Nov 19, 2016 4 min read

CLEVELAND – Ben Roethlisberger has always taken it as a personal insult the Cleveland Browns passed on him in the first round of the 2004 draft.

Cleveland, which held the fifth pick in that year’s draft, not only didn’t select Roethlisberger, it traded down a spot with Washington and selected tight end Kellen Winslow Jr., instead.

But it’s been Roethlisberger who has been largely getting the last laugh ever since.

His nine wins at FirstEnergy Stadium are the most of any visiting quarterback since the Browns returned to the NFL in 1999. In fact, only one Browns quarterback, Derek Anderson, who won 10 home games from 2006 through 2009, has more wins in Cleveland than Roethlisberger.

Roethlisberger could match Anderson’s total Sunday when the Steelers (4-5) make their annual trip to Cleveland to take on the winless Browns (0-10).

The Browns passed on Roethlisberger in 2004 because they had signed former San Francisco starter Jeff Garcia, then 34, as their quarterback. Garcia, a Pro Bowl player with the 49ers, played just one season in Cleveland.

And the Browns have been paying for passing on Roethlisberger, who grew up in Findlay, Ohio, and played collegiately at Miami (Ohio), ever since.

“I did a private workout for them,” Roethlisberger said of the Browns. “I thought I did well, but I guess not.”

Sunday’s game will mark Roethlisberger’s 22nd start against Cleveland in his career. He’s 19-2 in the previous 21, a .905 winning percentage that is the highest for a quarterback with 15 or more starts against one team since the 1970 merger.

The Browns, meanwhile, have had just one winning season since 2004 and a loss to the Steelers would drop the franchise’s all-time record below .500 for the first time in the history of a team that got its start in 1946.

The Steelers, however, have had some issues of their own as of late.

After starting the season 4-1, Pittsburgh has lost its past four games. Last Sunday’s 35-30 loss to Dallas at Heinz Field also cost the Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward, arguably the team’s best defensive player. Heyward suffered a torn pectoral muscle and will miss the remainder of the season.

“We just all have got to get better as a group,” said rookie defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, who will see more playing time with Heyward out. “That’s our leader out there. He did the little things for us. He’s older than us. He knows more things than us. I’m sure he’ll still be there for us and teaching us little things. We’ve just got to grow up and get better.”

And quickly.

Though they have lost four games in a row, the Steelers remain in the hunt for the AFC North title. They enter today’s game just one game behind Baltimore (5-4) in the division standings with seven games remaining.

The Steelers haven’t had a losing season in Roethlisberger’s previous 12 seasons and aren’t about to give up on this one.

“The Steelers organization, past and present, has always had a will to win, never giving up,” said All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown. “Since I’ve been here, we’ve always had that.

“We’ve got a lot of young players. This isn’t the same Steelers team with the Brett Keisels and guys that have been around. We have a lot of young players. We’ve got to get back at it. We’re still in the hunt to turn things around.”

For that to happen, they’ll need better play out of Roethlisberger and an offense expected to be one of the league’s best on the road.

Pittsburgh is just 1-3 on the road this season as Roethlisberger has thrown just five TD passes to go along with five interceptions away from the friendly confines of Heinz Field. At home, Roethlisberger has 15 touchdown passes in four games.

We need to step up. We pride ourselves in years past here being a great road football team,” Roethlisberger said. “And we need to do that. We’re going to have to start this week.”

The Steelers are 15-3 under head coach Mike Tomlin against the Browns. … The Steelers are 28-6 against Browns since they came back into the league in 1999. … Cleveland rookie quarter Cody Kessler will be the 13th different quarterback to start for the Browns against Roethlisberger. … The Browns have been outscored 60-8 in the second half of their past three games. … Cleveland has allowed an NFL-worst 69 receptions for 765 yards nine touchdown passes to opposing tight ends this season.