Roethlisberger fights to prop up Steelers

By Alan Robinson

The Steelers know all about Ben Roethlisberger, the Super Bowl version. Big-play Ben. No-play-is-truly-over Ben. Ben in the no-huddle offense, calling his own plays, seemingly making everything around him work.

But this is below-.500 Ben, and it's obvious he hates it. For the first time in his 10-year career, Roethlisberger figures to end a season as a loser.

As his former coach, Bill Cowher, said: “He is a competitor. Put him in the fourth quarter, and I will take that quarterback over anybody in the league.”

The trouble is the Steelers (5-8) were a play or two away from winning in the fourth quarter five times this season, and they won only once. Over the past two seasons, that record is 2-9. As a starter, Roethlisberger is 12-14 since last season.

“They're just one play away,” Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said Wednesday, succinctly summing up the Steelers' season.

Their record, and all those close losses, are troubling Roethlisberger, who was terse and grouchy while talking Wednesday with reporters. The Steelers must win their final three just to get to .500. Two losses would leave them at 6-10, a record Roethlisberger never thought he would see.

“I'm motivated to win,” he said of the game Sunday against the Bengals (9-4). “I assume you'd have to ask everyone else in here what their motivation is … but I'm motivated to play as hard as I can.”

Even amid the losing and never-ending suggestions he doesn't get along with offensive coordinator Todd Haley, Roethlisberger might be having his best season.

“The numbers speak for themselves,” he said. “I think we're getting better every week. … Sacks have gone down. Turnovers have gone down. Points have gone up.”

Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/5225586-74/roethlisberger-ben-season#ixzz2nF121Y4W

Maybe that's how we should label this season, "One Play Away"

Well let's just make up some t-shirts with OPA on the front and "2014 FOR THE FANS" on the back, and send them to the Steelers training camp.

Make me vomit that we are 1/5 in those games. The last two years have been nothing short of disheartening, especially because we are wasting Ben's good years. I like Ben's fire and passion to play, I just hope it doesn't get him unnecessarily hurt.