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A20 SPORTS
Wednesday 26 september

Roethlisberger shines, Steelers hold off Buccaneers 30-27

By FRED GOODALL up 23-7.
AP Sports Writer Roethlisberger also turned
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — It was a fumble into a 27-yard TD
not the way Ben Roethlis- pass to Brown and moved
berger would draw it up, the Steelers 75 yards in nine
but the Pittsburgh Steelers plays just before the half to
will take it. make it 30-10 on his 1-yard
In desperate need of a scoring pass to Switzer.
win, the two-time defend- FLAGS, FLAGS, FLAGS
ing AFC North champions The teams combined for
capped a tumultuous week five roughing-the-passer
in which star receiver Anto- penalties, most in an NFL
nio Brown made headlines game since 2001, as fans
by shouting at an assistant around the league contin-
coach on the sidelines and ue to gripe about flags be-
getting into a spat on social ing thrown for what appear
media with a 30-27 victory to be routine tackles. Pitts-
over the Tampa Bay Buc- burgh was flagged three
caneers on Monday night. times for hits on Fitzpatrick,
The Steelers (1-1-1) built a and the Bucs were called
20-point lead held on for twice for roughing Roeth-
their first win despite not lisberger. In all, the Steelers
scoring after halftime. were penalized 13 times for
"I don't feel like we had 155 yards. Tampa Bay had
the ball much in the sec- nine penalties for 80 yards.
ond half. Three possessions The Bucs also had a hold-
maybe. We need to do a ing penalty that wiped out
better job putting it away," what would have been an
Roethlisberger said. 80-yard punt return for a TD
"At the end of the day we Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) celebrates after his 27-yard score against by DeSean Jackson.
just wanted to get out of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 24, 2018, RING OF HONOR
here with a win," corner- in Tampa, Fla. Hall of Fame coach Tony
back Joe Haden added. "It Dungy, who won a Super
wasn't a good-looking win and eight touchdowns in wavering and not blinking and just couldn't pull it off." Bowl ring as player with the
at all. They made a lot of two victories to begin Tam- and having the feeling the Roethlisberger was 30 of Steelers and as a first-time
plays on us, but at the end pa Bay's season. whole time that we were 38 with one interception, head coach transformed
we made some big stops." Fitzpatrick, the only player going to come back and completing nine passes to Tampa Bay from a laugh-
Roethlisberger threw for in NFL history to open a win the game." JuJu Smith-Schuster for 116 ingstock into a champi-
353 yards and three touch- season with consecutive The Bucs got the ball back yards and six to Brown for onship contender, was in-
downs, with all but 80 yards games with over 400 yards with just over three minutes 50 yards. ducted into the Bucs Ring
of that production com- passing and four touch- left; however, the Steelers The quarterback's on-field of Honor at halftime.
ing while the Steelers were downs, tried his best to cre- forced a punt and Roeth- chemistry with Brown ap- He's the 12th member, join-
building a 30-10 halftime ate "FitzMagic" again in his lisberger ran out the clock. peared fine in the first game ing Hall of Famers Lee Roy
lead. third start in place of the Fitzpatrick, who sacked since Brown responded to Selmon, Warren Sapp and
Vance McDonald scored suspended Jameis Winston. three times, finished 30 of 50 a former team employee Derrick Brooks; coach-
on a 75-yard pass play and He led a long field goal for 411 yards and three TDs. on social media by sug- es John McKay and Jon
finished with four catches drive in the third quarter, "We just did so many things gesting the club trade him Gruden; late owner Mal-
for 112 yards. Brown and and then tossed fourth- in the first half of that game if it wants to find out how colm Glazer; and players
Ryan Switzer also had first- quarter TD passes of 4 yards that we haven't been do- productive he can be with- John Lynch, Mike Alstott,
half TD receptions for Pitts- to Chris Godwin and 24 ing, so many things to beat out Roethlisberger. Doug Williams, Jimmie Giles
burgh, which had been yards to Mike Evans to rally ourselves," Bucs coach Dirk Fitzpatrick threw intercep- and Paul Gruber.
winless through two games the Bucs (2-1) within 30-27 Koetter said. tions on three consecu- Dungy and his wife, Lau-
for the first time since 2013. with 5:43 remaining. "I'm really proud of the way tive pass attempts during ren, accompanied Tampa
The Pittsburgh defense "We obviously dug our- we fought. You're down one stretch of the second Bay's captains to midfield
did its part, too, forcing selves a pretty big hole," three touchdowns or three quarter. The first stopped a for the coin toss. Three of
four turnovers, including Fitzpatrick said. "The great scores at halftime, it's not promising drive at the Steel- the couple's children —
three first-half interceptions thing to me coming out easy to come back in this ers' 6, and linebacker Bud Jade, Justin and Jason
of Ryan Fitzpatrick, the of this game is again the league," Koetter added. Dupree returned the last — led the team out of the
35-year-old journeyman belief in the huddle in the "We gave ourselves a one 10 yards for a touch- tunnel as the honorary flag
who threw for 819 yards second half and guys not chance there at the end down that put the Steelers runners.q