Big Ben, the frustrated criminal in Go-Ahead Drive: ‘We want to use the clock and finish that game’

For the most part of the game, the reality was that the Pittsburgh Steelers were in control late, many times, and they squandered many opportunities to play closer. After tying the Los Angeles Chargers at 37-37 with 4:23 to play, they had a drop in revenue at 34, but couldn’t capitalize. They took the lead, but it was bare minimum, sending the ball seven yards and using only seconds.

“Obviously, we want to end the game. We want to stay on the pitch, score goals,” quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said of that penultimate streak, which culminated in an attempt to get through so deep that Diontae Johnson initially intended to draw a flag before officials ruled that the pass was inaccessible. .

“They call it pass interference, or hold, and they picked it up because it was unreadable, I guess, at the discretion of the referee,” he said of that. “And we settled for three. But that was disappointing, because, confusingly, we wanted to use the clock and finish that game.”

The Steelers made three passes in that sequence, and as was the case throughout, the team was asked why they weren’t running more, although it should be noted in this case that Najee Harris is still running. in concussion protocol, with Kalen Ballage and Benny Snell available defenders. Roethlisberger explains the sequence of three plays after the game.

“Well, the first playthrough was RPO, but they packed the box, so we had to throw it away, and actually throw it to Chase. [Claypool], and I think KB is still in the game, he’s lurching, hitting me a little bit, the guy’s driving behind him, it’s not a big deal,” he said of the first play, one line incomplete line. “The second round, we finished with James, picking up eight or nine yards. Then in the last play, we even though they predicted we were running, so we tried to max out and take a shot down the field. It was a play where I felt like Diontae was behind someone,” he added.

That answer probably won’t satisfy many people. They only held the ball for a whopping 19 seconds. While they have points across the board thanks to a Chris Boswell goal at 45 metres, they have plenty of time for the Chargers to bounce back.

And it’s not because they ‘scored too soon’, or anything like that. They just can’t move the soccer ball in that case. An above-average foul will be able to run the clock down to zero and kick the goal to win the game. Roethlisberger and company know it.

There’s no reason for Justin Herbert to be on the field again after sales decline. And the fact that they haven’t run the ball at all since Najee Harris’s one-foot touch with more than 11 minutes of play won’t make it any easier for them to defend their record.