AP Photo/Keith Srakocic
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has a left pectoral injury which could impact his preparations for Sunday's match against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Mike Tomlin, Steelers head coach, said Tuesday that "We need to be flexible."
Roethlisberger has completed 62.5 percent of his passes in two games. This ranks 27th among the NFL. He has thrown for 483 yards and two touchdowns, as well as an interception. Pittsburgh's offense does not include deep passes. The quarterback averages just 6.7 yards per pass attempt.
Pittsburgh could adopt a more balanced offense with Roethlisberger's limited availability. With 83 yards rushing, rookie running back Najee Harris leads and Chase Claypool is second with 22.
Roethlisberger tried 40 passes in Sunday's loss against the Raiders while Steelers ran 14 times. Roethlisberger was hit 10 times and was dismissed twice in the second game. This could explain why he is so shaken up.
After the game, Roethlisberger stated to reporters that it was "frustrating” that there hadn't been any offensive improvement since last year.
He said, "I put in a lot of stinking work, more than I probably have ever,"
He had considered retiring before this season. He accepted a pay cut, and adjusted his contract to allow the Steelers freedom in free agency.
Mason Rudolph, Pittsburgh's backup quarterback, can take Roethlisberger's place if Roethlisberger is unable to play. He has played in 15 games, with nine starts. He's thrown 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Dwayne Hakins, a 2019 first round pick, signed with Steelers in January. He is now the third-string quarterback.
