“We had other guys open. I just have to drive the ball. I have to make the necessary adjustments when the wind picks up, stop floating it and try to drive it through the wind. I never make excuses. When it’s blowing, you have to put a lot of spin on the ball. I just wasn’t doing that. It’s something I can easily change.” — Ben, post-game.



From Ray Fittipaldo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette this morning:

Ben Roethlisberger threw for 181 yards and completed a 28-yard touchdown pass to Mike Wallace in the first half of Sunday’s game against Jacksonville. His quarterback rating was 113.4 after the second quarter and he appeared to be well on his way to another sterling performance, one week after tossing five touchdown passes in a victory against the Titans.

In the third and fourth quarters, the Jaguars — and the wind — finally disrupted the Steelers’ passing game. Roethlisberger completed just 1 of 5 passes in the third and fourth quarters, and the Steelers had to hold on for a 17-13 victory after being held off the scoreboard in the second half.

“It was gusting pretty good,” Roethlisberger said of the wind. “Dan [Sepulveda] said on the last punt he wanted to take off and run. He didn’t even want to punt it. It was what it was. It was kind of Heinz Field. One series it blows one way, then it swirls on you. Like I said, no excuses. You have to drive the ball through the wind.”


You can read more from Mr. Fittipaldo’s column here.