Big Ben poised to finish season strong

It’s no secret that Ben Roethlisberger‘s play has been hot and cold this season, particularly on the road. While the Steelers have won their last 4 away games, Ben hasn’t had his best performances  recently.

Ben’s play on the road has been vastly different compared to his play at home. This works in the Steelers (and Ben’s) favor however, for the Steelers close out their season at home and are in a position to host a playoff game.

Take a look at the difference between Ben’s performances in home and away games this season.

Ben hasn’t necessarily been bad in every away game: he’s had some great performance on the road such as his games versus the Washington Redskins and the Indianapolis Colts.

However, it’s clear Ben has played his best football in Heinz Field: at home he’s averaged roughly 100 yards and 2 touchdowns more per game compared to away games.

Finishing the season with home games is fortunate for the Steelers due to the fact that they are currently in the thick of the playoff race. They were only 1 game ahead of the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North and beating them would lock in the Steelers as AFC North Champions and give them a home playoff game.

This home field advantage is also significant due to the fact that the Steeler’s remaining games are AFC North match-ups. When it comes to division games, records are thrown out the window. These games can go either way and playing on your home field often is one of the deciding factors in these match-ups.

This trend in home games will be especially advantageous for the Steelers if they host a playoff game in Heinz Field. If the Steelers win the AFC North, they will get to play the first round of playoffs at their home turf. This factor is a potential game-changer that improves the Steelers odds of winning.

Whether the Steelers play in the Wild Card game or manage to lock in a first round bye, having the home field advantage will benefit the Steelers immensely in their playoff run.

The Steelers are currently on a 5-game winning streak. What makes this streak really stand out is the fact that 4/5 of these games were away games. Ben’s performances have been mixed in these games, yet the team was still able to come away with victories against some solid opponents.

Even when he threw 3 interceptions against the Buffalo Bills and posted some of the worst numbers of his career, the team was able to rally together and win the game. This shows that this team isn’t one that’s carried by its quarterback like many in the league.

Because Ben gets to finish the season at home, the odds are in his favor for him to close out the season on a high note. We’ve all seen how dominant Ben can be when he is playing at his best; when he’s hot he is the best quarterback in the league.

All the signs are there that Ben and the Steelers will continue their streak. Ben is poised to finish the season strong and carry that momentum into playoffs.