Big Ben brings confidence back to locker room
PITTSBURGH 鈥� Ben Roethlisberger would later show off a confidence on the football field that he didn鈥檛 have last week, but earlier in the day he showed off a desire to bring confidence back to a shaken Steelers locker room.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited to get going. It鈥檚 a new week,鈥� said Roethlisberger. 鈥淓verything we鈥檝e done so far is behind us, good, bad and indifferent. We鈥檙e excited for the second half of the football season.鈥�
Roethlisberger spoke respectfully of the team coming to Heinz Field, the 7-1 Dallas Cowboys, and said, 鈥淭his is November and December football. This is when it all counts and when it all matters.鈥�
But how?
How can a team in the midst of a three-game losing streak find a way out of the apparent darkness?
鈥淔ollow me,鈥� he said.
Roethlisberger paused, making for greater effect, and added, 鈥淕uys who have been here know (it鈥檚) no time or reason to panic.鈥�
Another pause.
鈥淛ust watch me,鈥� he said.
Later that afternoon, Roethlisberger was the centerpiece of a practice that was about as sharp and crisp and crackling as any of late.
鈥淲e expect that from Ben,鈥� said the guy who was doing the same thing on the defensive side of the ball, Cam Heyward.
鈥淏en鈥檚 a proven leader. He鈥檚 won Super Bowls, done everything, and he wants another one. He understands this opportunity. I think a lot of guys have to understand that we鈥檝e got to have that sense of urgency. We don鈥檛 have that room any more. So we have to be accountable and we have to hold guys accountable as well.鈥�
This, of course, comes on the heels of a penalty and mistake-filled loss at Baltimore, after which Le鈥橵eon Bell said, 鈥淚 think we have to practice better. Even at practice we have mistakes like that.鈥�
The remark grew to become the centerpiece of a media assault on the Steelers鈥� preparation process throughout this three-game losing streak.
Heyward addressed the topic.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 his own opinion,鈥� Heyward said. 鈥淏ut guys are working. Guys are putting in the effort. Sometimes it might be a little sloppy. Sometimes we have to replay a play. That鈥檚 just because we want a good look. If he feels that way, let him feel that way, and that means practice has got to pick up even more. But I thought today was a good practice.鈥�
Heyward explained that last week鈥檚 practices included 鈥渁 lot of moving pieces.鈥� He, like Roethlisberger, was returning from an injury and coaches had to balance reps for the injured with reps for potential replacements in case the injured couldn鈥檛 make it back.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a fine line,鈥� Heyward said. 鈥淓verybody鈥檚 got to get work.鈥�
Would he characterize those practices as sloppy? Were coaches letting things go?
鈥淥h, nobody鈥檚 letting things go,鈥� Heyward said. 鈥淚 think if anything we might have to replay a play. If a guy鈥檚 not catching a ball, you鈥檝e got to make adjustments. But I don鈥檛 think they were bad practices.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 practice perfect, but we try to. That鈥檚 the ultimate goal because you want to get ready for Sunday. And, when you don鈥檛 get the job done on Sunday, you look back on it and say 鈥榯here are other things I could鈥檝e done.'鈥�
Heyward added that he did sense an urgency Wednesday at the Steelers鈥� first practice in preparation for the Cowboys.
鈥淏ut it鈥檚 got to be present on Sunday,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e can sit here and say it was present today, but we鈥檝e got to feel it on Sunday. We鈥檝e got to make sure that we play our best football on Sunday.鈥