Often, you don’t know what you have until it’s gone.

Ben Roethlisberger isn’t gone, not yet anyway, but he wasn’t available for the Steelers in last week’s game against Detroit, which ended in a frustrating 16-16 tie. The Steelers didn’t know whether Roethlisberger would be available this week until he passed through the COVID protocol early Saturday morning and thus was cleared to join the team in Los Angeles and play Sunday night against the Chargers.

And what a game Roethlisberger played. Without the benefit of any practice, Roethlisberger completed 28-of-44 (63.6 percent) for 273 yards, with three touchdowns, no interceptions, and a rating of 103.7. But beyond the numbers, it was when they were achieved that was noteworthy.

With the Steelers trailing, 27-10, at the start of the fourth quarter, Roethlisberger led the team to 27 points over the final 15 minutes, and he passed for 101 yards and two touchdowns during that span. On a night when the Steelers defense allowed 41 points, 533 total net yards of offense, and 7.7 yards per offensive play, Roethlisberger not only gave the Steelers a chance to win, but he had the team in the lead 37-34, with 3:24 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Roethlisberger is the Steelers Digest Player of the Week. — Bob Labriola, Steelers.com.