To do so, however, the Steelers have to be less reliant on Roethlisberger being his old self and realize that it has an older Roethlisberger.
It’s something Denver realized in 1997 and 1998 with John Elway. In 1997, the Broncos asked Elway at 37, to throw the ball more than 40 times. They lost all three games. But he never threw it more than 31 times in the postseason, that coming against the Steelers in the AFC Championship, and the Broncos won the Super Bowl.
The next season, Elway, at 38, never attempted more than 36 passes in a game. The Broncos again won the Super Bowl.
What Denver did was ride its running game, with Terrell Davis leading the way.
When the Broncos occasionally needed a big throw from Elway, more often than not, he responded.
That’s not what the Steelers are doing with Roethlisberger right now. He threw the ball 21 times in the first half against the Jaguars and 55 times in the game. Le’Veon Bell, meanwhile, got nine first-half carries and 15 overall just one week after carrying the team to a win at Baltimore. Bell had 35 rushing attempts in that game.
“It was determined by the looks they were giving us. They did a lot of single-high safety,” Roethlisberger said of the first half. “Then, when you’re behind, you’ve got to start trying to come back.”
Perhaps, however, if you don’t allow yourself to be baited into throwing so much, you don’t fall behind.
Some of that responsibility lies on offensive coordinator Todd Haley. But some of it also falls on Roethlisberger. Many times, he has run-pass options he calls at the line of scrimmage. Perhaps it’s time some of that responsibility be taken away from him, especially when he’s not playing particularly well.
The Steelers, and Roethlisberger, need to realize less of him is more. And they need to do so soon.
It was a winning formula in the second half of last season, when he never attempted more than 36 passes during an eight-game winning streak.
It can work, so long as everyone buys into it, particularly the quarterback.
“I’ve been doing this a long time. I’ve had bad games before. I’ve had bad stretches,” Roethlisberger said. “You just find a way to move on and play better.”
Part of doing so would be looking in the mirror and realizing you’re not a kid any longer.
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