Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, who was on his way to having one of his best seasons before his injuries, acknowledged for the first time that he did not have the arm strength to make either of those throws after returning from a sprained right shoulder and a dislocated rib.
"Sometimes, certain passes just weren't right. I didn't trust myself to get enough zip on it to throw it out there. I tried to guide it too much instead of just throw it. But that's making excuses ... I'll be better, health-wise."
Roethlisberger said he is, in fact, fully recovered from those injuries.
"I feel great. I think I ended the season healthier than I have in a long time. I know that sounds crazy because of my ribs and chest, but I played three or four games at the end of the season and I was actually getting healthy as the season was ending."
On a per game basis, Roethlisberger was QB12 in 2012 and QB13 in 2011, so as long as he stays healthy -- which isn't a sure thing these days -- he's likely to provide fringe fantasy starter numbers for owners in 2013. However, if big-play wideout Mike Wallace signs elsewhere, it's going to have an adverse effect on his production, and Roethlisberger will likely drop to the next tier.
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