(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
The Steelers are off to a 3-0 start, which is the first time since 2010 that they've got off to such a hot beginning. The defense has dominated with the No. 1 rush defense and a league-high 15 sacks, while it has been a mixed bag for the offense. No one has really gone off on the stat sheet, but they're getting the job done in a myriad of ways.
“I’d say the biggest stat is 3-0,” Roethlisberger said. “I don’t think anyone cares about their stats right now. No one is complaining; no one is coming to me. I’m not exactly playing lights-out. Their stats are directly affected by the way I play. If I’m not playing well, their stats aren’t going to be very good. So, obviously, some of their numbers are down because I’m not playing as well as I should be and need to be playing.
“They’re all contributing. There are a lot of guys who have their hand in the pile and are making plays for us. It seems like it’s someone different every week. We’ve got some guys that we can depend on all the time. We’ve got some new guys that can make plays. The ball is getting spread around, and that’s what makes it fun. Everyone is involved and everyone is involved in winning a football game. And at the end of the day, that is our only priority.”
The Steelers have had a 100-plus yard rusher in all their games this season with Benny Snell Jr. rushing for 113 yards against the Giants in Week 1 and James Conner rushing for 106 yards and a touchdown against the Broncos in Week 2 and picking up 109 yards on the ground and a touchdown against the Texans in Week 3. For the pass catchers, everyone has put their hand in the pile and contributed to making big plays. One week it's JuJu Smith-Schuster coming up with two touchdowns as he did against the Giants, another week Chase Claypool breaks off an 84-yard catch-and-run touchdown against the Broncos, and then this past Sunday against the Texans, Eric Ebron has a breakout game with five receptions for 52 yards and a 10-yard touchdown in the red zone.
You have to be careful because if you get caught in that game, you’ll try to force someone a ball,” Roethlisberger said. “I’ve done it in the past, and sometimes it leads to bad things. I don’t predetermine going into it, but I think the biggest thing that shows is that I trust each guy. Each guy can make a play for this team. And depending on the situation, that’s kind of how it unfolds.”
When Roethlisberger referenced that he's forced passes in the past, that brings back memories to Antonio Brown when he was constantly in Roethlisberger's ear about getting targets. The franchise quarterback doesn't have to worry about those issues with this receiving corps, as they're selfless and are willing to do whatever to get a win since that's really all that matters at the end of the day.
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