I haven’t yet looked at the matchups in close detail, but I’m confident I won’t have Ben Roethlisberger ranked in the top half of the quarterbacks. He’ll definitely be ranked behind at least three of the NFC starters (probably all four), and he’ll definitely be ranked behind Tom Brady. As great as Roethlisberger looks at times, he tends to fall way too short far too often when on the road.
I’m not talking about a couple of games or even a couple of months. I’m talking about dozens of games over many years.
Roethlisberger has thrown only 36 TD passes in his last 30 games on the road. He’s thrown multiple touchdown passes in only 30 percent of those games (nine of those 30).
It’s at home where Roethlisberger tends to be a difference maker. He’s thrown 76 touchdowns in his last 30 games at Heinz Field – over twice as many. He’s also averaged 312 passing yards in those games, 43 more than he’s averaged on the road.
The Steelers have gone 22-8 in their last 30 at Heinz Field. They are just 17-13 in their last 30 on the road.
I believe Pittsburgh is better than Kansas City. On a neutral field, I think they win this weekend. But with the game being at Arrowhead, I see it as more of a toss-up type situation.
Hard to explain how or why such a good quarterback turns so ordinary on the road, but that’s the way it’s played out.
| ROETHLISBERGER, LAST 30 ROAD GAMES | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Opp | Score | Pct | Yards | TD | Int |
| 2013 | NYJ | W 19-6 | 77% | 264 | 1 | 0 |
| 2013 | Oak. | L 18-21 | 64% | 275 | 1 | 2 |
| 2013 | N.E. | L 31-55 | 58% | 400 | 4 | 2 |
| 2013 | Clev. | W 27-11 | 65% | 217 | 2 | 0 |
| 2013 | Balt. | L 20-22 | 64% | 257 | 2 | 0 |
| 2013 | G.B. | W 38-31 | 57% | 167 | 2 | 1 |
| 2014 | Balt. | L 6-26 | 59% | 217 | 0 | 1 |
| 2014 | Car. | W 37-19 | 73% | 196 | 2 | 0 |
| 2014 | Jac. | W 17-9 | 72% | 273 | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 | Clev. | L 10-31 | 50% | 228 | 1 | 1 |
| 2014 | NYJ | L 13-20 | 70% | 343 | 1 | 2 |
| 2014 | Tenn. | W 27-24 | 66% | 207 | 1 | 1 |
| 2014 | Cin. | W 42-21 | 64% | 350 | 3 | 0 |
| 2014 | Atl. | W 27-20 | 77% | 360 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | N.E. | L 21-28 | 68% | 351 | 1 | 1 |
| 2015 | St.L. | W 12-6 | 83% | 192 | 0 | 1 |
| 2015 | Sea. | L 30-39 | 65% | 456 | 1 | 2 |
| 2015 | Cin. | W 33-20 | 77% | 282 | 0 | 1 |
| 2015 | Balt. | L 17-20 | 71% | 220 | 0 | 2 |
| 2015 | Clev. | W 28-12 | 67% | 349 | 3 | 2 |
| 2015 | Den. | L 16-23 | 65% | 339 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | Cin. | W 18-16 | 58% | 229 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016 | Wash. | W 38-16 | 73% | 300 | 3 | 1 |
| 2016 | Phil. | L 3-34 | 55% | 257 | 0 | 1 |
| 2016 | Mia. | L 15-30 | 56% | 189 | 1 | 2 |
| 2016 | Balt. | L 14-21 | 51% | 264 | 1 | 1 |
| 2016 | Clev. | W 24-9 | 64% | 167 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | Ind. | W 28-7 | 70% | 221 | 3 | 0 |
| 2016 | Buff. | W 27-20 | 55% | 220 | 0 | 3 |
| 2016 | Cin. | W 24-20 | 58% | 286 | 1 | 0 |
| ROETHLISBERGER, LAST 30 HOME GAMES | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Opp | Score | Pct | Yards | TD | Int |
| 2013 | Tenn. | L 9-16 | 64% | 191 | 1 | 1 |
| 2013 | Chi. | L 23-40 | 63% | 406 | 2 | 2 |
| 2013 | Balt. | W 19-16 | 74% | 160 | 1 | 0 |
| 2013 | Buff. | W 23-10 | 60% | 204 | 1 | 1 |
| 2013 | Det. | W 37-27 | 64% | 367 | 4 | 0 |
| 2013 | Mia. | L 28-34 | 59% | 349 | 3 | 0 |
| 2013 | Cin. | W 30-20 | 80% | 191 | 1 | 1 |
| 2013 | Clev. | W 20-7 | 61% | 179 | 1 | 2 |
| 2014 | Clev. | W 30-27 | 68% | 365 | 1 | 1 |
| 2014 | T.B. | L 24-27 | 73% | 314 | 3 | 0 |
| 2014 | Hou. | W 30-23 | 70% | 265 | 2 | 0 |
| 2014 | Ind. | W 51-34 | 82% | 522 | 6 | 0 |
| 2014 | Balt. | W 43-23 | 68% | 340 | 6 | 0 |
| 2014 | N.O. | L 32-35 | 55% | 435 | 2 | 2 |
| 2014 | K.C. | W 20-12 | 72% | 220 | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 | Cin. | W 27-17 | 63% | 317 | 2 | 1 |
| 2014 | Balt. | L 17-30 | 69% | 334 | 1 | 2 |
| 2015 | S.F. | W 43-18 | 78% | 369 | 3 | 0 |
| 2015 | Cin. | L 10-16 | 62% | 262 | 1 | 3 |
| 2015 | Oak. | W 38-35 | 55% | 334 | 2 | 1 |
| 2015 | Clev. | W 30-9 | 67% | 379 | 3 | 1 |
| 2015 | Ind. | W 45-10 | 62% | 364 | 4 | 0 |
| 2015 | Den. | W 34-27 | 73% | 380 | 3 | 2 |
| 2016 | Cin. | W 24-16 | 51% | 259 | 3 | 2 |
| 2016 | K.C. | W 43-14 | 81% | 300 | 5 | 0 |
| 2016 | NYJ | W 31-13 | 72% | 380 | 4 | 0 |
| 2016 | Dall. | L 30-35 | 80% | 408 | 3 | 0 |
| 2016 | NYG | W 24-14 | 67% | 289 | 2 | 1 |
| 2016 | Balt. | W 31-27 | 73% | 279 | 3 | 2 |
| 2016 | Mia. | W 30-12 | 72% | 197 | 2 | 2 |
—Ian Allan