With an uncanny ability to revive itself in the final four minutes, the Steelers offense found ways nearly all season to pull out games their ferociously dominant defense kept them in. Clutch play down the stretch of physical football games is very respectable, but that didn't dismiss the flaccidity of this offense beforehand.
For 50 minutes a game, this offense was a fraud, and heading into the playoffs this figured to be Pittsburgh's killing blow. It was only a wonder which could hurt them against the AFC elite, be it protecting their recently concussed quarterback (ranked 29th in QB sack percentage) or scoring points (20th).
And Ben Roethlisberger was riding into the playoffs fresh off a spinal concussion. So it was hard to really expect the greatest show on chopped up, disgusting Heinz Field turf.
Then suddenly, Big Willie and Big Ben went retro on us. Forgive the Will Smith reference, but bear with me here. Willie Parker suddenly looks like the lightning bolt in the clear that set the Super Bowl record for longest run in 2006, and Roethlisberger is now showing plenty more than fourth-quarter grit.
Parker provided the wild card for which the surging San Diego Chargers had no answers in their hand, rushing for a season-high 146 yards and two touchdowns -- this coming against a defense that had smothered MVP Peyton Manning and the potent Colts just a week earlier.
It came off a stretch where Parker looked only like a shell of his former self, tallying less than 50 yards on the ground in five of his final eight games, averaging around two yards a carry in those affairs.
After Parker helped plow a hefty lead against San Diego, Pittsburgh took the air out of the football pounded with the run, helping to preserve and protect Roethlisberger's spine and psyche for the Ravens the following week.
A development that budded in the San Diego game but really came to fruition in the ACC championship was Roethlisberger re-entering elite-quarterback status. Once again, much is made of his many late scoring drives during the regular season, but the fact can't be ignored that his bold and fearless demeanor also led to 15 interceptions, seven lost fumbles and just 17 touchdown passes in 2008.
The difference here?
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