If Ben Roethlisberger missed getting hit by other players in an NFL game, it didn't take him long Monday night to figure out the folly in that.
Roethlisberger played in his first NFL game in nearly a year in Monday night's regular season-opening 26-16 win at MetLife Stadium against the Giants. The Steelers' quarterback tossed three touchdown passes in his return to the NFL, but he also got his first live contact out of the way, as well.
The result?
"I was saying today, that I feel like I was in a car accident," Roethlisberger said Wednesday. "Yesterday, I felt like I was in a train wreck. Hopefully tomorrow it just feels like I fell off a bike or something. I'm definitely sore. The good news is that my arm is the only thing that doesn't hurt. So, that good."
Roethlisberger, as he said, got off to a slow start against the Giants, completing just four of his first nine passes. But he finished 21 of 32 for 229 yards and the three touchdowns. He also scrambled for an 11-yard gain late in the first half during a two-minute drill.
He was sacked twice in the game and hit five other times.
The Steelers (1-0) host the Broncos (0-1) in their home opener Sunday at Heinz Field and Roethlisberger expects to be better.
"I evaluated it the same way I (normally) would. I evaluated my play and my decision making," Roethlisberger said of his film study of the win over the Giants. "I was self critical. There was rust early and even late. It's not like I played perfect. I looked at some times where I got up in the pocket maybe a little too quickly. I didn't have the same feel in the pocket maybe early on that I'm probably used to having. I think that comes with not getting hit, even in practice. Yeah, you have a pocket and you step up, but defenders aren't hitting you in practice, so you kind of lose some of that feel of where you can slide to, where you can step to.
"I think that will come back, the more reps and the more games you get into."
The question this week will surround his offensive line.
All-Pro right guard David DeCastro did not play against the Giants and has not practiced in two weeks because of a knee injury. Mike Tomlin is hopeful the Steelers could get DeCastro back for Sunday's game.
That would be much needed since his replacement, Stefen Winsiewski suffered a pectoral injury in the fourth quarter against the Giants, and right tackle Zach Banner also suffered a torn ACL on the same possession. Banner will have surgery Friday and is out for the remainder of the season.
Chuks Okorafor is expected to start at right tackle in place of Banner. The two battled throughout training camp for that job, with Banner eventually getting the nod.
If DeCastro and Winsiewski are out, rookie Kevin Dotson, a fourth-round draft pick, could get his first career start.
"Injuries always concern you, especially when it is the guys who are protecting you," Roethlisberger said. "I felt absolutely horrible for Zach. He busted his butt to get out here this year and to be in great shape to be our starter. He earned that job. It wasn’t given to him. He earned it. The first game, I just felt bad.
"We texted a little bit last night. I just told him I was thinking about him and I was praying for him and to keep his head up. His story is not done yet. We will miss him, but we also have confidence that Chuks will do the job. It was a close battle I think from what I heard from Coach Tomlin. We will need Chuks to step up who has playing experience. We will expect him to great things."
