PITTSBURGH — In the midst of answering questions about his play, his team and the upcoming game against the Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers second-year quarterback Ben Roethlisberger took time to answer why he chose to grow a beard this season.

"It's cold in Pittsburgh," he said. "I learned that from my rookie year."

That is not all the 23-year-old from Miami, Ohio, has learned since winning each of his 13 regular-season starts during Pittsburgh's 15-1 season last year.

Roethlisberger's play tailed down the stretch last season and culminated with poor outings in each of Pittsburgh's two playoff games, throwing five interceptions against the New York Jets and New England Patriots in an overtime win and 41-27 loss, respectively.

"This year, I feel a lot more comfortable," he said.

This season, Roethlisberger appears to be peaking as the postseason approaches. He has not thrown an interception during the Steelers' three-game winning streak — one in which the team has outscored its opposition 80-12 — and his passer rating has not been below 99.0 in that time.

"He is getting confidence and we feed off him," coach Bill Cowher said. "Ben is a leader out there for us, there is no question about that. I just like the frame of mind that he is in. He is a very focused player right now and needs to be. We are all kind of following his lead."

Roethlisberger's yards-per-attempt (8.93) and touchdown percentage (6.7 per 100 throws) lead the NFL. He's second in passer rating at 103.4, just 0.9 behind Peyton Manning.

While some would say those statistics are buoyed by an offense that prefers to run the ball — Roethlisberger has averaged only 22.9 attempts per game — Cowher said that lack of work proves Roethlisberger's worth even more because the majority of his throws come on third down.

"That is a lot of pressure to put on a guy," Cowher said.

Roethlisberger said he welcomed the pressure and decided to join veterans like Hines Ward, Jerome Bettis and Alan Faneca as an offensive leader.

"That's the quarterback's job," said Ward, an eighth-year receiver and former Pro Bowler. "He's got to be a leader, a general on the field, and he's done a tremendous job. He encourages guys, picks guys up when they're down after a mistake. And he will be the first, if he makes a mistake, to say. 'My bad.' We have to go out and continue to follow his lead and hopefully he'll lead us to the promised land."

Defensive players, too, said they are affected by their quarterback's attitude. Though Roethlisberger is less than 16 months removed from his first NFL start, 12-year veteran Kimo von Oelhoffen acknowledged the team looks to Roethlisberger.

"I think he handles himself the way he should on and off the field," von Oelhoffen said. "We believe in him, just as he believes in us."

For a team that might need to beat the Lions on Sunday at Heinz Field just to make the playoffs — and will have to win three road games in a row to make the Super Bowl if they do get into the postseason — having faith in each other counts.

"They count on me," Roethlisberger said. "And I want them to count on me."