Steelers QB report card: Ben Roethlisberger flashes improvement vs Raiders
By Shayne Kubas
Ben and Diontae hook up for big play to set up first score of the day
Situation: 3rd-and-8 at the Raiders 46-yard line, Steelers down 6-0 with 7:33 left in the 2nd quarter
At this point in the game, the offense was looking just as disappointing as it did in the first half of the Buffalo game. An interception, punt, and failed 4th down attempt was all the team had to show for so far. Facing another long 3rd down, I expected to see a short pass with the hope of a broken tackle. To mine (and many others) surprise, Ben launched a pass deep downfield into the waiting arms of Diontae Johnson, who beat Raider’s corner, Trayvon Mullen, down the sideline.
This play was not only Ben’s best throw of the day, but it also marked a shift in the game where Ben finally got the offense moving. I was tempted to choose the even longer completion to Chase Claypool later in the game, but the pass Ben delivered to Johnson was just a bit more impressive. He hit him perfectly in stride and gave Mullen no chance to make a play, the only way it could have been better is if he was able to keep from leading him out of bounds. A few plays later, a jet sweep touchdown by Juju Smith Schuster put the Steelers up for the first and only time.
Plays like this are what was missing during the Steelers struggles on offense dating back to last season, especially with the lack of consistent rushing success. If you can’t move the ball methodically down the field, then creating big plays is the next best thing. Despite the loss, it was at least encouraging to see Ben find success on deeper throws.
I said last week that Ben would obviously take the win despite his poor production, but this week we saw that situation flip. He threw for over 100 more yards than week 1 (188 vs 295) and was much more consistent with his accuracy. Even so, he still took the blame for the loss and believes he didn’t do enough for the team to win. Part of that is him trying to take accountability as the team’s leader, but how much is he really to blame?