2004 Steelers 13 at Dolphins (Sep 26, 2004)      






 







2004 Season

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2004 Steelers 13 at Dolphins 3

Conditions couldn't have been worse for rookie Ben Roethlisberger's first-ever NFL start. Played in a torrential downpour, the weather is so severe (due to the remnants of Hurricane Jeanne) that the game is pushed back to a night game. Adding to the strange nature of this contest, the Steelers were stuck in their Fort Lauderdale hotel with no power the previous night.

Big Ben gets off to a shaky start when his first pass, an attempted throw-away, is intercepted. Unphased, Ben goes on to play an otherwise clean, mistake-free game in the monsoon conditions, finishing a respectable 12 of 22 for 163 yds and 1 TD, good enough to earn him the first of many "NFL Rookie of the Week" honors.

Much of the first quarter is played on the muddy, slippery baseball infield, which leads to 3 turnovers and 2 penalties in the first 3 minutes of the game. Pittsburgh's defense - who forces 4 turnovers and makes a key fourth-down stop -- sets up Jeff Reed's first FG of the night after Deshea Townsend's over-the-shoulder INT at the Pittsburgh 20.

On the ensuing drive, Plaxico Burress makes a remarkable 42-yd reception after he slips and falls on the infield clay but still catches Roethlisberger's bomb as he's sprawled on the ground. The Steelers make it 6-0 in the 3rd quarter after stuffing Miami on 4-and-1 near midfield, setting up a 51-yd FG by Reed.

Duce Staley gains 101 yds on 22 carries in the slop, while Hines Ward hauls in 9 catches for 96 yds, including a 7-yd TD from Roethlisberger late in the 4th quarter to clinch the game.


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