The Steelers went into Sunday night's game against AFC North rival Baltimore with heavy hearts.
With teammate Ryan Shazier still hospitalized following spinal stabilization surgery Wednesday, two days after he was injured in a win at Cincinnati, more than one player said it was tough for the team to focus on football.
But focus they did. At the end. As they have done so many times before in this season of improbable finishes.
With the defense struggling without Shazier and putting together line changes at linebacker and cornerback that would make the Penguins' coaching staff proud, it fell on the offense to pull the Steelers' bacon out of the fire at Heinz Field against the Ravens.
And, as they have done now in eight consecutive games, the Steelers found a way to win. This time it was Ben Roethlisberger throwing for 506 yards and two touchdowns to lead yet another game-winning drive capped off by a Chris Boswell field goal to beat the Ravens, 39-38, and clinch their third AFC North title in the past four seasons.
"I think championship teams find ways to win," said Roethlisberger, who became the first QB in NFL history to record three 500-yard games in his career. "In the past, you felt like we couldn't quite get over that hump for whatever reason. Gotta love Boswell. I hate that we put it on his shoulders, but there is no one I'd rather have doing it than him."
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