Steelers, Big Ben will stick together [Archive]

stillers4me

11-11-2013, 12:24 PM

On his way to the shower Sunday after the Steelers' 23-10 win against the Buffalo Bills, Ben Roethlisberger made it a point to find team owner Dan Rooney. On his way back from the shower, Roethlisberger sought out team president Art Rooney II. His message to both was the same.

"I'm so sorry," Roethlisberger told the Rooneys. "This stuff didn't come from me or my people. There's absolutely no truth to it. It's ridiculous. It's one of the most BS stories that I've ever heard."...........

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/2013/11/11/Steelers-Ben-will-stick-together/stories/201311110049#ixzz2kMXGfEqI

There's a reason I posted this article, even though it's rather repetitive of the response to the report we've heard over and over for the last 24 hours:

It's not every year that an Andrew Luck comes out of the NFL draft to replace a Peyton Manning. That's more like once-a-generation thing. Franchise quarterbacks are that difficult to find.

The Steelers know it.

Are you ready for the list of quarterbacks the Steelers used after Bradshaw retired after the 1983 season and Roethlisberger came along in 2004?

Mark Malone. David Woodley. Scott Campbell. Bubby Brister. Steve Bono. Reggie Collier. Todd Blackledge. Rick Strom. Neil O'Donnell. Mike Tomczak. Jim Miller. Kordell Stewart. Mike Quinn. Pete Gonzalez. Kent Graham. Tommy Maddox. Charlie Batch.

fansince'76

11-11-2013, 12:40 PM

It's not every year that an Andrew Luck comes out of the NFL draft to replace a Peyton Manning. That's more like once-a-generation thing. Franchise quarterbacks are that difficult to find.

And the fact of the matter remains that Luck hasn't really done anything yet. For as much hype as this kid has gotten, you'd think he was tearing up the league like Marino did in his second season. He isn't.

X-Terminator

11-11-2013, 05:26 PM

And the fact of the matter remains that Luck hasn't really done anything yet. For as much hype as this kid has gotten, you'd think he was tearing up the league like Marino did in his second season. He isn't.

He sure proved that yesterday, with the way he was completely shut down by the Rams, of all teams. I like Luck, seems like a good guy...but once again the media is making me sour on him because he hasn't done a thing to get the hype he does.

SteelerFanInStl

11-11-2013, 05:42 PM

He sure proved that yesterday, with the way he was completely shut down by the Rams, of all teams.

The Rams have a good defense. They're tied for third in the league with 32 sacks. They put a lot of pressure on the QB and force a lot of turnovers (11 Int, 13 FF).

ALLD

11-11-2013, 06:44 PM

Why would anybody bad mouth somebody named Bubby?

Dwinsgames

11-11-2013, 06:45 PM

And the fact of the matter remains that Luck hasn't really done anything yet. For as much hype as this kid has gotten, you'd think he was tearing up the league like Marino did in his second season. He isn't.

he hasnt done anything ?

lets see took them to the playoffs as a rookie after the team was 2-14 the season before .....

currently he has 14 TDs and 6 ints and 3 fumbles while Ben has 13 Tds 10 ints and 7 fumbles

they sit at 6-3 right now while we sit with our " franchise QB " at 3-6 ... but hey if living with past results brings you future and present joy who am I to condemn you for it

Psycho Ward 86

11-11-2013, 07:00 PM

fansince'76

11-13-2013, 05:54 AM

i find it ironic for steeler fans to say andrew luck hasnt really done anything. he hasnt been a standout statistical anomaly but he has been extraordinarily clutch thus far in his young, year and a half career. All he does is win. Gee, sounds kind of like....ben roethlisberger????

