By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/?m=1
TAMPA, Fla. -- There are a bunch of ways to analyze the Steelers' ridiculously easy 38-13 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but none makes more sense than this: "The league doesn't want us to be 4-0 with a mad Ben coming back," wide receiver Hines Ward said.
The 3-0 Steelers are one win away. Thank you, Charlie Batch.
It will be a much better defense that Batch will face next Sunday when the Steelers play the Baltimore Ravens at Heinz Field in the final game before quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's suspension ends. But after throwing for three touchdowns against the Buccaneers, Batch sounded as if he can't wait for the challenge.
Ray Lewis? Terrell Suggs? Haloti Ngata? Bring 'em on!
"I have confidence in what I can do," Batch said. "I've always had that."
TAMPA, FL - SEPTEMBER 26: Quarterback Charlie Batch #16 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks for an open receiver against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the game at Raymond James Stadium on September 26, 2010 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images)What Batch did Sunday -- he would have had four touchdown passes if not for a drop by fullback/tight end David Johnson in the third quarter -- made for the feel-good story of the early season and a perfect start that few saw coming after Roethlisberger was accused of rape in Milledgeville, Ga., in March.
Sure, the Steelers were happy for running back Rashard Mendenhall, who ran for 143 yards and a touchdown; for wide receiver Mike Wallace, who had a 100-yard receiving day and caught two touchdown passes; for the defense, which didn't allow a touchdown until the final two minutes; for defensive end Brett Keisel, of all people, who snatched an interception and lugged it 79 yards for a score.
But most of all, they were happy for Batch, who seemed certain to be released in the team's final cut before the season only to emerge on a steamy day on the Florida Gulf Coast to win his first game as a starter since the opener in 2006 when Roethlisberger was out after an emergency appendectomy.
"The consummate team player," coach Mike Tomlin called him.
"Just a great pro," Keisel said.
"Good things usually happen to those kind of people," Tomlin added.
That doesn't mean Batch's success came easily. Tomlin had so little faith that he would stay healthy that he traded for quarterback Byron Leftwich in April. All spring and summer, Batch was the forgotten man as the team tried to get Leftwich ready for the start of the season and Roethlisberger ready for Game 5.
"They also have a young guy here, Dennis Dixon, and they had to see what he could do," Batch said. "I was the odd man out. You didn't have to be a rocket scientist to figure that out."
Here's the delicious irony: The allegedly fragile Batch turned out to be the last quarterback standing. Leftwich injured his left knee in the final exhibition game, saving Batch from the waiver wire. Then Dixon, who started the first two games, injured his left knee in the second quarter against the Tennessee Titans. Batch finished up that 19-11 win and had to be the guy to lead the team against the Buccaneers.
"The one thing I didn't want to do was come here and be that weak link," Batch said. "I wanted to go out and provide a spark and put this team in the end zone."
He did that four times, the other touchdown drive he led ending with a Mendenhall 3-yard run in the second quarter. It was some improvement by a Steelers offense that scored just one touchdown -- Mendenhall's 50-yard run in overtime in the 15-9 win against the Atlanta Falcons in the opener -- in the first two games.
"Offensively, we felt we were letting this team down," Batch said.
Early in Sunday's game, it looked as if those troubles would continue. Batch's first pass was a bad one and was intercepted by Buccaneers cornerback Aqib Talib. "I felt bad," he Batch said, "but it was like, at that point, 'Let's go. We can't stop now.' "
The rest of the first half couldn't have gone better for Batch. He completed 11 of his next 13 passes for 177 yards and a Roethlisberger-like passer rating of 128.6. He threw a 46-yard touchdown pass to Wallace. He scrambled for -- can you believe it? -- 24 yards. He threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to Wallace. He even ran the two-minute offense superbly, throwing a 9-yard touchdown pass to Ward with 16 seconds left in the half.
This is a man who is 35 and in his 13th NFL season?
"Charlie was playing like he was 25 years old again," Wallace said.
Now come the Ravens, who are 2-1 after beating the Cleveland Browns and will be looking to draw even with the Steelers in the AFC North Division. After that game, Batch gladly will turn over the offense to Roethlisberger, who, everybody on the team believes, will play lights out to right his wrong of getting suspended and putting his teammates in a major bind. How did Ward describe him? Mad Ben?
Look out Cleveland in Game 5 Oct. 17 at Heinz Field.
But first things first.
"We have a lot of confidence in Charlie," Keisel said of the team's mindset heading into the Baltimore game. "To see him rise up like he did today just shows the character of the man. Never once did he complain about his situation. He just kept coming to work. Even when he was hurt and on [injured-reserve], he came to work. He watched tape. He was there to help Ben ... ."
It's worth repeating about Batch: the consummate team player; just a great pro.
Ron Cook: rcook@post-gazette.com. Ron Cook can be heard on the "Vinnie and Cook" show weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 93.7 The Fan.
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