Steelers offense gathering steam as stretch looms
Steelers offense gathering steam as stretch looms
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Four touchdown passes were not enough to satisfy Ben Roethlisberger.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback is OK with Sunday night's 45-10 romp over the Indianapolis Colts.
A year after setting a franchise record with 522 yards passing and tying a club mark with six scoring throws, Roethlisberger was nearly as sharp as the Steelers (7-5) responded from a sloppy loss against Seattle by dismantling decimated Indianapolis (6-6).
Antonio Brown caught eight passes for 118 yards and two scores and added a 71-yard punt return for a touchdown in the final minutes, celebrating by jumping on the goal post and sliding down to the delight of his teammates, if not coach Mike Tomlin.
Martavis Bryant hauled in four passes for 114 yards and a score, and DeAngelo Williams added 134 yards rushing as Pittsburgh shook off a slow start to regain its footing in the crowded AFC playoff picture.
Matt Hasselbeck threw for 169 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions before leaving in the fourth quarter because of neck and shoulder pain.
Tomlin and defensive coordinator Keith Butler tinkered with personnel and schematics after Russell Wilson lit the Steelers up for five touchdown passes last week.
Pittsburgh's running game had taken a back seat to Roethlisberger the last two weeks, but Williams posted his second-highest total of the season and is hardly running like a guy on the wrong side of 30.