And when has Roethlisberger EVER gotten the recognition that Luck has? All I've ever heard are things like "game manager that's carried by his defense" and lately that he's "declining." And that's it. Luck was anointed as the second coming before he was even drafted.

zulater

11-13-2013, 06:10 AM

he hasnt done anything ?

lets see took them to the playoffs as a rookie after the team was 2-14 the season before .....

currently he has 14 TDs and 6 ints and 3 fumbles while Ben has 13 Tds 10 ints and 7 fumbles

they sit at 6-3 right now while we sit with our " franchise QB " at 3-6 ... but hey if living with past results brings you future and present joy who am I to condemn you for it

I've seen you cite profootballfocus before in evaluating player performance haven't I? As per that website Ben Roethlisberger is having the 7th best season of any qb this season. This with an inconsistent running game and a line cast into a total state of flux starting in week one, and continuing on through every game to date. Ben has to be near perfect on a very flawed team in order for this team to have any chance to win. He's got big shoulders, just not big enough to carry a substandard 53 man roster.

Putting franchise qb in quotations?! Wow! :frusty: :crazy:

fansince'76

11-13-2013, 06:17 AM

he hasnt done anything ?

lets see took them to the playoffs as a rookie after the team was 2-14 the season before .....

A team that went 2-14 the season before because they deliberately tanked games with the sole purpose of drafting him. Do you really think his 23 TDs against 18 INTs in 2012 directly translated to nine more wins over 2011? If you do, I have some beachfront property in Arizona I'd like to sell you.

currently he has 14 TDs and 6 ints and 3 fumbles while Ben has 13 Tds 10 ints and 7 fumbles

they sit at 6-3 right now while we sit with our " franchise QB " at 3-6 ... but hey if living with past results brings you future and present joy who am I to condemn you for it

And a 58.8% completion rate (Roethlisberger is currently sitting at 64.5% - funny, because all I keep hearing is how inaccurate Roethlisberger is). All behind the 11th-ranked OL in the league (as opposed to the 31st-ranked Steelers OL) (http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?offensiveStatisticCategory=OFFENSIVE _LINE&role=TM&tabSeq=2) But I'm sure that's only because Roethlisberger is stupid and can't read defenses and not because his line sucks hind tit or anything, right? 14 TDs and 6 INTs - funny, but those are the same kind of numbers that have gotten Roethlisberger labeled a "game manager" throughout his career. Your argument just proves my point - when Disney Channel II (ESPN) sucks you off 24x7, you can do no wrong and are God's gift to the sports world, but when they don't, you're a "game manager."

Living in the past? Call me a sentimental old fool, but I think 3 Super Bowl appearances and 2 wins after a quarter-century drought buys the type of loyalty that you're ironically showing to a kid that has yet to win a single playoff game.

fansince'76

11-13-2013, 06:48 AM

Putting franchise qb in quotations?! Wow! :frusty: :crazy:

And people still wonder why Bradshaw dissed the city and fanbase for 2+ decades after he retired (Hint: it was largely due to exactly this kind of treatment by the fans)...

zulater

11-13-2013, 06:57 AM

A team that went 2-14 the season before because they deliberately tanked games with the sole purpose of drafting him. Do you really think his 23 TDs against 18 INTs in 2012 directly translated to nine more wins over 2011? If you do, I have some beachfront property in Arizona I'd like to sell you.

And a 58.8% completion rate (Roethlisberger is currently sitting at 64.5% - funny, because all I keep hearing is how inaccurate Roethlisberger is). All behind the 11th-ranked OL in the league (as opposed to the 31st-ranked Steelers OL) (http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?offensiveStatisticCategory=OFFENSIVE _LINE&role=TM&tabSeq=2) But I'm sure that's only because Roethlisberger is stupid and can't read defenses and not because his line sucks hind tit or anything, right? 14 TDs and 6 INTs - funny, but those are the same kind of numbers that have gotten Roethlisberger labeled a "game manager" throughout his career. Your argument just proves my point - when Disney Channel II (ESPN) sucks you off 24x7, you can do no wrong and are God's gift to the sports world, but when they don't, you're a "game manager."

Living in the past? Call me a sentimental old fool, but I think 3 Super Bowl appearances and 2 wins after a quarter-century drought buys the type of loyalty that you're ironically showing to a kid that has yet to win a single playoff game.

