Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger: ‘If I don’t play good enough football, then I need to hang it up’

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Ben Roethlisberger referred to one of his two costly interceptions Sunday as “a bad play on my part. … 110% on me.”

Roethlisberger answered the next question he took during a postgame video conference call with media by saying, “I’m just not very good.”

And the 38-year-old, 17-year veteran quarterback wrapped up the session with an eyebrow-raising remark after being asked if Pittsburgh Steelers can turn things around to stop a two-game losing streak that has soured their 11-0 start.

“I hope so,” Roethlisberger said. “If I don’t play good enough football, then I need to hang it up.”

Roethlisberger threw two interceptions among his 37 attempts that netted only 187 yards during Sunday’s 26-15 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The outing was his fourth consecutive with a sub-90 passer rating after rating better than 98.0 in eight of his first nine games this season.

Roethlisberger’s yards per attempt Sunday (5.05) was the ninth-worst among his 231 career games. None of his passes Sunday gained more than 20 yards, and, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, only three completions were more than 7 yards downfield.

BILLS WITH THE PICK-SIX! ?

Taron Johnston intercepts and gets the @BuffaloBills their first TD of the game

?: #PITvsBUF on @ESPNAusNZ or https://t.co/5qsWEK96We pic.twitter.com/6C3PbNI8Iq

— NFL Australia (@NFLAustralia) December 14, 2020

One interception was returned 51 yards for a touchdown by the Bills’ Taron Johnson during the final minute of the first half. It gave Buffalo a lead it never relinquished.

Roethlisberger’s second interception came with 7 minutes, 11 seconds left on an underthrown ball to an open James Washington. That all but sealed the Bills’ win.

Receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster indicated the Steelers have not lost confidence in their future Hall of Fame quarterback.

“His mindset is always, ‘Whatever happens, happens. We go out there and play 60 (minutes) together,’ ” Smith-Schuster said. “He’s a leader. He’s been doing this for a very long time. A lot of young guys, they look around, and they know that’s our captain. That’s our leader.”

This interception is ridiculous.

? #PITvsBUF: https://t.co/x0Ul68YDP8 pic.twitter.com/brRy5iOCsR

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) December 14, 2020

Roethlisberger’s postgame remarks were reminiscent of his comments after a career-worst five-interception outing in a 2017 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“Maybe I don’t have it anymore,” Roethlisberger said that day.

When he led the Steelers to a win against the then-undefeated Kansas City Chiefs seven days later, Roethlisberger famously said, “I guess this old cowboy’s got a little left him in.”

After opening this season by scoring 26 or more points in 10 consecutive games, the Steelers haven’t cracked 20 in any of the past three. The offense has just five touchdowns over the past three games.

Though injuries along the offensive line, drops by the receivers and the lack of an adequate running game are contributing to the offense’s woes, Roethlisberger insists it’s all fixable.

“I still feel like I can do enough things to help this team win football games,” he said. “I’m going to do everything I can to get us back on track.”

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