Steelers, Big Ben ready to roll
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Forget about Ben Roethlisberger being limited in practice this week.
The Steelers are ready for their starting quarterback to return to the lineup as much as he’s champing at the bit to come back.
Head coach Mike Tomlin said after Sunday’s 23-13 loss against Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium that Roethlisberger was “close” to playing against the Chiefs but they went with third-string quarterback Landry Jones because he had taken the majority of the practice reps during the week.
That won’t be the case this week as the Steelers (4-3) prepare for a critical showdown with AFC North rival Cincinnati (6-0). Tomlin expects Roethlisberger, who has missed the past four games with a sprained MCL and bone bruise in his left knee to be ready.
“I do as I sit here today, but I don’t know what the reaction to next week’s work is going to mean to him,” said Tomlin. “So I say that with the understanding that how his knee reacts to the work that we give him could play into that as well.”
Roethlisberger said pain tolerance will be the main issue but that stability won’t be a problem. The Steelers fit him for a brace that he’ll wear for at least the next few weeks if not the remainder of the season.
His teammates are ready for their starting quarterback to return.
“We’ll go back to being the greatest show on turf,” guard Ramon Foster joked. “No. It will be great to let Ben be Ben. There won’t be a big celebration. We’ll let him do his job. We know how he operates. You kind of miss a guy when he’s out. He’ll be back. Let’s get on a roll.”
The Steelers went 2-2 with Roethlisberger out, keeping them in the playoff mix in the AFC. It could have been worse. Dallas, for example, has gone 0-4 since quarterback Tony Romo suffered a broken collarbone the week before Roethlisberger was injured.
“We went 2-2 and it stinks losing, but I thought some guys stepped up,” said guard David DeCastro. “At the end of the day, we have to find a way to win.”
They did just that winning behind second-stringer Mike Vick and Jones. The Steelers won in San Diego three weeks ago as Vick threw a 72-yard TD pass to Markus Wheaton, then directed a late touchdown drive that ended with Le’Veon Bell scoring from the one as time expired.
Two weeks ago, Jones made his NFL debut after Vick was injured against Arizona and the third-year quarterback completed 8 of 12 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Steelers past the Cardinals.
He wasn’t as fortunate making his first career start at Kansas City. While Jones completed 16 of 29 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown, he also was intercepted twice – though one came off a tipped ball that receiver Antonio Brown knocked into the air – and lost a fumble.
The three turnovers, however, matched the Steelers’ total from their first six games this season.
“I felt largely that he gave us a chance,” said Tomlin of Jones. “We’ve got to take care of the ball, but that’s an 11-man job, not a one-man job.”
The Steelers averaged 20.5 points per game without Roethlisberger in the lineup and 25.3 in the three games he started. That’s below the 30 points per game Roethlisberger and offensive coordinator Todd Haley each stated in training camp was a goal for the team this season. Roethlisberger practiced the past two weeks, some time on a limited basis, so he should not be rusty against the Bengals.
“We’ll pick up where we left off,” said Brown.
Odds and end zones
Despite missing the first two games while serving a suspension for violation of the NFL personal conduct policy, Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell leads the NFL in runs of 20 or more yards with eight. He had two such runs against the Chiefs. Bell is averaging 102.2 yards rushing per game. Only St. Louis rookie Todd Gurley, at 110.5, is averaging more. … Opponents have attempted 12 fourth down conversions against the Steelers this season, the most in the NFL. They have been successful four times.