Aug 14, 2006 By Alan Robinson Ap Sports Writer 4 min read

PITTSBURGH – Ben Roethlisberger needed only one series of a supposedly meaningless game to play better than he did at any time during the preseason a year ago. Those nine snaps that Roethlisberger took Saturday in Arizona likely will be long forgotten by the time the Steelers’ regular season is winding down in December. So will the three passes he completed in four attempts for 29 yards, or the sack he took after scrambling to his right to try to avoid the Cardinals’ pass rush.

But to suggest that the game meant nothing to the Steelers and Roethlisberger would be incorrect.

Perhaps no exhibition game during Bill Cowher’s 15 seasons as coach meant more, if only because the 21-13 loss showed that the Steelers probably don’t have to wonder any longer if Roethlisberger’s recovery from his scary June 12 motorcycle accident is complete.

He took the hit that Cowher didn’t really want him to take, but one the Steelers felt was necessary to show he is ready to deal again with the physical demands of playing quarterback in the NFL. He showed no problems with his delivery, play-calling or ability to read defenses.

Roethlisberger showed no problems, period, and that was a big improvement from an August ago.

“He looked fine,” said Cowher, who had told Roethlisberger in advance that he would play one series – and only one. “I liked the way he was out there. He looked good in the pocket. He made some plays. It was good he had the chance to get hit a couple of times.”

That he was playing two months to the day he needed seven hours of surgery to repair a jaw that was broken in four places, his nose and some orbital bones following his motorcycle wreck struck Roethlisberger as being more than relevant.

He is very aware of how far he’s come, and how fast he has done so, even if he keeps insisting it’s no big deal and he’s tired of answering persistent questions about it.

“I feel I could go right now,” Roethlisberger said of the Steelers’ Sept. 7 opener against Miami. “It’s not me. It’s how much do we need the offense to start clicking.”

What is mostly forgotten now – winning the Super Bowl has a way of making people forget such trivialities – is how badly Roethlisberger played in the preseason a year ago.

Then, he didn’t lead a single touchdown drive in four games, going 16-of-36 for 145 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. His poor play, plus training camp injuries to running backs Jerome Bettis and Duce Staley, created considerable concern among Steelers fans when the season started a year ago.

But, proving again that what happens in August often means nothing in September, Roethlisberger came out sharp, effective and productive as the Steelers scored 61 points in beating Tennessee and Houston in the first two games of s season that ended with them winning their first Super Bowl in 26 years.

What is uncertain now is how much Roethlisberger and the other starters will play in the remaining three exhibition games. Last year, Roethlisberger didn’t play past the first quarter in either of the first two games and probably won’t again Saturday against Minnesota at Heinz Field.

Roethlisberger might be allowed to play longer than that Aug. 25 in Philadelphia but even that is an uncertainty, given Cowher’s reluctance to expose key players to injuries when the games don’t count. Especially one of only two quarterbacks in franchise history to win a Super Bowl.

“Last year, we didn’t score a touchdown in the preseason and people tried to make a big deal out of it,” Roethlisberger said. “We’re just going to go out and try to improve.”

And, no longer, he might add, to prove something.

“I’m kind of glad we got that out of the way,” Cowher said.