Ben Roethlisberger is the Steelers’ biggest problem and there’s a tough, simple solution

Ben Roethlisberger is holding the Pittsburgh Steelers back and it’s painfully evident what should be done.

After a 27-17 loss to the Packers, most Pittsburgh Steelers fans are livid over a 10-point swing after their special teams returned a blocked field goal only to be called offsides (and questionably so) and allow a rekick that was converted. The result was Green Bay taking a 17-10 lead into the half rather than Pittsburgh leading 17-14.

That call didn’t help and certainly changed momentum after two quarters of play. But it’s not the reason the Steelers lost or why the team is now 1-3. That blame lies with Ben Roethlisberger.

Sure, Pittsburgh has issues on the offensive line. But the line played arguably their best game of the 2021 NFL season to this point and the problems with the offense getting off the ground persisted. That leaves no excuses and the reality of the situation that fans must face: Ben Roethlisberger is cooked.

It’s not just that he can’t make the throws down the field he was once able to — it’s that he doesn’t even look at them anymore. He’s been below the NFL average in yards per attempt (7.30) in nine of his last 10 starts, including eight times when he was under 6.0 yards per attempt, Sunday’s loss to Green Bay included.

Watching the film, this isn’t a wide receiver issue either. Guys are open down the field but, even when it doesn’t make sense to do so, Roethlisberger is looking into the flats or to his checkdowns like clockwork. And it’s sinking the Steelers offense in a dramatic fashion.

There is a solution, though. Unfortunately, it’s one that feels unlikely and simultaneously unpopular.

Benching Ben Roethlisberger is what’s actually best for the Pittsburgh Steelers

As long as 39-year-old Ben Roethlisberger is the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, they are going to continue to pile up losses. In the modern NFL, it’s impossible to consistently win games relying solely on a team’s defense to make enough plays while the offense routinely can’t get off the ground because of the quarterback.

Now, it’s worth noting that Pittsburgh doesn’t have a readymade successor to Big Ben — through no fault but their own — but turning the reins over to someone like Dwayne Haskins is the best option. Not only does it at least offer the potential upside that the still-young former first-round pick can inject a heartbeat into the lifeless offense but it also gives the Steelers a blueprint for the future.

If Haskins were to come in and play well, they might’ve lucked into their successor at the position. Should he come in and play as he did with Washington, then they’re exactly where they are anyway and will have a draft pick that allows them to adequately address quarterback in April 2022.

But trotting out Roethlisberger over and again is like spinning tires that are six feet deep into quicksand. Things aren’t going to improve and, more than likely, they’re going to get worse.

Ben Roethlisberger is an undeniable legend on the field for the Steelers and a likely Hall of Famer down the line. But in 2021, he’s a shell of the player that earned that respect, that led Pittsburgh to a Super Bowl and that deserved plenty of accolades. There is no way out of this offensive purgatory the team is mired in if he’s starting at quarterback. And as tough as it may be to admit, the sooner Mike Tomlin and the front office realize that, the better it will be for the Steelers.