Good numbers! :applaudit:

I'm watching Mike and Mike right now and Golic brought up a great point about playing max protection on passing plays ( which the Steelers are often forced to do because of line issues, of course the discussion came up because of Peyton Manning's gimpy ankle) When you go max protection you in fact force your quarterback to hold the ball longer, because obviously there are less receivers in the pattern. Also backs and tight ends don't block as well as edge rushers pass rush, so it's often counter productive playing max protect, and in the end your qb takes more hits than he would in an otherwise normal offense.

Stupid enough I never thought about it in those terms. :doh: But when you think about it I think this goes towards Ben supposedly holding the ball too long. Now granted he does at times. But on balance his hand is forced more than just about any other qb in the league.

fansince'76

11-13-2013, 07:04 AM

Good numbers! :applaudit:

I'm watching Mike and Mike right now and Golic brought up a great point about playing max protection on passing plays ( which the Steelers are often forced to do because of line issues, of course the discussion came up because of Peyton Manning's gimpy ankle) When you go max protection you in fact force your quarterback to hold the ball longer, because obviously there are less receivers in the pattern. Also backs and tight ends don't block as well as edge rushers pass rush, so it's often counter productive playing max protect, and in the end your qb takes more hits than he would in an otherwise normal offense.

Stupid enough I never thought about it in those terms. :doh: But when you think about it I think this goes towards Ben supposedly holding the ball too long. Now granted he does at times. But on balance his hand is forced more than just about any other qb in the league.

At 36 sacks (only Miami has allowed more), Roethlisberger is on track to be sacked 70+ times on the season, by far the most of his career up to this point...and that's saying something. But of course, I'm sure they're all his fault. :rolleyes:

Is it any wonder the guy is feeling "phantom pressure" at times? David Carr's career was essentially ruined from taking sacks at that rate. On the very rare occasions that Roethlisberger actually gets a clean pocket and is given more than 1.5 seconds to throw, it's almost like he doesn't know how to handle it.

zulater

11-13-2013, 07:09 AM

At 36 sacks (only Tampa Bay has more), Roethlisberger is on track for 70+ sacks on the season, by far the most of his career up to this point - and that's saying something. But of course, I'm sure they're all his fault. :rolleyes:

Of course they always are. As are all the fumbles. But of course people conveniently forget how often Ben has made game changing plays when he's supposed to be giving up on the play. Great case in point was the shovel pass to Bell that set up the first score against the Bills. He should have just crumbled to the ground there with the ball cradled in both hands, maybe tried to fall forward to avoid as big of loss. But nope, big dummy kept his eyes downfield and found a live receiver who had a chance to do something with the play. Idiot! :sarcasm:

86WARD

11-13-2013, 07:56 AM

Roethlisberger rookie season >>>>>>> Luck rookie season.

Dwinsgames

11-13-2013, 12:25 PM

A team that went 2-14 the season before because they deliberately tanked games with the sole purpose of drafting him. Do you really think his 23 TDs against 18 INTs in 2012 directly translated to nine more wins over 2011? If you do, I have some beachfront property in Arizona I'd like to sell you.

And a 58.8% completion rate (Roethlisberger is currently sitting at 64.5% - funny, because all I keep hearing is how inaccurate Roethlisberger is). All behind the 11th-ranked OL in the league (as opposed to the 31st-ranked Steelers OL) (http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?offensiveStatisticCategory=OFFENSIVE _LINE&role=TM&tabSeq=2) But I'm sure that's only because Roethlisberger is stupid and can't read defenses and not because his line sucks hind tit or anything, right? 14 TDs and 6 INTs - funny, but those are the same kind of numbers that have gotten Roethlisberger labeled a "game manager" throughout his career. Your argument just proves my point - when Disney Channel II (ESPN) sucks you off 24x7, you can do no wrong and are God's gift to the sports world, but when they don't, you're a "game manager."

Living in the past? Call me a sentimental old fool, but I think 3 Super Bowl appearances and 2 wins after a quarter-century drought buys the type of loyalty that you're ironically showing to a kid that has yet to win a single playoff game.

