If Ben Roethlisberger is washed up, there’s nothing the Steelers can do to fix that short of inventing a time machine.

But assuming Roethlisberger is at road’s end seems abrupt given a mere fistful of bad games — although Roethlisberger’s long throws have been ineffective all season on the sporadic occasions he’s tried.

It seems more likely Roethlisberger’s surgically repaired elbow is experiencing wear and tear, or his more-recently damaged knee keeps him from pushing off properly on throws. Perhaps both are impediments.

Those problems could be addressed. Attempts could be made.

It starts with beating Cincinnati on Monday night. That clinches the AFC North. (If Cleveland loses to the Giants at New York on Sunday, the Steelers wrap up the division then.)

Then the Steelers need to shut down Roethlisberger for Week 16. He doesn’t play against visiting Indianapolis, the AFC South’s co-leaders at 9-4.

Without Roethlisberger, the Steelers likely lose that game. In their present state, that might happen, anyway. The AFC’s lone bye would be lost, but the Steelers currently trail in that race. That could be mostly decided if Kansas City wins at New Orleans on Sunday.

Roethlisberger needs to play much better for the Steelers to have a realistic chance at winning a playoff game, let alone contend for the Super Bowl.

Their defense has been diminished greatly by injury. It can’t carry the offense. Roethlisberger getting the bye week the Steelers never really had might heal (or at least refresh) some of what ails him.

If it helps, but not enough, rest him Week 17 at Cleveland, too.

Would that break the Steelers’ momentum? Actually, that’s been broken for a couple weeks.

Would that make the Steelers offense stumble? That offense already has stumbled, fallen and can’t get up.

Once the Steelers clinch the AFC North, the worst they can do is get home field for the wild-card round. The Steelers won’t get an easy foe regardless of their seeding. The AFC is loaded.

After beating Cincinnati, the Steelers’ sole focus should be on giving themselves the best chance possible in that wild-card game and in subsequent postseason contests. A gimpy Roethlisberger does not fit that description.

Resting Roethlisberger for a game (or two) offers no guarantees. But it’s an idea worth pursuing. Roethlisberger’s passes have little zip. The longer they are, the worse they are. His popgun arm limits the Steelers to attacking a 10-yard field. That’s not challenging to opposition defenses.

Disclaimer: The Steelers will not do this. The Steelers don’t see the big picture. They never look past the next game. That’s a philosophy that predates Mike Tomlin. It’s not always served the Steelers well, but that’s how they think. (The exception: When the last regular-season game is meaningless.)

Roethlisberger would resist sitting, too. He wants to play every game. He’d abhor the risk of getting stale. Given his recent performance, that’s no risk.

Re-establishing the running game is something else the Steelers won’t do.

The Steelers made a big mistake trusting James Conner to be their “bell cow” this season. He’s not good enough and not healthy often enough.

Now that Chase Claypool’s role has greatly receded, it’s even more obvious the Steelers should have drafted J.K. Dobbins with that second-round pick. Claypool has done OK and will doubtless be even better. But running back was, and is, a much greater need.

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