“Ben is the key to the franchise moving forward,” guard Ramon Foster said. “Keeping him on the field is goal No. 1. That has to be our job.”
Roethlisberger, who missed a game in October after meniscus surgery in his left knee, has completed 73 percent of his passes during his last three games for 796 yards with six touchdowns and zero interceptions. He is tied for fifth in the league with 23 touchdowns and has thrown just seven interceptions.
“Any team, when you have a quarterback like that, you have to keep him healthy, so he can throw it down the field,” Pouncey said. “We’ve been doing a good job and hopefully we can build off of that.”
Brown has reaped the benefits, most recently Thursday against Indianapolis when he set a single-game high with three touchdown receptions. Brown leads the NFL with 82 catches and 10 touchdowns, while ranking third in the league with 998 yards.
“It’s not surprising with all the talent they both have,” guard David DeCastro said. “It’s a special connection.”
Bell brings it all together, as his unique skill set makes him a threat in the backfield and as a receiver. He has 477 yards from scrimmage in the previous three games, including 201 against the Browns and 130-plus each against Dallas and Indianapolis.
“We’ve been doing what we need to do to win games,” Bell said. “Whether it’s running or catching the ball out of the backfield, we just want to make sure we win the game.”
Bell, among NFL leaders in yards from scrimmage, has rushing touchdowns in each of his last three games. He also rushed for more than 100 yards in back-to-back games for the second time in his career. Bell, despite missing three games because of a suspension, leads all running backs with 57 catches and is just outside the top 10 in the AFC in overall receptions.
“It’s hard to defend that type of player,” Pouncey said. “When he’s heating up and scoring touchdowns, it’s good for everybody.”
Particularly good for the Steelers, who have settled into a groove offensively, thanks in large part to their offensive line.
“This is what we expect and we have to keep it going,” DeCastro said. “If we play like this, we’re going to have a lot of chances to win games.”
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