in the third quarter. Doug Legursky, who replaced Pouncey, had two fumbled snaps, including one for a safety in the fourth. The plan was to use a lot of counter plays and hit runs to the outside, and it worked most of the game.
DEFENSIVE LINE B
A big goal-line stand on four plays from the Steelers' 2 was the deciding moment in the second half, even though the Jets were starting to gouge them with the run. They held the Jets to just 1 yard rushing on five carries in the first half, but the Jets had 69 yards rushing after halftime. DE Brett Keisel and NT Casey Hampton batted passes at the line of scrimmage to further disrupt the Jets passing game.
First Published January 24, 2011 12:00 am
