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The Pittsburgh Steelers have obviously looked like an entirely different team than they did a year ago. The biggest difference is having future hall of fame quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger back in the lineup. Steelers fans expected the team to have a more successful campaign with Ben back at the helm. Not only does he have this team in a position to have a perfect regular season. But, he’s done it throwing the ball at an insanely high rate.
If you didn't already realize, Ben Roethlisberger is averaging 39 pass attempts per game and has already thrown the football 431 times this year. He’s currently on pace to throw 627 passes on the season, which would be the second highest total of his career (2018: 675 attempts). The mind blowing thing about this stat is Ben Roethlisberger is coming off an elbow Injury which saw the veteran pivot have three tendons surgically reattached in his arm... But you already knew that.
Ben Roethlisberger is getting rid of the ball faster than any other quarterback this season. #NextGenStats powered by @awscloud pic.twitter.com/rv6JUISbQd
— Sunday Night Football (@SNFonNBC) December 2, 2020
If you were to have asked me how the Steelers season would go if Ben Roethlisberger had to throw more than 600 passes this year I would have told you it would be a long season for the team. But not only has Roethlisberger and his elbow sustained a high volume throw season, he has been ridiculously accurate. Roethlisberger has completed 67.5% of his throws which is also the second best percentage of his career (2015: 68% in 12 games). If you need any more proof that Roethlisberger is as good as ever he’s also on pace for 36 touchdown passes which would be the highest total in a season for his 17 year career.
Currently Roethlisberger has the fourth highest odds at winning the NFL’s MVP award. He would also be the hands down leader for the NFL’s comeback player of the year award if it wasn't for the Washington Football Team’s quarterback Alex Smith who quite literally nearly lost both his leg or his life to return to the NFL. Roethlisberger has been one of the stories of the year, and will keep the Steelers a perennial Super Bowl contender as long as he’s at the helm.
Ben Roethlisberger is Patrick Mahomes' biggest MVP threat https://t.co/kaEfrEPOc6 pic.twitter.com/DU3vGGe24c
— New York Post (@nypost) November 26, 2020
Only time will tell if Roethlisberger can sustain this level of play with drop off. But with the Steelers inability to develop any kind of rushing attack he’s going to have too.
But what do you think? Has Ben Roethlisberger’s season surprised you? Let us know why or why not down in the comments below!
Ben Roethlisberger was 13-0 as a starter in 2004, and now he's 11-0
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) December 2, 2020
He joins Peyton Manning (2005 and 2009) as the only QBs since at least 1950 to win each of their 1st 11 starts in a season, twice @steelers
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