Concern mounting over Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger's ability to finish season?

Ben Roethlisberger is very clearly past his prime. That has been evident through the Pittsburgh Steelers' first two games of the 2021 campaign. 

The 39-year-old has looked every bit like a man close to hitting his 40s, and there is reportedly concern among the Steelers organization about Roethlisberger's ability to finish the season, according to Jason la Canfora of CBS Sports.

"This looks like what I saw last December," said one AFC exec who has kept a close eye on the Steelers. "He isn't any better, and he's getting hit all the time now, too. That's a problem."

Another exec said: "The ball gets out in two seconds, or he gets hit. And he can't shake 'em off like he used to. I don't think they can get him through the season like this."

Roethlisberger suffered a left pectoral injury in Pittsburgh's Week 2 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders and it impacted his preparation for Week 3 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Pittsburgh's offensive line has done a poor job of protecting the two-time Super Bowl champion.

The veteran was sacked twice and hit 10 times during last weekend's 26-17 loss to the Raiders. He was also sacked twice in Pittsburgh's Week 1 win over the Buffalo Bills. 

Despite his struggles, Roethlisberger has completed 62.5% of his passes for 483 yards and two touchdowns against an interception. So, things could be much worse. 

The next few games will be significant in terms of how the Steelers plan to operate for the remainder of the season. If Roethlisberger continues to struggle, it'll be interesting to see if the franchise shakes things up.