83-Steelers-43
06-01-2006, 08:31 AM
Big Ben raises his own expectations
By The Tribune-Review
Thursday, June 1, 2006
In the immediate aftermath of Super Bowl XL, Ben Roethlisberger momentarily lamented having completed just 9 of 21 passes for 123 yards with no touchdowns, two interceptions and a passer rating of 22.6 in the Steelers' 21-10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
"It's not how you picture your Super Bowl moment," Roethlisberger said.
Still, with a record of 27-4 as the Steelers' starting quarterback and an NFL title on his resume after just two professional seasons, Roethlisberger need not apologize to anyone.
In an interview with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Mike Prisuta, Roethlisberger paused during the Steelers' offseason activities to look back, look ahead and attempt to put his whirlwind NFL career in perspective.
T-R: What type of impact will winning a Super Bowl have on your game, your attitude and your expectations?
BR: It gives you more confidence, obviously, naturally. You've done something that even some of the greats have never done, something that people work for their whole lives. That's given me more confidence out here. It's helped me understand what everybody's doing, and I think it gives guys more confidence in me.
T-R: Have your career goals changed as a result?
BR: A little bit. I've reached a couple goals that I set out for my life, and I've reached them already. I've had to go back and cross out some of those goals and make them a little loftier. The big thing is I want to keep trying to get better. That's the biggest key for me, always improve. Hopefully, if I improve, we'll improve as an offense.
T-R: Have you come to better grips with your performance in the Super Bowl, as it relates to what you did during the games that got the Steelers there?
BR: I, obviously, didn't play my best game, but it's the Super Bowl. The final score is all that mattered, and that's all that matters to me. You look back to all the things we did to get there, there are things I'd like to think helped contribute to that, and, hopefully, it was good enough to help.
T-R: You progressed last season from a quarterback who looked for his first option and then vacated the pocket to one that was able to take advantage of multiple options in the pocket. How do you expect to expand your game this season?
BR: Hopefully, knowing what everybody on the field is doing instead of just two or three guys. Hopefully, maybe even having enough confidence in myself, and coach (Bill Cowher) having it also, to go no-huddle (other than in standard two-minute situations), to be able to call no-huddle plays. If we can get to that point, where we're able to do the stuff that Cincinnati does and be able to go no-huddle, then we can be pretty effective.
T-R: No. 1 pick Santonio Holmes observed in minicamp that you have to be on your p's & q's with Roethlisberger in the huddle. Are you making more of a conscious effort to assume a leadership role in the wake of Jerome Bettis' retirement?
BR: I'm not trying to force the issue of taking over the leadership role. We've got (wide receiver) Hines (Ward). We've got (guard) Alan Faneca. Those are kind of our leaders on offense. I'm just going to accept the role they're giving me. Guys are kind of naturally putting me in the leadership role, being the quarterback. I'm just trying to make sure I can take charge of the offense, because I know a lot of guys are looking at me and counting on me to be able to make plays and not make mistakes. I want to be able to do that for them.
T-R: Does having more younger, less-experienced receivers around make it easier to assume more of a leadership role?
BR: Hines is doing plenty of yelling at those guys, which is good; they need it. My thing is to try to just keep them encouraged, keep their heads up, keep them focused, because it's a lot (to absorb). Watching (rookie QB) Omar (Jacobs), it's like deja vu. Omar's hitting the check-down on every play, because he's not sure where everybody's going to be. I was the same way. Just keep those guys encouraged and keep their heads up, and they'll be fine.
T-R: What should this team be wary of, nervous about or determined to avoid in 2006?
BR: We can not allow the title of Super Bowl champions to bog us down. We can enjoy that all we want, but once this year starts, we have to realize everybody's starting equal. The only difference is we have a big bull's-eye on our chests. We have to go out and play as a group, play as a team, as we've always done, and just throw that title of Super Bowl champions out the window.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_456165.html
By The Tribune-Review
Thursday, June 1, 2006
In the immediate aftermath of Super Bowl XL, Ben Roethlisberger momentarily lamented having completed just 9 of 21 passes for 123 yards with no touchdowns, two interceptions and a passer rating of 22.6 in the Steelers' 21-10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
"It's not how you picture your Super Bowl moment," Roethlisberger said.
Still, with a record of 27-4 as the Steelers' starting quarterback and an NFL title on his resume after just two professional seasons, Roethlisberger need not apologize to anyone.
In an interview with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Mike Prisuta, Roethlisberger paused during the Steelers' offseason activities to look back, look ahead and attempt to put his whirlwind NFL career in perspective.
T-R: What type of impact will winning a Super Bowl have on your game, your attitude and your expectations?
BR: It gives you more confidence, obviously, naturally. You've done something that even some of the greats have never done, something that people work for their whole lives. That's given me more confidence out here. It's helped me understand what everybody's doing, and I think it gives guys more confidence in me.
T-R: Have your career goals changed as a result?
BR: A little bit. I've reached a couple goals that I set out for my life, and I've reached them already. I've had to go back and cross out some of those goals and make them a little loftier. The big thing is I want to keep trying to get better. That's the biggest key for me, always improve. Hopefully, if I improve, we'll improve as an offense.
T-R: Have you come to better grips with your performance in the Super Bowl, as it relates to what you did during the games that got the Steelers there?
BR: I, obviously, didn't play my best game, but it's the Super Bowl. The final score is all that mattered, and that's all that matters to me. You look back to all the things we did to get there, there are things I'd like to think helped contribute to that, and, hopefully, it was good enough to help.
T-R: You progressed last season from a quarterback who looked for his first option and then vacated the pocket to one that was able to take advantage of multiple options in the pocket. How do you expect to expand your game this season?
BR: Hopefully, knowing what everybody on the field is doing instead of just two or three guys. Hopefully, maybe even having enough confidence in myself, and coach (Bill Cowher) having it also, to go no-huddle (other than in standard two-minute situations), to be able to call no-huddle plays. If we can get to that point, where we're able to do the stuff that Cincinnati does and be able to go no-huddle, then we can be pretty effective.
T-R: No. 1 pick Santonio Holmes observed in minicamp that you have to be on your p's & q's with Roethlisberger in the huddle. Are you making more of a conscious effort to assume a leadership role in the wake of Jerome Bettis' retirement?
BR: I'm not trying to force the issue of taking over the leadership role. We've got (wide receiver) Hines (Ward). We've got (guard) Alan Faneca. Those are kind of our leaders on offense. I'm just going to accept the role they're giving me. Guys are kind of naturally putting me in the leadership role, being the quarterback. I'm just trying to make sure I can take charge of the offense, because I know a lot of guys are looking at me and counting on me to be able to make plays and not make mistakes. I want to be able to do that for them.
T-R: Does having more younger, less-experienced receivers around make it easier to assume more of a leadership role?
BR: Hines is doing plenty of yelling at those guys, which is good; they need it. My thing is to try to just keep them encouraged, keep their heads up, keep them focused, because it's a lot (to absorb). Watching (rookie QB) Omar (Jacobs), it's like deja vu. Omar's hitting the check-down on every play, because he's not sure where everybody's going to be. I was the same way. Just keep those guys encouraged and keep their heads up, and they'll be fine.
T-R: What should this team be wary of, nervous about or determined to avoid in 2006?
BR: We can not allow the title of Super Bowl champions to bog us down. We can enjoy that all we want, but once this year starts, we have to realize everybody's starting equal. The only difference is we have a big bull's-eye on our chests. We have to go out and play as a group, play as a team, as we've always done, and just throw that title of Super Bowl champions out the window.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_456165.html