Pittsburgh Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger questions himself after five interceptions

PITTSBURGH -- As Ben Roethlisberger did after an upset loss in Chicago, he took the blame for a 30-9 home loss Sunday to the underdog Jacksonville Jaguars.

"Maybe I don't have it anymore," Roethlisberger said after throwing a career-high five interceptions. Two were returned for touchdowns.

How bad Roethlisberger played might best be described by the following exchange with a Pittsburgh reporter:

Reporter: "What did you see on the play with three guys around (Antonio Brown)?"

Roethlisberger: "Which play was that? There are always three guys around AB."

Reporter: "The interception."

Roethlisberger: "Which interception?"

Reporter: "The fourth one."

Roethlisberger: "I don't remember which one. There were so many."

There hadn't been that many thrown in one game by a Steelers quarterback since Mark Malone in 1987.

Both quarterbacks were first-round picks and obviously Roethlisberger has more success on his resume than does Malone. But this year, the 35-year-old Roethlisberger, who contemplated retirement in the offseason, is playing more like Malone.

What's wrong?

"He's not playing well, man," Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said. "I'll let him speak for him."

"I'm not playing well enough," Roethlisberger said twice after compiling a passer rating of 37.8, which matched his rating in a win at Buffalo last season.

But Roethlisberger is normally difficult to fluster at Heinz Field. This was his worst passer rating at home since 2006.

Some of the interceptions were flukes. The first interception by cornerback Jalen Ramsey was ripped out of the hands of tight end Vance McDonald. The second was tipped at the line and wobbled into linebacker Telvin Smith's chest and was returned for a touchdown. The third came on a deflection of a pass breakup by Ramsey that safety Barry Church returned for a score.

But when Roethlisberger tried to rally the Steelers, he threw two more interceptions.

He now has thrown seven interceptions this season against only six touchdown passes, and this was supposed to be the breakout year for the Steelers' offense with the return of wide receiver Martavis Bryant, who was suspended last season.

Roethlisberger now has a passer rating of 75.8, which would be his worst for an entire season since he posted a 75.4 passer rating in 2006 -- the year of his infamous motorcycle crash that nearly killed him in the offseason.

Is doubt beginning to creep into Roethlisberger's mind?

"Nope," he said. "If anybody in this room ever has that doubt, they probably aren't here. Professional athletes shouldn't have doubt."

Roethlisberger then talked about rebounding.

"I've been doing this a long time," he said. "I've had bad games before, had bad stretches. Had good ones, too. So you just find a way to move on and play better."

After his two worst performances last season -- at Philadelphia and at Buffalo -- he rebounded, respectively, with a 152.8 passer rating in a win at Kansas City and a 93.1 passer rating in a win at Cincinnati.

How does he plan to bounce back this time?

"Just bounce back," Roethlisberger said. "Like I said, doing this long enough you understand not to panic. I'm not going to hit any buttons where it's like, 'Oh, man, what do I do?' and change all this, that, go see people. I'll just come out on Wednesday and be ready to practice."

This one won't be easy to forget.

"Not right now, but it will be," he said. "Soon as I leave you guys, my kids are probably standing in the hallway, and it'll be easier to forget it when I get out to them."