(Editor's note: I'm doing my part to honor the Steelers' 75th anniversary by writing exactly 750 words about Monday night's win over the Ravens. That doesn't count the words in these parentheses, of course. Happy reading.)

Ben Roethlisberger can finally be mentioned in the same sentence as Mark Malone.

And Terry Bradshaw, too.

On Monday night, Roethlisberger tied Bradshaw and Malone for the single-game team record with five touchdown passes in the Steelers’ 38-7 plucking of the Baltimore Ravens.

Roethlisberger and Tom Brady are the only quarterbacks to throw five TD passes in a game this season. But let’s not mention Roethlisberger in the same breath as Brady or Peyton Manning just yet. Brady and Manning would have found a way to win the games in Arizona and Denver.

There is one department, however, where Roethlisberger belongs in the same class as Brady and Manning: Acting. He’s the first Super Bowl-winning quarterback since Brad Johnson not to host “Saturday Night Live.” But let me tell you, Roethlisberger is a Ready for Prime Time Player.

With the Steelers blowing out the Ravens in the third quarter, the national TV audience was dwindling by the minute. But Roethlisberger added some suspense. He forced Steelers fans across the Nation to drop their remotes by writhing in pain after being pushed to the ground by the Ravens’ Terrell Suggs. Way to keep the ratings up. This exaggeration of injuries is one of the few faults I can find with Roethlisberger’s performance. Halloween’s over, Ben. Stop scaring us!

After shaking it off, Roethlisberger made like Willis Reed and came back into the game for a series. Clinging to a 28-point lead in the fourth quarter, it was just the emotional lift the Steelers needed.

Of Roethlisberger’s five touchdown passes, the most clutch came early in the second quarter. He rolled out of the pocket and found Nate Washington in his own area code in the end zone for a 30-yard TD pass. It gave the Steelers a 21-0 lead, but more importantly, it got the image of Bradshaw’s ass out of my head.

Bradshaw had just joined Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski and Tony Kornheiser in the ESPN booth, and I couldn’t help but think of the scene in “Failure to Launch” in which Bradshaw’s … uuuhhh, backfield … was exposed. Fortunately, Roethlisberger avoided the pressure long enough for Washington to break free, and I was back in my happy place.

Bradshaw was at Heinz Field as part of the Steelers’ 75th anniversary celebration. He must have just edged out Mark Malone as the Steelers’ all-time quarterback. But the Steelers’ 75th birthday party wasn’t the only party going on Monday night. James Harrison had his coming out party. His performance made a lot of people forget another member of that 75th anniversary team – Joey Porter.

At right outside linebacker, Harrison has been assigned the task of filling Porter’s shoes. In his final season with the Steelers, Porter had 55 tackles and seven sacks. Through the halfway point of this season, Harrison has 52 tackles and six sacks. On Monday, he had 3½ sacks, nine tackles, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and an interception. He almost single-handedly made the Ravens look like a college homecoming opponent on this ceremonious night. (I’d have used the homecoming angle higher up in the story, but friggin’ Kornheiser made that analogy during the game. I’m not pardoning that interruption.) Harrison became the first NFL player since 1982 (when sacks were first kept as an official statistic) to have 3½ sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery in the same game.

Right behind Harrison with seven tackles and a forced fumble was Troy Polamalu, who hadn’t been much of a factor lately. It was nice to see those locks flying around a little bit more. And let’s not forget Lawrence Timmons (remember that name) recovering Ed Reed’s popup fumble on special teams. Keep paying your dues, Lawrence.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about the Steelers’ dismantling of the Ravens is the fact that Willie Parker gained just 43 yards on 24 carries. But 5-foot-10, 209-pounder made his presence felt in another way by blocking Big Bad Ray Lewis on the Steelers’ second touchdown, a 15-yard pass from Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes.

Hines Ward was his typical self, grinning from ear to ear while using his body as a human projectile to throw blocks all over the field. How does it feel, Bart Scott?

Steelers kicker Jeff Reed even got into a jawing match with a Ravens’ player.

After being outscored by them 58-7 in two games last season, the Steelers weren’t taking shit from anyone in purple and white on Monday night.

Somewhere, Mark Malone is smiling.