Ward in the record book for Steelers
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
By Teresa Varley
Steelers.com
Wide receiver Hines Ward continues to make big catches each week, but he had a record-setting one on Sunday night against the Bengals.
Ward had two touchdown receptions, the second one an eight-yard grab that was his 64th career touchdown catch, breaking Hall of Fame wide receiver John Stallworth’s all-time record of 63 touchdown receptions.
“It’s definitely a great feeling to surpass Mr. Stallworth with the touchdown record,” said Ward. “It’s something that is a credit that hard work can pay off. I worked my tail off ever since I’ve been in this league. I worked my way up through special teams. I had to overcome a lot of adversity in my career, but to sit at the top of a prestigious franchise as the touchdown leader, I’m still ecstatic.”In his 10-year career Ward has caught touchdowns from and array of quarterbacks, but it is Ben Roethlisberger who threw the record-breaking one, which was a career-high 25th touchdown pass of the season for him. “Warming up tonight with Ben he said ‘let’s get this touchdown record out of the way tonight.’ It’s just a great feeling to go out of the way and put it past me,” said Ward. “I really wanted it bad coming into this year. It’s a great feeling especially on a night where it’s a big game, a divisional game.”The conditions weren’t ideal for the passing game with rain falling off on and throughout the night, but Roethlisberger was determined to get the ball into Ward’s hands, especially in the end zone.
“He was trying. There were a couple of opportunities we missed down there,” said Ward. “We both just shook our heads a couple of times. With the weather conditions, the balls were just slick.”
There wasn’t much that Ward missed though. He had 11 receptions for 90 yards against the Bengals, including a 14-yard catch over the middle where he got hit hard and held on to the ball.“Coach (Mike) Tomlin preached all week about during the month of December, all the guys who are playmakers, who people lean on, I want you guys to step up,” said Ward. “{I think all the guys he mentioned on that list, we all went out and played a great game. It’s great, because we definitely have a big challenge next week.”
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Gameballs!
Who do you give the gameballs out in this sorry game? One has to go to Jeff Reed for thankfully ending this U-G-L-Y game. The other goes to our always smiling Hines Ward.
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