The NFL has already provided sports fans a reason to go on during these unprecedented times by not delaying the start of the league year. Now it is taking things a step further with complimentary access to full broadcasts of regular and postseason games from 2009-2019. High five!
The Steelers have so many amazing games in this 10-year span that it was a feat to choose just 10.
Forget about COVID-19 for a while with these must-watch games.
10. 2017 Week 8: The rook has a day
In his first of three 100+ yard games in 2017, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster went off for 193 on seven receptions and a TD. Pittsburgh squeaked past Detroit 20-15.
9. 2017 Week 15: The Jesse James rule
Leave it up to a game versus the New England Patriots to have a controversy. In the final moments of the matchup, TE Jesse James scored a touchdown for the win! Just kidding.
After an official review, the highly-debated play was ruled an incomplete pass. The reversal ultimately led to a referendum of the blasphemous catch rule. Twenty-eight seconds then remained, and the Steelers had a second-and-goal at the Patriots’ 10. Following a three-yard completion to WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, Roethlisberger was picked off by the Patriots, and the rest is history, including the incomplete pass. The Steelers lose 24-27.
8. 2017 Week 14: Big Ben’s third 500+ yard game
QB Ben Roethlisberger completed 44 passes on 66 attempts on his way to a 506-yard game. He became the first quarterback in NFL history with three games of 500+ passing yards. With no interceptions thrown, Roethlisberger finished the game with a 99.7 quarterback rating. WR Antonio Brown amassed 213 yards on 11 receptions. Still, the Steelers only won the Ravens game by the skin of their teeth 39-38.
7. 2017 Week 13: The hit heard around the world
Statistically, it was one of Smith-Schuster’s worst games. But that didn’t matter because he smacked Vontez Burfict on the chin somethin’ nasty.
6. 2009 Week 6: Big Ben’s first 400-yard game
Roethlisberger took to the air for 417 yards in a messy 27-14 win over the Cleveland Browns. The Steelers defense was thankful for four Browns’ turnovers after the Steelers offense committed the same. RBs Willie Parker and Mewelde Moore each lost a fumble, as did Roethlisberger. His two touchdowns were to Santonio Holmes (5-for-104) and Hines Ward (8-for-159) in the first 400-yard game of his career. Moore chipped in a score, and Jeff Reed was his usual perfect self.
5. 2016 Week 14: Le’Veon Bell breaks records
It was the Le’Veon Bell Show in a 27-20 win over the Buffalo Bills. Not only did Bell score the team’s only TDs, but he became the first player in NFL history with 220+ rushing yards, 60+ receiving yards, three rushing TDs in a game. With 236 yards, Bell set a franchise record that was previously held by Willie Parker (223).
4. 2009 Week 14: Big Ben’s first 500+ yard game
The first play from scrimmage in a thrilling 37-36 win over Green Bay was a 60-yard bomb from Roethlisberger to Mike Wallace for a TD. QB Aaron Rodgers answered with GB’s own score in a theme that would carry throughout the game as Rodgers erased deficits of 14-7, 21-14, 27-21, and 30-28. On just seven receptions apiece, both Ward and TE Health Miller had 100+ yard games. RB Rashard Mendenhall and Moore found paydirt on the ground. Wallace closed the game out on a toe-tapping TD with 0:00 on the clock. And just like that, the game ended how it started.
3. 2010 divisional playoffs: Nail-biter versus Baltimore
Pittsburgh’s opening drive resulted in a TD, but Baltimore would then score 21 unanswered points. Dick LeBeau’s defense awakened in the third quarter to shut out the Ravens 14-0. Tied at 24-all with 3:54 remaining, Roethlisberger threw a 58-yard bomb to Brown, who scampered out of bounds at the two-yard line. Mendenhall ran it in for the score. The Ravens had their chance to tie it, but the Steelers reigned victorious, 31-24, and continued into the playoffs to meet the New York Jets.
2. 2010 conference championship: Nail-biter x 2
Early on, the New York Jets did not appear to give up much of a fight as Pittsburgh raced out to a 24-0 first-half lead on the back of Mendenhall. The RB had one of the best games of his career — 95 of his 121 yards that came in the first half; he also scored the first TD of the game.
The Steelers had firm control. Or did they?
After an exhausting first half, the Steelers came out with a more conservative plan upon which the Jets would score 19 unanswered points to truly make it a game.
With a score of 24-19 at the two-minute warning, the Steelers had two options: 1) Run the ball, and if they don’t get the first down, punt it to the Jets with 1:15 to play, or 2) Throw it and possibly stop the clock and give the Jets even more time.
Roethlisberger rolled out to find rookie Antonio Brown (who had only made 16 catches that season) for the game-clinching first down. The Steelers were on the way to their third Super Bowl trip since 2005, and Brown, on his way to being one of the best receivers in the league.
1. 2014 Week 8: Big Ben’s goes off
Roethlisberger threw for his second of three 500+ yard games in 51-34 routing of the Indianapolis Colts. With six TDs and no picks, he ended the game with a 150.6 QBR. If not for a pair of lost fumbles and a trio of dropped passes, Roethlisberger would likely have surpassed 600 yards. Collectively, Brown and TE Heath Miller racked up 245 yards and three TDs.
What are your must-watch Steelers games?
