ROETHLISBERGER HAS BEEN THE SAME QUARTERBACK OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS
After unwarranted MVP hype due to the Steelers' 11-0 start, Ben Roethlisberger is no longer a part of the MVP conversation, and now there are question marks about his current ability at the age of 38.
The reality is that the last two games — both Steelers losses — are right in line with Roethlisberger’s play over the rest of the season; he just hasn’t had nearly as much help from his playmakers or his defense. He posted a solid 77.6 passing grade against the Washington Football Team last week, but six drops and a batted pass for an interception led to a much worse statistical outing.
Then, this week against the Buffalo Bills, Roethlisberger produced a 53.4 passing grade, his worst of the season. However, this grade is not some 2020 anomaly, as it’s Roethlisberger’s fourth passing grade in the 50s; the Steelers just won the previous three outings, so they went overlooked.
We’ve seen a limited passing attack in Pittsburgh all season as Roethlisberger has struggled to throw the ball down the field, and he’s run the quickest-hitting passing attack in the league, eschewing his prototypical big plays for letting his playmakers create after the catch. The only difference in recent weeks is the Steelers getting a case of the dropsies and Roethlisberger no longer getting away with some of the poor passes he made earlier in the season that fell incomplete and protected his stat line.
Big Ben has been playing with a limited skill set all season, but the Pittsburgh offense can still move the ball with a solid group of playmakers. At some point, however, they must find a way to get the ball down the field, where Roethlisberger’s 72.3 passer rating on 20-plus-yard throws ranks just 31st in the NFL.