3 reasons Ben Roethlisberger is holding the Steelers offense back
By Tommy Jaggi
Steelers are ‘overprotecting’ Big Ben
Making sure your quarterback stays upright is one thing. But severely limiting the offense by making sure your signal-caller is never touched is another. Ben Roethlisberger is one of the least-sacked quarterbacks in the NFL this year. This obviously isn’t due to having the best offensive line in the league; rather, the plan is to get the ball out of his hands quickly to make sure he’s not hit.
When it comes time for the playoffs, it’s true that there is nothing more important to the Steelers success than making sure that Ben is healthy and ready to go. However, the offensive game script to so limited that it might not matter. Though Fichtner has his quarterback in mind by trying to get the ball out quick and making sure he stays upright, it is severely limiting the offensive potential of this team.
As a result of their predictability, teams are catching on. They are pressing on Pittsburgh’s receivers – knowing that Ben has the quickest time-to-throw in the NFL. Instead, they dare Big Ben to beat them down the field – something he has not been able to do consistently this year. It’s crucial to keep Roethlisberger from suffering any major injuries, but trying to make sure he is never hit is really limiting this offense.