All-Pro auarterback Ben Roethlisbeger went down with a knee injury Sunday. Here are five reasons the Pittsburgh Steelers are in trouble without him.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are in familiar territory as they deal with another injury to star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. In a Week 6 contest against the Miami Dolphins, the QB played with a hobbled knee after getting caught from behind by defensive end Jordan Philips.
The injury was believed to be minor, as Roethlisberger missed one series late in the second quarter, but he was obviously struggling when he came back on the field. In true Roethlisberger fashion, he finished the game, but completed only 19 out of 34 passes for a meager 189 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
As it turns out, Big Ben suffered an injury to his meniscus, and surgery was completed yesterday. The injury is untimely, to say the least, and the Steelers should be worried about their chances in the absence of their all-world quarterback.
Despite losing unexpected games to the Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles, the Steelers have been trending upwards thanks to the play of Roethlisberger and the return of Le’Veon Bell to the lineup. Needless to say, Roethlisberger’s injury is bad news. Here are five reasons Pittsburgh will struggle without him.
5. Roethlisberger is elite
At times, football pundits take Big Ben for granted. While Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and (until recently) Peyton Manning are continuously spoken about as great quarterbacks, Roethlisberger rarely receives the same sort of praise.
He has the rings, stats, signature win and he continues to develop his game as he gets older. That’s not enough for some people, and it’s a crying shame he isn’t held in higher regard among his peers.
Throughout his career, he’s shown he can win in multiple ways and with different teammates. Whether he’s playing the role of game-manager or gunslinger, Roethelisberger continues to prove he’s one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. It will be close to impossible for the Steelers to replace him once he’s gone.
With Roethlisberger under center, the Steelers can dominate the offensive side of the ball, and his mere presence takes some pressure off the defense, who know their QB will put up points. Tough times are ahead for Pittsburgh, though perhaps everyone else will learn to appreciate the star quarterback in his absence.