View topic - Is this as good as Ben gets? And more questions!

[r1stillerman Profile]

I don't know? Will he get better as the young wide outs mature and the play of he offensive line improves? Or is Bruce Arians his limiting factor? Will he regress? Are his off season issues over or can we expect new developments? Will he work hard and impove? Why do I see other starting QBs throwing on the side lines in big games when their D is in and why does Ben stand alone staring into space? Discuss.

[Pommah Profile]

I believe Ben is a top tier QB. I believe he's way more accurate of a pocket passer than given credit. I think he needs much better coaching. I think he needs a much better pass-pro line in front of him.

He puts way too much air under his long ball - been pointed out before on this site.
He holds on to the ball too long. Yes, he can make things happen - sometimes. Other times he throws picks and takes sacks that are very difficult to recover from. I am not sure it's a net win.
These are both coachable things. Bruce won't change him, because he knows Ben is his meal ticket. As I have pointed out, how many OC's go to the Super Bowl and don't get interviewed for HC positions? None I can think of , other than Bruce.

As for SB. He was already playing with a bum foot. He gets smacked awfully hard, and comes up gimpy. Okay, the next play he runs for a first down, but we have no frigg'n clue how hurt he really was. I think it was alot. The man is no Cutler. He was not coming out. But there's a good possibility he was unable to perform at his usual level. He went back in with a badly broken nose before. You ever have a broken nose? I have. I went wee-wee-wee straight to the hospital. Ben went back in for more abuse.

After the season, we find out both Hinesy and Harrison need surgery. The game has become a war of attrtion. If they go to an 18-game season, it will be even more random than it is now. We also need to do a better job of developing our younger players, and getting them more pt.

[stillgrill Profile]

I know Ben's won 2 SB's but he definitely protects the ball better in the reg season, & he seems to miss WAY too many open guys in the SB.

Overall, Ben is a great QB but I don't see him getting better because getting better means getting smarter, & we all know that ain't happening!!

[LenSherwood Profile]

I have said it before here--I believe that Ben gets by and relies too much on his athletic talent. It was often said that he wasn't the hardest worker on the team and would leave the practice field as soon as he could. His accuracy is not that great--his main problem is floating the ball. You saw that over and over in this post season and if you recall in the Seattle Super Bowl he threw a nasty interception where he floats the ball right to a Seattle DB. He is a great physical talent, great improvisor, but he simply must get better with timing routes, with getting the ball out quicker, with reading fast and in being prepared for his opponent. He needs to lay off the bullshit--his off field conduct was crap. I don't question his toughness and he genuinely seems to be a decent teammate, but he simply has to work on his game--I don't know if it is too late to help with the mechanics, but might be worth a try also.

[StillDodger Profile]

You can put this on my tombstone........ Prior to the MC accident, I thought Ben was going to be one of the two or three best QBs ever to play the game. After the MC accident, I think he's merely "excellent", a top five QB in any given season.

Since the accident, I've noticed a slight "clumsiness" to his motions and loss of micro-agility that was not there prior to the MC accident. But he was able to win a SB (and participate in yet another) after the accident........ I do think it has affected his decision making in the pocket....... Very subtle, but apparent nonetheless.

I think the pre-MC accident Ben, for example, spotted windows more quickly when in the pocket, and likely wouldn't have been notorious for "holding the ball too long"........ I also think his deep ball was scary accurate prior to the accident, but only "decent" afterwards. (His receivers bailed him out several times this past season.) Not to mention if the post-accident Ben were on the field on that Bettis fumble in Indy, the Steelers would have watched that Super Bowl on TV.

If there was any sign of improvement, he did wear that protective boot, and his knee buckled on a couple pass plays. I recall John Madden once saying that quarterbacks who have knee and leg issues tend to throw high or overthrow to compensate for a potential leg buckle. Hopefully Ben's passing will be OK when healthy again.

