RB James Conner would have been largely to blame had the Steelers lost at Jacksonville.
Conner dropped what should have been a game-winning 27-yard touchdown pass with 59 seconds left. Conner got bailed out when QB Ben Roethlisberger scored from one yard out with five seconds left.
No harm, no foul. It probably behooved the Steelers to score as late as they did, thus denying Jacksonville a shot at a reciprocal drive.
Had the Steelers lost because of Conner’s drop, the cry would have been heard near, far and loud: “LE'VEON BELL WOULD HAVE CAUGHT THAT! SEE? WE NEED BELL!”
The noise would have been especially painful given that Conner rushed for just 25 yards.
Conner doesn’t have to shine every game. Bell didn’t.
As Roethlisberger said, “I don’t want to see [Conner] lose confidence in his hands. I’m not losing confidence in them because he’s been great as a receiver for us. Sometimes those things happen. The best in the world drop balls.”
Roethlisberger also mentioned that his son, Benjamin Jr., wants a Conner jersey for Christmas.
Roethlisberger might as well go to Bell’s house, leave a big burning bag of dog crap on Bell’s porch, ring the doorbell, and run. Roethlisberger knows how to twist the knife without ever really touching it.