Twitter @BoMarchionte
A season lost last year after Ben Roethlisberger had season-ending surgery to reattach three torn flexor tendons in his right elbow.
Over the off-season he was fluffy, looked a bit bloated and did not look the part of an aging veteran ready to return with all systems go.
Ironically, after a controversial beard shave under COVID-19 conditions, Roethlisberger has looked refresh and reports out of camp he has been crisp with his throws despite the setback last year at the age of 37.
The longest tenured Steelers player, it might be Roethlisberger who has had the most change over the couple seasons. The two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback was adjusting to life without Antonio Brown and getting acquainted with Donte Moncrief and rookie Diontae Johnson, six quarters into the last season that progress was brought to a complete halt.
Tonight, he must reunite with Johnson while getting acclimated to the live action of rookie Chase Claypool and tight end Eric Ebron.
The first quarter of tonight’s game was much the same with the offense out of sync with no rhythm. Roethlisberger hit the ground several times and after one tumble was walking with a slight limp on his left knee from observation from the press box.
Roethlisberger was testing his legs much of the first half more so than the strength is his surgically repaired elbow. Time and time again pressure was forcing the 38-year old quarterback into a frenzied scramble.
“You know, it’s easy to point back to something now with hindsight being 20-20,” Mike Tomlins said on when he thought Roethlisberger started to get comfortable. “But that two-minute drive he was able to navigate before the half, I thought that was significant.”
On the Steelers final drive of the second quarterback, Roethlisberger was gaining momentum with his receiver corps. Throw after throw was on target and the offense was moving down field on the Giants after stalled drives.
It may have gone unnoticed but the 78-yard drive that led to the Steelers second touchdown of the game was their longest touchdown drive under Roethlisberger since last season without the help of a takeaway by the defense.
That is when Roethlisberger got his groove back.
Prior to his injury last season, the offense with Roethlisberger looked flat. Looked even worse without him, but this is the franchise quarterback, its essential they move the ball with No. 7 in the line-up.
“Well, first off, I was feeling a little bit of jitters,” a well-dressed Roethlisberger said postgame via Zoom. “I was excited and nervous to be out there. I just wanted to not let my guys down. That was the biggest thing.”
This was a long-sustained drive that you could feel Ben feeling more comfortable and confident. It might be the most significant 78-yards of this early season. Long drives that ended in points become of roll in like the tide after that drive.
“Yes, that was a good drive for us,” said Roethlisberger.
The guys were protecting up front. My job is to just get the ball out of my hand as fast as I can and get it to the play makers and that’s what we did. We got the ball in the hands of guys who made plays for us. We took it down the field and put the points on the board at the end of the half, like we always want to do. I was just disappointed that we didn’t do it at the beginning of the second half.”
Two more drives of 62 and of 75-yards resulted in 10 more points and proving to be more than the Giants defense could handle with Roethlisberger completing 21 of 32 attempts for 229 passing yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions.
“He was on fire,” Cameron Heyward said of Roethlisberger. Heyward and crew did an amazing job of holding Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley to negative yards rushing. Barkley had 15 carries for six yards – that is simply an astonishing effort against one of the leagues best offensive weapons.
The return of Roethlisberger is also significant to the franchise due to his longevity with the organization. With 219 career games for the Steelers, he should tie Mike Webster when Pittsburgh host the Denver Broncos in Week 2.
He is still the straw that stirs the drink regardless of his age. His value to the team is insurmountable as shown with his absence last season.
Photo Credit Frank Hyatt