The Steelers absolutely\u00a0gutted out a huge win over their arch rival Baltimore Ravens. \u00a0It was one of the gutsiest performances all around for the Steelers, from Ben getting his nose busted on the first series but never missing a play from scrimmage, to Sean Suisham being forced\u00a0into punting duties and doing a good job, to Heath Miller nearly being decapitated, but walking off, on\u00a0his own accord\u00a0and Isaac Redman despite two failed conversions came up big when it mattered most.\u00a0 The Steelers gutted out the win. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Despite not exactly winning handily as I may have predicted,\u00a0I always felt like they had the game under control if they could get their act together. They were in Baltimore territory several times and kept coming up short. The Steelers couldn’t stop making mistakes and it nearly cost them. The\u00a0Wide Receivers,\u00a0who are developing to be one of the best units on the team, kept dropping key\u00a0passes, including Hines Ward. The Defensive backs especially\u00a0Bryan McFadden\u00a0looked lost in coverage and let Anquan Boldin out of his site on the Ravens only TD and didn’t cover the right receiver on a huge 3rd down conversion.\u00a0Despite these mistakes the Steelers were able to keep it close so when they straightened out they could get back in the game. They\u00a0did! \u00a0<\/p>\n
The Ravens never were able to pull away and that\u2019s where Ben Roethlisberger is at his best and most dangerous!\u00a0Whenever the best\u00a0Quarterback debate comes up, Ben gets dismissed. Tell me one other\u00a0QB in the whole league who plays with a broken foot and a broken nose! That performance while mediocre on paper, was the stuff of legend. His physical strength and\u00a0fortitude to get through that game is what he and the Steelers are all about. Watching him stiff arm the preening Terrell Suggs and saving the sack and\/or fumble was just plain tough!\u00a0<\/p>\n
This team needed a defining moment.\u00a0Troy\u00a0Polamalu provided that\u00a0moment with\u00a0an electric\u00a0forced fumble that was recovered by LaMarr Woodley. When Joe Flacco was\u00a0about to put the Steelers on ice not only for the game but\u00a0for the\u00a0division title, he\u00a0had his pocket picked by the plundering Polamalu. (John Facenda RIP)<\/p>\n