[SteelTank Profile]

Since the accident, I've noticed a slight "clumsiness" to his motions and loss of micro-agility that was not there prior to the MC accident. But he was able to win a SB (and participate in yet another) after the accident........ I do think it has affected his decision making in the pocket....... Very subtle, but apparent nonetheless.

I guess some of us forgot about the foot injury... However, it looked like he was unprepared the last 5 games or so of the season. Especially the playoffs. I took his awkward movements and poor decision making as not being ready to play.

The two minute drill should be proof enough. For a veteran QB to run the 2 minute offense that poorly is inexcusable in my opinion. It wasn't just Ben though, the entire offense seemed to be clueless.

So, you do have a good point about his injury, but I think there is more to it than that.

[StillMill Profile]

Since the accident, I've noticed a slight "clumsiness" to his motions and loss of micro-agility that was not there prior to the MC accident. But he was able to win a SB (and participate in yet another) after the accident........ I do think it has affected his decision making in the pocket....... Very subtle, but apparent nonetheless.

I guess some of us forgot about the foot injury... However, it looked like he was unprepared the last 5 games or so of the season. Especially the playoffs. I took his awkward movements and poor decision making as not being ready to play.

The two minute drill should be proof enough. For a veteran QB to run the 2 minute offense that poorly is inexcusable in my opinion. It wasn't just Ben though, the entire offense seemed to be clueless.

So, you do have a good point about his injury, but I think there is more to it than that.

solid points. I guess we'll never know, but clearly Ben was not as sharp has we've seen him.

[ILLSTILL Profile]

You guys are being kinda hard on a guy who had to play two extremely good pass defenses.

But I do agree on that last drive. Very disappointing.

I will admit I became infuriated with Ben on a few occasions in the 08 season.

But a 3 time sb appearance isn't exactly a double edged sword either.

Keep in mind what defense Ben had that gw drive on in the sb of 08. Not the best.



Greetings from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, by the way! My ship's headed back to the states in a couple weeks.

[Steel Holiday Profile]

Ben has 7+ seasons, including post seasons, of experience. If Roethlisberger is as good as he is going to be right now, then he is still an exceptional quarterback.

Wideouts and quarterbacks are a product of each other. The passing game can't excel without competence on both ends. Big Ben has found a way to win a championship behind what would traditionally be considered as a less than elite pass blocking offensive line. BUT, Ben is not quite a traditional quarterback, and he has played with some unique, once again...not quite traditional receivers. A nose tackle in a wide receiver's body, a 6'6 sky walker, a college quarterback, a guy named Quincy, frying pans Washington, a blunt smoker who rolls just before the clock strikes midnight, Limas, and a legit NFL's fastest man competitor. About the only receiver who fills that word "traditional" is the Pittsburgh tight end Miller, and since when have the Stillers traditionally pounded the tight end? Roasting Arians is a classic thing to do, but Roethlisberger is the guy who holds the ball.

Ben didn't begin in the NFL as a guy who dropped back and read the field. He was no Peyton Manning. Big Ben was a "that guy isn't open, but I'm still standing, so let's run around and chuck it weeeeeeee" kinda player. He was also very efficient at winning. That same style of play is largely who Roethlisberger still is, and because of that he is truly unique. Nobody else, with the exceptions of Michael Vick and Aaron Rodgers, has the ability to make as many positive plays outside of the standard playcall. Benji could stand to improve his pocket passing presence, but he lacks the protection to perform like a Brees or Brady, and up until this season lacked the prototypical receivers to have consistent success anyway...

I'd like to think that Big Ben R. can continue to develop, but he will have to perform like he never has. The "Young Money Crew" will need leadership and direction. All the pass catchers must have their hands in the pile for the Pitt air attack to reach its full potential. I'm not going to sit here and say that he could regress, but you are either getting better or getting worse... It'll be a disappointment if the Steelers receiver talent doesn't reap production. Sweed included!


r1-Dadgummit! Who would be on the sidelines, having a catch if Troy Polamalu was on the field???? ehhhhh, not me.