Steelers wrap up playoff berth, top Chiefs 20-12
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger kept the weight off of his right leg as he limped into the Heinz Field tunnel, leaving his Pittsburgh Steelers briefly in the third quarter of Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Many wondered if the Steelers' playoff chances had just disappeared along with their quarterback.
Roethlisberger's right knee was leg whipped by Chiefs defensive end Vance Walker. So when the two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback returned the following series, there was a collective exhale among his coaches, players and fans.
"I'm just fine, thank you," Roethlisberger said after leading a playoff-clinching, 20-12 win against the Chiefs. "The doctors just wanted to check it out."
It didn't stop Roethlisberger who completed 18 of 25 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown to help the Steelers clinch at least a wild-card spot for the first time since 2011.
"I told the guys that we were going to get a lot of questions about being in the playoffs, but we still have another game and it's a divisional game and it's at home," Roethlisberger said. "So we're not looking past that.
"It feels good knowing that we are going to go. But we're not looking past this next game. No way."
If they defeat the AFC North-leading Cincinnati Bengals Sunday in their regular-season finale, the Steelers host a playoff game – perhaps against the Bengals.
Lose and they'll be one of two AFC wild-card teams playing on the road.
Roethlisberger was dialed in particularly with tight end Heath Miller and Antonio Brown, who each caught seven passes for a combined 140 yards.
Steelers linebackers James Harrison and Jason Worilds and defensive end Cameron Heyward brought relentless heat against Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith, who was sacked six times. Harrison, 36, looked refreshed with 1 1/2sacks after missing the last two games with a knee injury.
Steelers defensive end Stephon Tuitt forced a Jamaal Charles fumble as Pittsburgh limited one of the league's most dynamic backs who came in averaging 5.2 yards per carry to 29 yards on nine carries.
The Steelers defense was never better than fourth-and-1 stop from the Pittsburgh 11-yard line, trailing 10-6 with 27 seconds left before halftime.
Linebacker Lawrence Timmons stuffed Charles for no gain, setting the no-go tone on a day that belonged to the Steelers defense. The Chiefs went 0-for-4 inside the red zone, settling for four field goals.
"It was unbelievable," Roethlisberger said of the stop. "The crowd gets into it. The defense was fired up. We want to go answer the bell (as an offense) because they stood up for us.
"So we want to stand up for them."
Walking off the field, the video board showed the final minutes of the rival Baltimore Ravens' 25-13 loss to the Houston Texans. Roethlisberger didn't allow himself to watch.
"They were showing the highlights of the Ravens game and the fans were getting into it," Roethlisberger said. "But I didn't even want to look because it doesn't matter. It's all about us.
"We're going to enjoy this win. But we're not going to sit here and say that we're a finished product by any means."
What would it mean to end the regular season with a AFC North win?
"It would mean everything," Roethlisberger said.
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Follow Jim Corbett on Twitter @ByJimCorbett