Steelers Great Ben Roethlisberger Absolutely Worried About Next 2 Games: "Chance We Get To 6-5"

After the Pittsburgh Steelers got blown out by the San Francisco 49ers, many fans didn't know how the team would respond. Well, since that moment, the team has won six of its past eight games. Now sitting at 6-3, the team will face the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals on the road over the next two weeks. This could be a point in the season in which their postseason fate is decided.

So far on the season, the Steelers are actually 2-0 against AFC North opponents. The division is a bit of a cluster after Week 10, as everyone is within 1.5 games of each other. If Pittsburgh were to somehow win each of their next two games, or even just split, they could have a legitimate shot at winning the division. On his Footbahlin podcast on Sunday, former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger admitted this team could be 6-5 real quick.

"6-3 for us, we'll take 'em [victories]. Like I said, I'm nervous for the next two weeks, chance we get to 6-5. Even if we lose the next two and we're 6-5, there's like a three-game stretch there where we can win the next three and get back to 9-5," Roethlisberger said after the win over the Green Bay Packers in Week 10. 

The Steelers open up as 3.5-point underdogs against the Browns for the crucial Week 11 contest. Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson's status is in doubt, as he suffered yet another injury in Week 10. This time, he was seen in a walking boot after the game after hurting his ankle. Regardless of if he plays or not though, it will be a difficult contest.

Can The Steelers Generate Enough Offense Against The Browns?

The Browns defense has established themselves as one of the better units in all of football. That's not too promising, especially considering how suspect the offense has been. While they showed some improvements in the early portions of Week 10, they slowed down considerably after the hot start. Roethlisberger is still concerned about this offense moving forward, particularly the passing game.

"So, my concern again is going to be what happens when we play a legit offensive team? It makes me nervous, but again, you're winning the games you're supposed to. We're still lacking in the passing game a little bit. If we had to play a team that scores points and we had to keep up with them, we can't do that," Roethlisberger said. 

Only the New York Giants have fewer passing yards on the season, and they've went through three different quarterbacks. While Kenny Pickett has done well not turning the ball over, he's not been able to put the ball in the end zone consistently. Only the New York Jets have fewer passing touchdowns (5) than the Steelers (7). There just hasn't been any upside to the Steelers' passing game, and Pickett hasn't used the middle of the field either. On Tuesday, Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin admitted the team "certainly" needs to see more from their second-year quarterback.

Before the Week 10 games began, Roethlisberger admitted that the Bengals might be the best team in football based off how they've been playing. The AFC North team subsequently lost to the Houston Texans, which dropped their record to 5-4. These next two weeks will be a deciding factor in how the division ends up. 

What do you think the Steelers' record will end up being in 2023? Do you agree with Roethlisberger's ongoing concerns about the passing game? Will the Steelers win either of their next two divisional games? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!

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