The Steelers are coming off a disappointing loss in the AFC Championship game to the Patriots, which ended with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s fourth interception of the night.
Ben Roethlisberger will be returning to Pittsburgh on Saturday for the first time since being traded to the Arizona Cardinals.
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — On Saturday night, against the Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will make his preseason debut.
But it’s uncertain how long he’ll be on the field.
“We’ll just go with the flow. We have a strategy, but we’re ready to change it depending on what we see in the stadium “Mike Tomlin, the coach, declined to explain more.
In the previous four-game preseason schedule, the 39-year-old quarterback would usually start the third preseason game. In 2019, he only lasted three series against Tennessee before being forced to leave in the first quarter.
The desire to play Saturday, according to Roethlisberger, is prompted by new offensive coordinator Matt Canada and his new offensive system. It will be Roethlisberger’s first time working with Canada in a game setting.
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Roethlisberger said why he has to play, “Because we’ve got a new scheme.” “There’s a new coach, there’s new player communication, and the offense is different.” He’s in the box rather than on the field.
“There’s a lot of fresh stuff here. In such situations, I believe it is wise to put in as much time as possible.”
While the unfamiliarity may be frightening as he approaches his 18th season, Roethlisberger is relishing the opportunity.
Roethlisberger remarked, “It almost refocuses you in a way, if that makes sense.” “I’d probably go home, watch the movie, and be ready to go on if this was still the same thing.”
“I went home last night, watched the movie, and then went over it again to reinforce my memory. I simply want to make sure I’m not the source of our difficulties because it’s different.”
Roethlisberger, like his coach, has been tight-lipped about how much action he expects to see on Saturday — or how much he needs to watch to feel comfortable in Canada.
Roethlisberger stated, “I’d want to get as many reps as I can.” “How long has it been since I last walked onto a football field to take a hit or play? I realize it’s preseason, but I’m just looking for significant reps. Because it’s so new, I’d want to acquire as much as possible.”
But how much is it exactly?
“It’s most likely a gradual response,” he added. “I’m not sure. I suppose it depends on how things are going and how they feel.”
Roethlisberger pushed to play sooner than Saturday, expressing a desire to play a week earlier in Philadelphia to prepare for the Week 1 game in Buffalo.
Roethlisberger stated, “I really wanted to try to play last week since it was on the road.” “It would’ve been our first chance to play on the road in a variety of scenarios, such as crowd noise and other distractions, before heading into a hostile atmosphere in Week 1. But I couldn’t persuade Coach to do it.”
Roethlisberger had a hard workload throughout the week to prepare for Saturday’s game, starting with practice on Tuesday. Roethlisberger completed 11 of 12 passes in one 7-on-7 session, then in a team period, he blasted a long ball out to JuJu Smith-Schuster, who beat Tre Norwood and Justin Layne to the diving grab.
In the three-practice span, Roethlisberger did not take a day off, a departure from his pattern earlier in camp, when he completely practiced one day before taking a half day and then a day off.
“I asked coach if I may do as many repetitions as I could this week simply to mimic a game week,” he said.
Roethlisberger spent additional time at home studying game video as part of his preparation.
“If you think about it, I have to know what five guys are doing on every play, pass play,” Roethlisberger said. “It’s not just one person or what I’m doing that’s the problem. I have to know what’s hot and what each individual man is up to. ‘Wait, what is this man doing again?’ I’ll think at times when I know what the three of them are doing. All I have to do now is attempt to renew my thoughts.”
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