BEN ROETHLISBERGER
Quarterback
OAKLAND, Ca. – He gave them a chance. He put them in the lead with 2:55 remaining in the game. As it turned out, it wasn't enough, but he gave them a chance.
After throwing a 1-yard touchdown pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster at the end of the first half, Ben Roethlisberger stayed in the locker room after halftime while being evaluated for a rib injury. Joshua Dobbs replaced him and played into the fourth quarter, but the Steelers offense did nothing. Roethlisberger came out of the locker room, but for most of the half he stood on the sideline wearing a baseball cap.
But after the Raiders took a 17-14 lead with 5:20 left, Roethlisberger exchanged the baseball cap for a helmet and returned to the game. He promptly directed a six-play, 75-yard drive in which he completed 6-of-6 for 70 yards and the touchdown to Smith-Schuster. The Steelers couldn't hold onto the lead, but Roethlisberger finished by completing 25-of-29 (86.2 percent) for 282 yards, with two touchdowns, no interceptions, and a rating of 130.2.
Roethlisberger is the Steelers Digest Player of the Week.
Also considered were Smith-Schuster, who had eight catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns; and Stephon Tuitt, who had three tackles, including two for loss, a sack, and a pass batted at the line of scrimmage.
