Despite the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive struggles, coach Mike Tomlin isn't questioning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
Asked Tuesday if Big Ben is the best QB for the Steelers offense, Tomlin responded: "Absolutely. What he does and what he's done makes me really comfortable in saying that."
The Steelers offense has been a slog through the first four weeks, tied for fourth-worst in scoring and averaging just 4.9 yards per play.
Behind a struggling offensive line, Roethlisberger has looked every bit like a 39-year-old QB nearing the end of the road. He's completed 64.1 percent of his passes for 1,033 yards, four TDs, four INTs. His 78.9 passer rating is on pace for his worst performance since 2006.
With little accuracy downfield and constantly dealing with a crumbling pocket, Roethlisberger has been quick to pull the trigger regardless of down-and-distance. His 6.1 yards per attempt is on pace for a career-low in a season in which he played more than two games.
After bringing back Big Ben following a pay cut this offseason, the Steelers didn't add viable competition to push the veteran, with Mason Rudolph remaining the backup and former first-round pick Dwayne Haskins a No. 3 project.
Tomlin said fixing Roethlisberger's issues is a group effort.
"It's him some, it's us collectively some," he said. "We're not looking to make excuses. We've had some big-play opportunities, we haven't cashed in on them, and we need to cash in on them. They're a big component to moving the ball and scoring, particularly when you're not working as efficiently as you'd like on possession downs, which we aren't. Chunk plays eliminate a lot of execution."Â
Tomlin added that Big Ben is also dealing with a hip injury after the QB hurt his pec in a Week 2 loss.
The road doesn't get any easier for the 1-3 Steelers offense in Week 5. Sunday in Pittsburgh, they face a stout Denver Broncos defense, which allows just 3.5 yards per rush (tied for fifth in NFL), 5.2 net yards per attempt passing (third), and has given up just 49 total points on the season (second).
