Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is going into his twelfth NFL season and the last two years have been arguably his best. Will 2015 season be the best yet?
Steeler Nation has watched Roethlisberger through his ups and downs both on and off the field. When he first started playing, his style was unlike what most football fans had gotten used to.
Roethlisberger scrambled well for a man his size and kept the play alive frustrating many defensive linemen. He received criticism early for his style of play because it wasn’t “traditional.” He left the pocket too much.
Once he left the pocket, he left the protections afforded the passer and the injuries mounted. His only complete regular seasons are: 2008, 2013, and 2014.
Todd Haley’s marching orders were to get the running game going again AND to keep Roethlisberger healthy. Check and check.
Let’s be honest, I wasn’t onboard with Todd Haley and his methods in the first year. Good thing I wasn’t making the decisions.
Will 2015 be even better than 2013 and 2014? Well, we can’t predict that, but I think the Steelers have done a good job in this off season to keep the pieces that meshed well in the offense and to add to cover the gaps.
Le’Veon Bell’s absence could hurt, but I would rather see it at the beginning of the season, so, the gamble to put off anything to do with his suspension until the following year may have been a good one.
Bell’s absence could drive more passing plays but hopefully not to the detriment of the wide receivers because they are getting more hits. Roethlisberger needs Antonio Brown to stay healthy too.
I’m not sure I am ready to predict that Roethlisberger will have even better numbers in 2015 than in any previous year. Frankly, I would be happy to see similar numbers to 2013 and 2014.
Consistency is a trend I can really get behind.
You can look at Roethlisberger’s complete numbers on Steelers.com, but let’s look at a few over his career.
| Year | Games Started | Passing Attempts | Passing Completions | Passing Yards | Touchdowns | Interceptions | Sacks |
| 2008 | 16 | 469 | 281 | 3,301 | 17 | 15 | 46 |
| 2011 | 15 | 513 | 324 | 4,077 | 21 | 14 | 40 |
| 2013 | 16 | 584 | 375 | 4,261 | 28 | 14 | 42 |
| 2014 | 16 | 608 | 408 | 4,952 | 32 | 9 | 33 |
First, I think we have to debunk that a good running game would hurt Roethlisberger’s career. It’s had the opposite effect and opened him up to make better plays.
The desperate, make-something-happen ability that Steeler Nation loves about Roethlisberger doesn’t have to be used quite so often.
We should also credit that he is a more mature, more seasoned quarterback who seems far more comfortable with himself. Whether that is because of coaching or because his off-the-field life is more stable, it doesn’t matter.
What matters is the result.
Back to my original question. Is the arrow still pointing up for Roethlisberger? I don’t know. I would love it to be, but I can say that there is no indication the arrow is going down.
I think Roethlisberger is in his prime. He’s older and, yes, that can make a difference in his ability to take a hit. However, experience is making the biggest difference and it’s so fun to watch, don’t you think?
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