Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger acknowledged Wednesday that his play must improve in order for the Pittsburgh Steelers to reverse their fortunes.
Roethlisberger, 39, has thrown for 1,033 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions in four games for the Steelers (1-3). The team has totaled just five offensive scores this season.
“I need to be better,” he said Wednesday. “I need to fight through and figure out how to make better decisions, how to make better throws, how to be a better football player. That’s why I just said I’m not going to quit. I’m going to keep doing that.
“I’m not giving up on this season. No one in this building is. It’s still early, and there’s still a lot of fight left in us.”
Roethlisberger also acknowledged that he is dealing with hip and pectoral injuries. However, he expects to play in Sunday’s game against the visiting Denver Broncos (3-1).
“It’s pretty sore,” Roethlisberger said of his hip. “If I showed you the picture, you might not be too well to your stomach. It’s a little black and blue.
“… As a quarterback, there’s so much involved in your lower body. People probably think as a quarterback or as a thrower, it’s, ‘How’s your arm doing?’ Your arm is honestly a small part compared to the whole package. It’s your core. It’s your lower body. I’ve got to find ways to be better with my lower body. Going back and watching the game, a few times, a lot of throws I missed, were missed because my lower body wasn’t in sync.”
Roethlisberger is playing in his 18th season in the NFL after signing a restructured contract that included a pay cut over the offseason. The six-time Pro Bowl selection has spent the entirety of his pro career in Pittsburgh and won two Super Bowls with the Steelers. He threw his 400th touchdown pass in Sunday’s loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Mason Rudolph and former first-round pick Dwayne Haskins are coach Mike Tomlin’s other options at quarterback.
Roethlisberger did not practice on Wednesday. Neither did cornerback Cam Sutton (groin) and offensive lineman Kevin Dotson (hip). Wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster (ribs) and Chase Claypool (hamstring), offensive lineman Trai Turner (illness) and defensive tackle Cameron Heyward (neck) were limited.
–Field Level Media
