PITTSBURGH — It was Ben being Ben and the Steelers being the Steelers, especially when a trip to the AFC Championship Game is on the line and the odds are stacked against them.
You’re not supposed to convert a third-and-19 situation — not against the feared Ravens defense. But someone forgot to tell that to Ben Roethlisberger, who decided to gamble on his arm and his guts and turn a dire situation into a thrilling victory.
The Steelers (13-4) are in Sunday’s AFC Championship against either the Jets or the Patriots because of an improbable 58-yard completion to receiver Antonio Brown that turned third-and-19 into a first down at the Ravens 4. Four plays and one penalty later, running back Rashard Mendenhall barreled in from 1-yard out for the winning touchdown in a 31-24 triumph at towel-waving Heinz Field.
The deep pass to Brown was all on Roethlisberger, who trusted his talent and his teammates to overrule his offensive coordinator.
“All the outside guys were supposed to run 15-yard stop routes and just try to get something,” Roethlisberger said. “I said, ‘Let’s send them. Let’s just take a shot. Who cares? Chuck it deep. If they pick it, they’d pick it way down there and it would be just as a good as a punt. Let’s take a chance.’ ”
That’s been Roethlisberger since he arrived in Pittsburgh, always willing to take a chance. It already has resulted in two Super Bowl wins.
His first read was to find Ravens safety Ed Reed, who lined to Roethlisberger’s left.
“That’s always a key to find out where he’s at,” Roethlisberger said of Reed.
That meant he was going to his right, to Brown, the rookie from Central Michigan.
Roethlisberger would decoy the safety by looking toward the middle of the field before throwing it “as far as I can” down the right sideline.
Brown had burned past cornerback Lardarius Webb and made the catch in David Tyree-like fashion before going out of bounds at the 4.
“The ball landed and was kind of stuck on my shoulder pad,” Brown said. “I thank God I was able to hold tight.”
Coach Mike Tomlin said of Roethlisberger’s play: “It’s Ben. He has a no blink mentality.”
The touchdown completed an 11-play, 65-yard drive that was an aberration in a game where most of the points were products of either costly penalties or turnovers.
The Ravens (13-5) took a 21-7 lead at halftime, cashing into points a pass interference penalty and two Steelers fumbles.
One of the fumbles came on a bizarre play where Roethlisberger was hit by linebacker Terrell Suggs while reloading after a pump fake. The ball was knocked forward and just about everyone on the field thought it was an incomplete pass; everyone except for defensive end Cory Redding, who scooped up the ball and ran it back 13 yard into the Pittsburgh end zone for a 14-7 Ravens lead.
The stunned Steelers looked on as referee Jeff Triplette ruled it a touchdown.
“I just got hit,” Roethlisberger said. “I guess we assumed it was a dead. But I don’t know.”
The Steelers aren’t dead because whatever turnover virus they suffered from in the first half was caught by the Ravens in the second half. A Ray Rice fumble, an interception thrown by Joe Flacco and a fumbled snap by Flacco led to two touchdowns, a field goal and a 24-21 Steelers lead.
A 24-yard field goal by Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff tied the game a 24-24 with 3:54 remaining, setting the stage for the Steelers game-winning drive.
“What better way to win and put Baltimore out of the tournament,” wide receiver Hines Ward said. “They asked for us and they kept asking for us. Sometimes like my momma always said: ‘Be careful what you ask for.’ It seems every time we get into the playoffs, they keep wanting to play us. At the end of the day, they have to worry about this loss the whole offseason.”
The game was as physical as advertised between the two AFC North foes. Roethlisberger (19 of 32 for 226 yards and 2 touchdowns) was sacked six times. Flacco was 16 of 30 for 125 yards. He was sacked five times and threw one touchdown and one interception.
“Anytime you can beat them it feels pretty good,” Roethlisberger said. “But to be able to do it on the last drive is always special.”
