Roethlisberger’s first start was against the Dolphins
MEMORABLE SERIES MOMENT
Steelers 13, Dolphins 3
Sept. 26, 2004 at Pro Player Stadium, Miami
Ben Roethlisberger was born in a crossfire hurricane, or close to it. The rookie made his first NFL start in a game that was pushed back from a 1 p.m. Sunday start to 8:30 p.m. that night because Hurricane Jeanne pounded South Florida on Saturday night with 120 m.p.h. winds. By game time, rain was still falling but the winds were down to 10 mph as Roethlisberger, who had a reputation as an excellent bad-weather QB in college, completed 12-of-22 passes for 162 yards. His first drive ended with an interception, but his 7-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward with 6:16 remaining gave him the first of 128 wins with the Steelers. He was asked this week what he remembers about that game: 鈥淚t was very wet, just how much it rained,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 remember the night before in the meetings we didn鈥檛 have power, so we had to use a flashlight. Just all kinds of craziness.鈥�
TALE OF THE TAPE
鈥淓verywhere I go people keep asking me: Is this a trap game for the Steelers? I鈥檓 going to tell you why it鈥檚 not going to be a trap game. When you look at the Dolphins, there are a lot of guys who can embarrass you because of what they鈥檝e done in the past and you don鈥檛 know whether they can bring it up on any Sunday, which they can. For instance, Alejandro Villanueva at left tackle isn鈥檛 going to take Mario Williams lightly. Although Mario does not look like the Mario Williams of the past, he鈥檚 still big, fast, quick and still a professional. If you鈥檙e David DeCastro, you are not going to take Ndamukong Suh lightly. Ndamukong Suh can still be a dominant player, but he looks more intent on beating up the guard than he does making a play. If you鈥檙e Chris Hubbard, you鈥檙e not going to take Cameron Wake lightly. You are focused because of what Wake brings. Now, they don鈥檛 use him every play. They rotate three outside guys and flip Williams over there. Everyone up front for the Steelers will have to buckle up, and I think they will. Individually, the Dolphins look really good, but collectively they remind me of a bunch of mercenaries, hired guns; come in and do a job and let鈥檚 be done with it. Because of that I think that鈥檚 why they鈥檙e not playing well. But anybody that watches these guys on film and really understands football knows that if they click, they can be really good defense. That鈥檚 why I believe the Steelers will be fully focused.鈥� 鈥� Steelers Radio analyst Tunch Ilkin.
TOP QUESTION
Can the Steelers run on the Dolphins?
No doubt the Dolphins can rush the quarterback, but they鈥檙e going to have to be ahead to generate consistent heat. For the Steelers to get ahead, they need to run the ball against a group that only worries about the run game on its way to the quarterback. And while middle linebacker Kiko Alonso has 50 tackles, he has difficulty getting off blocks. That鈥檚 why four of the Dolphins鈥� top six tacklers are in their secondary. So, if the Steelers can reach that Dolphins鈥� defensive per-carry average of 4.2, they should win the game.
THREE QUESTIONS: With FS MIKE MITCHELL
Q: Has anyone even said 鈥楧on鈥檛 have a letdown this week鈥�?
MM: 鈥淲e don鈥檛 really think about stuff like that. From the way that we prepare, we respect every opponent. There鈥檚 no homecoming game, so we respect every opponent. We prepare the same way, win or lose. Monday鈥檚 the day to get better; Tuesday鈥檚 the day to get started on the game plan; Wednesday鈥檚 the first day we apply it. So here we are today, we鈥檙e applying our game plan for Miami, we鈥檝e made our corrections from last Sunday鈥檚 game and now, like I said after the Philly game, we鈥檙e looking to put on display the corrections that we made and get ready to get a win.鈥�
Q: Was Philly more a matter of you not reaching your potential rather than taking them lightly?
MM: 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what I said. And it showed the next week.鈥�
Q: But you guys have lost to some bad teams in the past, haven鈥檛 you?
MM: 鈥淵eah. If you fight enough you鈥檙e going to get your ass whupped every once in a while, you know what I mean?鈥�
GAME BREAKDOWN
What to look for from the Steelers today at Miami:
ON OFFENSE:
Sammie Coates may have a broken index finger as well as the laceration, but he鈥檚 game. He wants to go up and catch any fastball he can get his hands on. But will the coaching staff let him? That鈥檚 a 50-50 call at this point. Look for Darrius Heyward-Bey to receive plenty of playing time, regardless. He鈥檒l be opposite Antonio Brown with Eli Rogers in the slot and Le鈥橵eon Bell as the wild card at either tailback or slot receiver. De鈥橝ngelo Williams should get more carries with Bell bolstering a WR position weakened by Markus Wheaton being out and the uncertainty over Coates.
ON DEFENSE:
Anthony Chickillo and Jarvis Jones form an interesting, or at least a fresh, tandem outside, while replacing the injured Cameron Heyward inside will be Javon Hargrave, Ricardo Mathews and L.T. Walton. This team truly does have depth. Look for nose tackle Hargrave to see plenty of action as a tackle in the nickel, a position they had in mind when they drafted him. Vince Williams is another solid injury replacement at ILB, but the area that鈥檚 getting better is the secondary. The improvement of Artie Burns allows the Steelers to start him at outside cornerback and use a better slot corner in Will Gay, and strong safety Rob Golden is back. The Dolphins鈥� threats are RB Jay Ajayi (3.8) and WR Jarvis Landry (34-403) with Kenny Stills (22.8) the deep threat. Steelers-killer TE Jordan Cameron has been ruled out with an injury.
PREDICTION
The Steelers have lost to worse teams than these 1-4 Dolphins, but with New England and then the bye on deck, the Steelers understand the importance of winning another conference game and improving to 5-1. They will be focused because A.) They are banged up and B.) The Dolphins individually will no doubt have the Steelers鈥� attention for the reasons Ilkin described above. Steelers, 27-17.