Big Ben: Winning A Game Will Always Trump Any Individual Record
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan)-Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger joined The Cook and Poni Show on Sportsradio 93.7 The Fan for the #1 Cochran Ben Roethlisberger Show which airs every Tuesday morning at 11 a.m. during the Steelers season.
The Steelers and Roethlisberger are coming off a huge record setting 51-34 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
Roethlisberger set team records in touchdown passes, passing yards and completions on Sunday. He completed 40 of 49 passes for 522 yards and six touchdowns.
"All I care about is that we win and play a good game," Roethlisberger said. "To me that was the better part about the game was that I felt it was a total team effort."
Roethlisberger said everyone seemed like they were on the same page and it was as though this offense was not going to be denied.
"I hate to say it was easy but when everything is clicking it's like you can do no wrong, it's a pretty awesome feeling," Roethlisberger said. "When you go out there and you feel like every time you possess the ball you are going to score and that you can't be stopped it's a pretty fun feeling."
Roethlisberger said he was excited for this game but it was more about being at home wanting to put on a good show in front of the fans and getting a win over a good team rather than beating Andrew Luck. His teammates thought he may have had a little extra motivation because all of the attention was on the young up and coming quarterback rather than Roethlisberger.
"I just wanted to go out and play my best game. I felt like it was an important game for us obviously at home against a great football team with a really good defense, it was a big challenge for us," Roethlisberger said. "To me the challenge was less about Andrew and more about their defense and about how good they were and how they got after the quarterback and other offenses, so for me that was more the challenge than the other quarterback."
Ben said he received 105 texts messages from family and friends after the game but the one that stood out most to him was the kind words he received from Jim Kelly, former Hall of Fame quarterback of the Buffalo Bills.
Roethlisberger said the words from Kelly were special and it meant a great deal to him.
So was this Ben's best game as a Steelers quarterback?
"Statistically, obviously yes it was but I still think when you win a Super Bowl that still for me will out rank any regular season game." Roethlisberger said. "Super Bowl 43, that drive was special and that will probably always be my favorite but statistically wise this was my best."
His 522 yards fell just 33 yards short from breaking the all-time single game passing record held by Norm Van Brocklin since 1951. That record wasn't important to him. The win was.
"For me it's we won the game and that's all that ever matters to me is winning and losing. I hate to lose and I love to win," Roethlisberger said. "Obviously NFL records are out there and their awesome and fun to break but for me winning a football game will always trump any individual record."
So can he do it again? What will be his encore?
Ben told the guys that every week is different in the NFL and this week it's all about the Baltimore Ravens.
He said everything that happened Sunday is behind them and now it's about focusing on winning another game at home against a tough divisional opponent. He expects this to be a much more lower scoring game and physical battle like it always usually is when these two get together.
"It's a new week. This is a big game for us. It's the division and it's Them," Roethlisberger said.
Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. this Sunday night at Heinz Field.
You can listen to the full interview below and you can hear The #1 Cochran Ben Roethlisberger show live every Tuesday at 11 a.m. during the football season on The Cook and Poni Show on Sportsradio 93.7 The Fan.
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