BEN ROETHLISBERGER
Quarterback
There is no way the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Heinz Field turns out the way it does without Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback for the Steelers. Maybe the outcome is the same, but it certainly wouldn't have been so comfortable.
The Steelers extended their franchise-best winning streak to nine games at the start of a season with a 36-10 victory over the Bengals, and from the standpoint of the offense's production, it was all Roethlisberger. He completed 27-of-46 (58.7 percent) for 333 yards, with four touchdowns, no interceptions, and a rating of 110.1. Roethlisberger is the Steelers Digest Player of the Week.
Also considered were Diontae Johnson, who caught eight passes for 116 yards (19.3 average) and a touchdown; T.J. Watt, who had four tackles, plus two sacks to raise his team-best total to nine, and four hits on the quarterback; Chase Claypool, who caught four passes for 56 yards and two touchdowns to give him nine touchdowns so far in his rookie season; JuJu Smith-Schuster, who caught nine passes for 77 yards, three of which converted third downs, and a touchdown; Robert Spillane, who had five tackles, including one for loss, plus a sack; Joe Haden, who had four tackles and three passes defensed, two of which came on third downs to force punts; and Jordan Berry, who averaged 49.3 yards on his seven punts, with four inside the 20-yard line.
