Steelers Notebook: Roethlisberger says hit to knee was dirtyThursday, December 08, 2005By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-GazetteBen Roethlisberger escaped another knee injury when rookie Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman hit him low in the second quarter of their game Sunday and was penalized for roughing the passer.Roethlisberger yesterday called it a dirty hit."I'm looking down the field," he said, going through the play. "I threw it to Hines [Ward] early, and I saw [Thurman] coming, so I tried to let my body go limp so I could go down and not hurt my knee."From what I heard, he said he got pushed or tripped or something; but anytime you go low on a quarterback, you know it's a little dirty."The pass was complete to Ward for 18 yards, and another 15 was tackled on for Thurman's personal foul.Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis contended this week that Steelers center Jeff Hartings tripped Thurman, although he acknowledged his rookie probably would be fined for the hit by the NFL."In this case the penalty may not have even been warranted because the defensive player was tripped running free to the quarterback by the offensive center," Lewis said. "Maybe it should have been an offensive penalty. But, again, it was called on Odell. So that's the way it goes."