“Maybe I don’t have it any more.” — Ben Roethlisberger.

It was a startling statement after a game in which the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback threw five interceptions — two returned for touchdowns — in a lopsided loss Sunday to Jacksonville.

He backtracked from that comment in the days that followed and continued to insist that he hasn’t lost any of the “its” that have made him one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history.

That he hadn’t lost the skill.

That he hadn’t lost the desire to play.

That he hadn’t lost confidence in himself or the confidence of his teammates.

I believe him.

His comments Sunday were made in the heat of the moment, not long after a disheartening loss.

You have to cut him some slack for being frustrated following one of the worst statistical games he’s ever played in an NFL uniform.

And, if you really examine the five interceptions he tossed against an underrated Jaguars team (we’ll get to that later), you’ll see it wasn’t all on Big Ben’s right shoulder.

On the first interception, Roethlisberger had a Jacksonville pass rusher right in his face when he released the ball and the corner made an exceptional play.

On the second interception, the trajectory of his pass was altered at the line and happened to fall right into the waiting arms of Telvin Smith, who returned it 28 yards for a score.

The third interception went right through the hands of Antonio Brown, was deflected and caught — almost by accident — by Barry Church, who sprinted 51 yards for a TD.

On the fourth interception, his receiver stumbled and fell down.

The fifth interception? OK, that was probably on Big Ben. It was a poor pass.

Maybe things aren’t as bleak for Big Ben as they seem.

I also heard this week people groaning about losing again to an “inferior opponent.”

Are the Jags really all that inferior?

Their defense is stacked with first-round picks and stud free agents and they are playing like one of the top units in the NFL.

People also forget Jacksonville stuck it to Baltimore and Houston this season by a combined score of 73-14.

The Jaguars have the same record as the Steelers and are also in first place in their division.

So, I’d hardly call them inferior.

There are some warning signs about Roethlisberger, however.

He’s not getting any younger — or any more agile. He hasn’t shown the accuracy on the deep ball as he has in the past and he just seems out of sorts with his receivers.

But the NFL is funny. A team and a player can look mediocre to bad for five or six weeks and then suddenly click.

Don’t pull the Terrible Towel over Roethlisberger’s face yet. I’m betting on him clicking.

Mike Kilroy is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.