Big Ben

As far as I can remember growing up a Steeler fan, one of the most popular positions on the team was the backup quarterback. People were always criticizing Neil O'Donnell, Kordell Stewart (with good reason there) and yes, Ben Roethlisberger. I knew I had to do a post this week on Big Ben regarding his performance this season and especially in the Super Bowl. It's no secret that Pittsburgh fans have been hard on him, especially over the past two years after his horrible 2006 post-Super Bowl season. And sure, I've said some of the lines this year, "Put Leftwich in!", "Ben's been hit too many times, get him out of there." Well after that game-winning drive Sunday in Super Bowl XLIII, I'll never say a bad thing about Big Ben again.

Sure you can get on Ben about not playing that great all game and waiting for the last possibly chance to get the job done, but hey he has proven to be unbelievably clutch. It's the same reason why people love Brett Favre...you take the bad with the good because you've seen what he can do. I've come to the realization that's it's just Steelers football. Shut teams down with the defense and then score just enough points to get the win. It'd be a lot better on my blood pressure if they would take care of teams and put the game away somewhat early, but as it happened a lot this year, they just love taking it down to the final couple of minutes to decide the game's outcome.

What Roethlisberger did on that final drive was nothing short of amazing as he inserted his name into the great final drives talk of Elway, Montana and others. He did it all season with fourth quarter comebacks and he performed on sports biggest stage Sunday. And he did it with not much help from the O-line. They get him killed all season and he just bounces back with wins. The line had a holding call on the first play of the last drive Sunday that backed them up to the 12 and 1st and 20. And the very next play was key...Ben almost gets sacked, eludes the rush and hits the open man for a big pickup. He's had absolutely no time to throw all season and yes he holds onto the ball a little longer than usual, but he makes plays with his feet to find space more often than not.

He's 26 years old, has a ridiculous amount of wins already, engineered one of the greatest last-minute drives in Super Bowl history and has two Super Bowl rings. Say what you will about him, but you can't argue with all that. In the future if I ever hear people scrutinizing Ben again, I will defend him until I'm blue in the face.