I’m not quite sure where to go with this stat, but I think it might create a little bit of conversation and perhaps a research idea will come out of it.
During his career, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has started 142 games and that means he’s orchestrated 142 opening offensive drives. Of those 142 opening drives, 37 (26.1%) have ended with a touchdown.
Here is another interesting stat. In those 37 games that Roethlisberger and the offense scored a touchdown on their opening drive, the Steelers won 31 (83.8%) of them. In the six games that they lost, the Steelers defense also allowed an opening drive touchdown in two of them.
In the last two seasons, Roethlisberger has only finished off an opening drive of a game with a touchdown four times and just twice last season. The Steelers won three of those four games.
