Big Ben downs Bengals in play-offs
Ben Roethlisberger threw three touchdown passes and the Steelers routed hosts Cincinnati 31-17, while NFL receiving leader Steve Smith scored two touchdowns to lift Carolina past the New York Giants 23-0 to advance in the first-round games.
“Ben made some big plays, some big scrambles and very good decision making,” Steelers coach Bill Cowher said.
“We feel good about moving on. The play-offs is about surviving to play another game.”
Roethlisberger completed 14-of-19 passes for 208 yards and touchdown tosses of 19 yards to Willie Parker, five yards to Hines Ward and 43 yards to Cedrick Wilson while Jerome ‘The Bus’ Bettis ran five yards for another score.
“We played Steeler football,” Roethlisberger said.
“The Bengals gave us a couple of shots in the mouth and we weathered the storm. When we play our game we have fun.”
Carolina’s defence, ranked third in the NFL, forced five turnovers as the Giants became the first team blanked at home in the play-offs since 1980.
“Our defence just kept getting turnover after turnover and we just kept riding it,” said DeShaun Foster, who ran for 151 yards.
Conference semi-finals begin on Saturday with Pittsburgh at Indianapolis and Washington at Seattle, top seeds with byes hosting bottom-seeded upset winners, while Carolina will visit Chicago and Denver will host New England on Sunday.
“We just enjoy playing,” Cowher said. “We’re just going to go to the next game and try to find a way to win.”
All of next weekend’s second-round games are all regular-season rematches.
Defending champions New England, seeking a third Super Bowl title in a row, lost 28-20 at Denver, while Indianapolis beat Pittsburgh 26-7, Washington beat Seattle 20-17 in over-time and Chicago downed Carolina 13-3.
“It’s going to be cold but we’re looking forward to it,” Smith said.
“I would rather be cold playing in Chicago than warm sitting at home in Carolina.”
Next weekend’s winners will meet on January 22 to determine which teams play for the 40th Super Bowl on February 5 in Detroit, Michigan.
In New Jersey, Smith caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Jake Delhomme in the second quarter and ran 12 yards for another score in the third, while John Kasay kicked three field goals to provide Carolina’s scoring.
“It wasn’t easy,” Smith said.
“Offensively we had to step it up. We took every opportunity we had and made the most of it.”
Eli Manning threw three interceptions and lost a fumble in his first play-off game, proving unable to drive the Giants upfield.
“I’m upset,” Manning said.
“You hope to go out in a big situation, a play-off game, and play well. I didn’t do it.”
Manning threw for only 113 yards as the Giants managed only nine first downs and 132 total yards. The Panthers totalled 335 yards and controlled the ball for nearly 43 minutes.
Cincinnati took a 10-0 lead but the seeds of defeat were sown early when quarterback Carson Palmer, the NFL leader with 32 touchdown passes this season, suffered a torn left knee ligament on the Bengals’ second play from scrimmage.
“I knew right away it was bad,” Palmer said.
“I felt my whole knee pop. I didn’t feel a lot of pain. It was just a sickening feeling, because I knew what it was and that my season was over.”
Pittsburgh defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen, a former Bengal, was blocked into Palmer.
Jon Kitna entered and threw a touchdown pass to TJ Houshmandzadeh to give Cincinnati a 17-7 lead but Pittsburgh roared back.
“I’m upset for Carson,” Roethlisberger said.
“No one is more upset about it than Kimo. He was stumbling and there was nothing he could do.”
“You hate to see someone’s season end like that,” said Cowher.
The Bengals led 17-14 at half-time but botched the snap on a field goal attempt early in the third quarter. Pittsburgh drove downfield, Bettis barrelling into the end zone to give the Steelers the lead for good.
For the final touchdown Antwaan Randle El ran right, flipped a lateral to Roethlisberger, who connected with wide-open Wilson to give the Steelers a 28-17 lead.
“We’re at the point now where there is no tomorrow,” Cowher said.
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