Posts
Filed under: Steelers, AFC North
Most fans around the NFL can easily be taken out of a game when their team is down by a significant score and it can get worse during a playoff game. But not in Pittsburgh. Heinz Field is a safe haven for the Steelers, and for their opponents it can be a living nightmare.Other crowded stadiums around the league -- like the 12th man at Qwest Field and at the Metrodome -- are loud, crazy home environments that are tough for outsiders, but no crowd in the NFL can electrify a team and lift them quite like the fans at Heinz Field, and they were on full display Saturday evening in helping the Ravens to the meltdown of a lifetime.
"Believe me, we felt it out there," said Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley, who helped lead the furious attack in the second half after being down by 14-points to defeat the Ravens, 31-24. "One of the best feelings I've ever had in here."
A packed Heinz can be very intimidating as they consistently spin and wave their "Terrible Towels" with fury and shout with passionate anger.
On Saturday, it all began when the Ravens approached the line of scrimmage on their first series of the second half. Their offensive line was sluggish coming off the snap and linebacker James Harrison came off the edge to sack Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. The crowd exploded and after Ravens running back Ray Rice's fumbled, the Steelers took over for good.
"It's up there with the best," said linebacker James Farrior when asked about where Saturday's game ranked for his career, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "The way we fell behind, the way we believed in ourselves, the way we fought back ... We never gave up. We came into the locker room at halftime, and guys just talked about needing to go back out there and do our jobs."
Although there were questionable calls and deflating moments in the contest, the crowd at Heinz helped the Steelers through its tough patch on Saturday.
"Welcome to the Steeler Nation. That's what we do, we win," said Michael Wicks, a service manager from York, PA who believed the Ravens would have lost anyway because, according to him, they aren't ready yet. "The Steelers use the weapons we have and use them well. We are about taking advantage of every opportunity.
With the game tied at 24-24 in the matchup, the Steelers needed a big play on third-and-19 to avoid giving the Ravens a chance to receive the ball with good field position. Execution was key and the crowd was needed. The Ravens elected to drop back with eight defenders, applied a three-man rush, and two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hooked up with rookie wide receiver Antonio Brown for a 58-yard pass, sending Heinz Field into a frenzy.
"It was a blessing man," said Brown. "What a sight, the whole stadium. And it was third-and-19, to complete a play like that ... it's a blessing."
On Sunday, the New York Jets will return to Heinz Field with hopes of duplicating their last outing in Pittsburgh when they defeated the Steelers, 22-17 on Dec. 19. Since Heinz Field was a factor on Saturday with Hall of Famer Joe Greene on the jumbotron fueling the crowd, the Jets will once again have their hands full as they compete against the Steelers and the screaming 60 thousand-plus.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2011/01/17/heinz-field-remains-home-sweet-home-as-steelers-await-jets/
No comments:
Post a Comment