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Concerns quickly mounting for Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger is just 1-4 in his last five regular-season starts.

Ben Roethlisberger is just 1-4 in his last five regular-season starts.

The Steelers for at least the past two offseasons have been intent on returning to a more balanced offense, with a running game that can take some of the load off Roethlisberger's big shoulders. But Sunday against the Titans represented abysmal failure on that front, with Pittsburgh rushing 15 times for a measly 32 yards (2.1 average). Starter Isaac Redman fumbled twice and gained nine yards on eight carries, Stephens-Howling was lost for the season and second-round pick and presumptive starter Le'Veon Bell is still nursing a mid-foot injury that could keep him out for at least another week or so.

In Philadelphia, the Eagles' wide-open, warp-speed offense looks like the NFL's Next Big Thing and quarterback Michael Vick might be enjoying yet another career renaissance. But across the state in Pittsburgh, it's getting easier to think we might be watching a former playoff perennial headed in the opposite direction, and that Roethlisberger's best years have already passed. It's early in this 2013 season, but the points are few and far between so far in Pittsburgh, and nothing on offense is coming easily.