By the time Ben Roethlisberger returns, the
Steelers (6-4) could be fighting for their playoff lives. Nothing will come
easy for the Steelers offensively without Roethlisberger. Not wins. Not points.
Not first downs.
With Joe Flacco and the Ravens now two games
ahead up in the AFC North, Byron Leftwich and the Steelers have to now focus on
just making the playoffs. (AP Photo)
A tough remainder of November awaits the
Steelers, in the aftermath of Sunday night’s 13-10 loss to Baltimore. The
Ravens (8-2) control the AFC North with a two-game lead. Meanwhile, the
Steelers have serious issues offensively without Roethlisberger (rib, shoulder
injuries), who could be out another two or three weeks.
That’s plenty of time for the Steelers to go
into a nosedive. Sunday night’s performance was not very reassuring.
“We just couldn’t get our rhythm,” said Byron Leftwich, who struggled
replacing Roethlisberger at quarterback.
“I felt good the whole time. I was seeing the field well. At no point
did I feel rusty at all. I felt like I was ready to help my team make plays. We
just didn’t make enough of them.”
The Steelers’ backup quarterback situation
could become a liability in the pursuit of a playoff berth. This was Leftwich’s
first start since 2009, so it was hardly surprising that he struggled
(18-of-39, 201 yards, one interception, three sacks).
If coach Mike Tomlin benches Leftwich at some
point and turns to Charlie Batch, that may not work, either. Batch will turn 38
on December 5, and there is no guarantee he will be effective if pressed into
service.
Life without Roethlisberger could be rough in
Pittsburgh. On the surface, Sunday’s game looked like a typical Ravens-Steelers
matchup. Hard hitting. Low scoring. Close outcome.
But in reality, the Steelers missed a golden
opportunity. Their defense played extremely well, containing Ravens running
back Ray Rice (40 yards on 20 carries) and harassing Joe Flacco (20-of-32, 164
yards, two sacks, no touchdowns).
However, the Steelers simply could not generate
enough offense. Their lone touchdown came on their most improbable play—a
31-yard touchdown run by Leftwich, one of the league’s slowest quarterbacks.
Somehow, Leftwich rumbled downfield, split a pair of Ravens defenders and
ambled into the end zone.
Smiling a little bit, Leftwich said he was not
surprised to score on that play.
“I joke with my teammates all the time,” Leftwich said. “I am not a
slow quarterback. I’m just the slowest black quarterback. I can move around just
as good as any of these other pocket passers in this league. I didn’t surprise
myself.”
But after Leftwich’s touchdown, the Steelers’
offense fizzled. The Ravens are not as good at stopping the run as they have
been in years past. But without the fear of facing Roethlisberger, the Ravens
did more blitzing, put more defenders in the box and kept Jonathan Dwyer (55
yards) and Rashard Mendenhall (33 yards) from taking making consistent yards on
the ground.
Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace admits the Steelers
need a different mentality without Roethlisberger.
“Whenever he’s not out there, it’s going to be a blow to us, because
he’s definitely a great quarterback,” Wallace said. “We still have to find a
way to win football games without him out there.
“Our defense played lights out. Our offense? We didn’t help them. We
did a little bit on the first drive, but after that we were dead. Everybody has
to step up. You don’t have to be a superhero. You just have to do your job.”
Leftwich took some bone-jarring shots in the
pocket but insisted after the game that he was not injured. Tomlin said he did
not seriously consider playing Batch, although Batch was warming up in the
fourth quarter.
Asked how he felt after the game, Leftwich
said, “I’m Ok.”
The same could not be said about the Steelers.
They visit the Browns next week, followed by a rematch with the Ravens in Week
13 at Baltimore. Without Roethlisberger, Tomlin and offensive coordinator Todd
Haley face the challenge of trying to devise a game plan that brings out
Leftwich’s best.
It will not be easy. Leftwich missed some
throws. The Steelers wasted timeouts. The absence of wide receiver Antonio
Brown (ankle) didn’t help.
The Bengals (5-5) have won two straight and are
in close pursuit of the Steelers. The Colts (6-4) have been a surprise, but
they have rookie sensation Andrew Luck at quarterback and a favorable schedule
down the stretch.
The Steelers know Roethlisberger will return as
quickly as he can, but in the meantime, their season will go on. Before
Roethlisberger was injured, the Steelers were building momentum. Without
Roethlisberger, the Steelers are looking for answers. And they will not be
found easily.
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