Big Ben has MVP numbers, but higher accolades in mind
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is having an MVP start to the season.
Ben Roethlisberger stands on the sideline during a game against the New York Jets Sunday.
PITTSBURGH – The talk started shortly after 1 p.m. Sunday after Tom Brady took the field against the Cleveland Browns.
The New England quarterback immediately became the frontrunner to win the NFL’s MVP award, despite missing the first four games of the season for his involvement in Deflategate.
A few hours drive away in Pittsburgh, Ben Roethlisberger was putting on another solid performance for the Steelers in a 31-13 win over the New York Jets, throwing for 380 yards and four touchdowns.
Despite the Steelers’ 4-1 start and the fact Roethlisberger has thrown an NFL-best 15 touchdown passes and for just under 1,500 yards in the first five games, Pittsburgh’s quarterback rarely gets mentioned when the national pundits talk about the league MVP award.
Then again, Roethlisberger has only won the Steelers MVP award once – in 2009 – and that’s fine with him.
“I feel like I’m seeing things really well. I’m seeing the field. I’m understanding our offense,” Roethlisberger said on his weekly call in to KDKA-FM Tuesday. “I’m understanding defenses. I will always say that the way the line plays always helps me be as good as I can be. All of those things put together, then I would say I’m playing pretty well right now.”
The question remains will that offensive play travel? With the win over the Jets, Roethlisberger improved to 20-1 in his career in October home games. By comparison, he’s 12-9 on the road during that month.
While he’s thrown 51 touchdown passes against 13 interceptions in home games since the start of the 2014 season, Roethlisberger hasn’t had the same success on the road, with 17 TDs and 16 interceptions over that period.
He did throw three touchdown passes in the regular season opener at Washington and had three in the regular season finale at Cleveland last year.
He’ll get another opportunity on the road Sunday, when the Steelers travel to Miami (1-4).
A good game against the Dolphins would certainly put Roethlisberger front and center among the league’s MVP candidates even with the return of Brady.
Not only does Roethlisberger lead the league in touchdown passes, he’s third in passing yards and fifth in passer rating.
The scary thing for opponents has to be that the Steelers still haven’t played a complete game on offense.
Receiver Sammie Coates, who caught six passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns in the win over the New York Jets, missed on five other passes hit him in the hands. Tight end Jesse James also had a drop over the middle.
The Steelers could have scored more than 40 points with those receptions.
“When you do watch the film, it’s could have, would have, should have,” said Roethlisberger. “We can’t live in that Monday morning film study. We learn from those things but we move on and see where we can not make those mistakes the next time.”
Because of injuries and suspensions, the Steelers used a lot of pieces besides No. 1 receiver Antonio Brown on offense. Outside of a hiccup three weeks ago at Philadelphia, the offense has continued to put up points.
Pittsburgh ranks sixth in scoring at 27.8 points per game. When that three-point outing at Philadelphia is taken out of the equation, that number rises to 34 per game.
A big reason for that is the 34-year-old Roethlisberger is playing perhaps the best football of his career.
“This guy’s been doing it and doing it at a high level for a long time,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, who is in his 10th season with Roethlisberger. “He knows what he’s doing. The way he communicates and develops and nurtures relationships with those (receivers ) might be different than the way he did it six or eight years ago because he’s different. It’s all positive. He does a heck of a job of it. I know the guys look up to him and respect him, and don’t want to let him and us down.”
That’s what matters the most to Roethlisberger. He doesn’t care about the awards. He only wants the trophy awarded to the Super Bowl winner at the end of the season, something he’s helped the Steelers do twice in his career.
“I’ve been lucky enough to win two championships; that’s what matters to me,” Roethlisberger said. “I’ll take a championship over an MVP any time.”
Tomlin confirmed that defensive end Cam Heyward (hamstring) will miss his first career game at Miami Sunday but would not speculate how much time Heyward would be out. Also out are safety Shamarko Thomas (groin) and offensive lineman Cody Wallace (knee). … A number of other players are questionable, including wide receivers Coates (finger), Markus Wheaton (shoulder) and Eli Rogers (toe), right tackle Marcus Gilbert (ankle), linebacker Ryan Shazier (knee), cornerback Justin Gilbert (knee), safety Robert Golden (hamstring), fullback Roosevelt Nix (back) and running back DeAngelo Williams (knee). … Tomlin said tight end Ladarius Green, who opened the season on the Physically Unable to Perform List is doing “great.” Green is eligible to return to practice next week.