A playoff spot is no
lock for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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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