Three days after throwing a career-high five interceptions in a lopsided home loss to the Jaguars, Ben Roethlisberger stood before reporters Wednesday morning at the Steelers practice facility and suggested media and fans are more worried about his _ and the team's _ performance than he is.
The loss dropped the Steelers to 3-2 as they head to Kansas City to face the undefeated Chiefs, the lone remaining unbeaten team in the NFL.
"We're still atop the AFC North," Roethlisberger said before the team took the field for the first practice of the week. "We're right there in the hunt in the AFC. I think you guys are much more panicked than we are. As you can see, I'm not real shaken by last week and nervous or worried. We'll be ready to go play football this week."
Two of Roethlisberger's interceptions were returned for touchdowns. The first one gave the Jaguars a 13-9 lead. The second one, a short time later, gave them a 20-9 advantage.
One reporter asked him how he remained confident after such a poor outing.
"Two Super Bowls, 100 and some wins," he said. "I've been playing this game probably longer than you've been covering it."
Roethlisberger's play has been the subject of many segments on national networks early this week. Stephen A. Smith of ESPN opined Roethlisberger should retire on "First Take." Others have piled on and suggested he is no longer one of the top quarterbacks in the league.
"That's fine," Roethlisberger said. "They can question me. I don't question myself. No offense to you guys. It doesn't matter to me how you guys question me or quote unquote professional talking heads on other sports networks who are supposed experts and things like that."
Some athletes use outside critiques as motivation. A reporter from ESPN asked how Roethlisberger responds when he hears the critiques.
"Ignore it, especially your network," he said.
