PITTSBURGH — The Patriots knew what was coming.
That was what several members of the New England defense were saying about Ben Roiethlisberger’s fake spike at the end of Sunday’s dramatic 27-24 win, one that turned several times over the course of the last two minutes.
“It was excitement, excitement. Horror,” said tight end Dwayne Allen with a laugh as he described the last couple minutes of the game. “And then, back to excitement.”
The capper came after the Steelers had engineered a drive all the way down to the New England 7-yard line. Sitting in a 3rd and goal with 11 seconds left and trailing the Patriots by three, Roethlisberger went down like he was going to spike it to try and stop the clock in anticipation of one more shot at the end zone.
But he didn’t. That’s where the Patriots’ situational awareness kicked in. It turns out that Roethlisberger’s fake in that instance came as no surprise.
“We’re always coached to play through the whistle and be alert for the fake spike, because it’s something we do as well,” said special teams captain Matthew Slater. “Pittsburgh has had success doing that over the years — I think they’ve hit Antonio (Brown) on a couple of those.”
“I know Ben usually fake spikes it and throws it to keep you off the task and try and get you to sleep,” said cornerback Stephon Gilmore.
Bill Belichick said after the game that level of awareness is vital to what they want to do defensively.
“It comes up in our two-minute preparation,” Belichick said of the possibility of the fake spike.
“I think all the great quarterbacks do that,” said veteran safety Devin McCourty. “If they can catch you sleeping and get an easy play, they’re going to try to do it. … We knew there was a chance.”
So they were aware of the possibility of the fake spike. The other thing the Patriots were aware of? With that little real estate to work with, the Steelers’ options were limited.
“There are only a couple of routes they came do,” reasoned McCourty. “It’s either got to be an incomplete pass or a touchdown. You just really want to get on your guy, because if they hold it too long — like (Sunday) — it’s a tough play to make, because you can’t take a sack. I think us just being alert helped out a lot.”
Roethlisberger didn’t spike it. Instead, he dropped back. As the Patriots tried to figure out what was going on, Pittsburgh receiver Eli Rogers, who had been lined up wide right, went flashing across the middle of the field on an in-cut. He was being trailed by cornerback Eric Rowe.
“A lot of urgency on that last play. I see (the Steelers) rushing to the ball. I see (defensive coordinator Matt Patricia) giving the call,” Rowe said. “Everybody was kind of in panic mode trying to get lined up. I see (Roethlisberger) fake it. I was like, ‘Oh, they’re running the play.’
“I didn’t really think he was going to throw it, because I was right on (Rogers’) hip.”
“We jammed the line,” said defensive lineman Deatrich Wise. “I saw (Roethlisberger) pop up, roll around and throw the ball.”
As three-quarters of the Steelers who were on the field for the play stood and watched as things started to unfold, Roethlisberger fired it toward Rogers. Rowe reached into the passing lane and tipped the ball. Harmon scooped it out of the air.
“He threw it, and I was like, ‘I just need to break this up.’ BOOM. I honestly though they caught it,” Rowe said. “I was like, ‘Oh my God.’ Then we came down with it, and I was just ecstatic.”
“He made the play,” Rogers said of Rowe after the game.
Harmon to seal the W!!! pic.twitter.com/SHziDCmFfg
— '03 Kliff Kingsbury (@fearthe_beard11) December 18, 2017