Ben Roethlisberger’s Propensity to Get Pounded Comes Home to Roost

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↵All season, Ben Roethlisberger has gotten destroyed in the pocket. Blame the Pittsburgh line, blame Roethlisberger’s critical unawareness of pressure, blame Mike Tomlin for a lack of attention paid to the problem. But whatever, it’s all vitally fatal at this point: Browns backer Willie McGinest knocked the light from Big Ben’s eyes. Roethlisberger was carted off the field with a concussion, and he pulled the ol’ thumbs-up on the stretcher.
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↵It’s not all thumbs up, though. As Michael David Smith notes, the Steelers had nothing but momentum to play for this week. A first-round bye is cinched, and Tennessee had already claimed home field advantage. Byron Leftwich isn’t an embarrassing back-up, so there’s no shame in letting him get the start or coming in after a quarter. Heck, Jim Sorgi came in for Indianapolis’ second drive -- the Colts’ playoff position is sewn up, as well.
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↵It’s a shame, and best wishes to Big Ben. But this shouldn’t be happening in Week 17. The QB’s life in the pocket has been a problem for ages, and there was little to be gained by letting him get pounded today.↵