With the ESPY awards airing soon on ESPN, I wanted to take the chance to do a NPC version of the ESPY’s devoted to the 2010 Pittsburgh Steeler’s season.
There were so many categories to choose from, and so many plays that could have made the list. Narrowing down who made the cut was not an easy process.
Best close out performance:
With Ben Roethlisberger sidelined for the first four weeks of the season, many people were questioning where the offense would come from for the black and gold. Right out of the gate in week 1, we saw that without Ben the defense was going to have to be great for the Steelers to win games.
As the first game of the season went to over time, the Steelers did not waste any time putting the game away. Following a perfectly executed block, Rashard Mendenhall broke through the line and scampered all the way into the end zone to give the Steelers a victory to open the season.
This win was important because it showed the Steelers could win without Roethlisberger, which gave the team confidence heading into the next three games.
Best supporting role:
Entering week 3 of the season, the Steelers were really struggling at the quarterback position. Roethlisberger was still suspended, and now backup Dennis Dixon was out. The Steelers had no choice other than to start the embattled quarterback Charlie Batch.
Many people did not know how to react with Batch behind center, as he was making his first start in nearly three years. For so long, he merely held a clipboard and offered advice to the younger players. Now he was in the spotlight, and he did not disappoint.
Batch finished the game going 12-17 for 186 yards and 3 touchdowns as the Steelers cruised to a lopsided 38-13 victory.
Best calm under pressure moment:
It’s reasons like these that make me love coach Mike Tomlin more and more. In week 1 against the Falcons, Tomlin and Falcons coach Mike Smith played a chess game of calling timeouts to ice each others kickers. The only difference between the two coaches……well see for yourself.
Best game saving long bomb throw caught using one hand and a helmet:
Okay you got me, maybe this category is far too specific for the NPC ESPY’s, but Antonio Brown’s catch late in the game against the Baltimore Ravens had to make this list somehow.
Late in the fourth quarter of the AFC divisional round of the playoffs, the offense faced a 3rd and 19. With the game seemingly slipping away, Roethlisberger launched a deep pass down the sideline to Brown who caught the 58-yard bomb using his helmet as another hand.
Following the catch, Mendenhall scored from the 2-yard-line to give the Steelers the 31-24 victory, and cemented their dominance over the Ravens beating them in the playoffs for the third consecutive time.
Best “did he really just do that” moment:
It seems like we get a moment like this out of Troy Polamalu every year, and this past season was no exception.
In week 2 against the Titans, the game was still in the balance late in the fourth quarter. The Titans had the ball at the Steelers 1-yard-line, and were looking to punch the ball in.
As the Titans snapped the ball, Polamalu leapt over the offensive line collapsing on the Titans quarterback before he could even hand the ball off. It was just another spectacular play that Troy can add to his highlight reel, and was a key play in getting the Steelers off to a 2-0 start.
There were many other outstanding plays during the 2010 season for the Steelers. Every play can’t make the NPC ESPY’s, but 2011 will surely hold more amazing moments that will make Steeler fans say; “Did he really just do that!!”
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