Big Ben is no Brady

Should the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Green Bay Packers, and Ben Roethlisberger claims his third Super Bowl ring, the comparisons to Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will be swift.

Well, I’m here to nip that in the bud.

Don’t get me wrong, Ben has had some signature moments in his career, including the game-winning drive against the Cardinals a few years ago in the Super Bowl, but my contention is that Big Ben is merely a game manager who makes the occasional great play.

He’s had two breakout seasons since he came into the league as a first-round draft choice in 2004. In ’07, he threw 32 touchdowns to just 11 interceptions, and he had 26 TDs and 12 picks last year. In his other years, Roethlisberger averaged 17.2 touchdowns and 12.6 interceptions.

The bottom line is that Big Ben’s success is a product of a stout running game and an unflappable defense. Need more proof? In Sunday’s AFC championship game, Roethlisberger went 10-for-19 passing for 133 yards and two interceptions. That breaks down to a 35.5 passer rating.

Not coincidentally, in the first half, when the Steelers did all of their scoring, Rashard Mendenhall ran for nearly 100 of his 121 yards. When it became apparent that the Jets weren’t about to let Mendenhall beat them in the second half, Roethlisberger was shut out.

So let’s be very clear about what Big Ben is during this fortnight before the big game: an above-average quarterback that occasionally makes some big plays at big times and has his teammates to thank for his heavy hand.