Point A ) did you bother to compare his rookie stats to the colts season before with the crap they trotted out there ? ( clearly you did not )

Point B ) where did I say Ben was a game manager ? since this was directed towards me lets keep it on point to things I actually said not things you decided to post to make your argument look better

Point C ) Living in the past is what put this team in cap hell , paying players for past performances instead of paying them with an eye on future results with age and performance decline managed into that contract value .....

but hey you see it your way I see it mine , the only difference is I am not making it up as I go along in terms to what you have actually said ... but whatever its a common theme around here

ALLD

11-13-2013, 01:47 PM

http://www.theonion.com/articles/pittsburgh-residents-horrified-to-learn-ben-roethl,34539/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=SocialMarketing&utm_campaign=LinkPreview:1:Default

fansince'76

11-13-2013, 04:10 PM

Point A ) did you bother to compare his rookie stats to the colts season before with the crap they trotted out there ? ( clearly you did not )

Yeah. He had more TDs, but he also threw more INTs than the Collins/Painter/Orlovsky triumvirate. Against a softer schedule as well, which is what a 2-14 record also gets you. At the end of the day, I still think the 2011 Colts tanked. I honestly think the 2011 Colts were, in reality, a 7-9/8-8 team that lost games on purpose to get Luck in the draft. I think their owner is enough of an asshat to have orchestrated it too.

Point B ) where did I say Ben was a game manager ? since this was directed towards me lets keep it on point to things I actually said not things you decided to post to make your argument look better

You didn't directly. But doesn't mockingly calling him a franchise QB by making a point to put the words in quotation marks kind of imply it?

Point C ) Living in the past is what put this team in cap hell , paying players for past performances instead of paying them with an eye on future results with age and performance decline managed into that contract value .....

No argument. They tried to make another run with a bunch of aging players in 2010 and lost the Super Bowl. They're paying the piper for it now. However, I think Troy's and Woodley's salaries are far bigger albatrosses around this franchise's neck at the moment than Roethlisberger's, based on the returns the team is currently getting from each respective player.

but hey you see it your way I see it mine , the only difference is I am not making it up as I go along in terms to what you have actually said ... but whatever its a common theme around here

On an ending note, I am not trying to impugn Luck's ability. I think he's a really good kid and has the potential to be every bit as good as his hype indicates. I just don't think he has lived up to that hype...yet. And as far as making it up as I go along, I'm also not - I stated that I thought the Colts were tanking 2 years ago and I maintain it now.

Dwinsgames

11-13-2013, 04:22 PM

You didn't directly. But doesn't mockingly calling him a franchise QB by making a point to put the words in quotation marks kind of imply it?

.

because I for 1 no longer believe Ben to be a " franchise QB " ... the term is thrown around far to loosely IMO , he had a stretch no doubt but that window has all but closed IMO he has taken far to many hits in his career with no end in sight , some his fault but most where not .....

I believe a guy can be a franchise QB and then just be " a QB " average . slightly above or below or possibly horrible .... Ben is average with flashes of greatness and flashes of horrible .... Ben will lose as many games for you as he will win when asked to carry the team on his back ( perhaps more looking at this season to date )

he is at the age where he should be at his very best , but he is not ...those days are behind him IMO ....

this teams struggles are not because of Ben and Ben alone their is plenty of blame pie to go around , but he does have some culpability

there NOW you know exactly where I stand on Ben

ALLD

11-13-2013, 04:34 PM

If the D created more TOs and scored once in awhile and the O had a feature RB for Ben to fall back on, then he would rise to top 5 again.

fansince'76

11-13-2013, 04:56 PM

because I for 1 no longer believe Ben to be a " franchise QB " ... the term is thrown around far to loosely IMO , he had a stretch no doubt but that window has all but closed IMO he has taken far to many hits in his career with no end in sight , some his fault but most where not .....

I believe a guy can be a franchise QB and then just be " a QB " average . slightly above or below or possibly horrible .... Ben is average with flashes of greatness and flashes of horrible .... Ben will lose as many games for you as he will win when asked to carry the team on his back ( perhaps more looking at this season to date )

he is at the age where he should be at his very best , but he is not ...those days are behind him IMO ....

this teams struggles are not because of Ben and Ben alone their is plenty of blame pie to go around , but he does have some culpability

there NOW you know exactly where I stand on Ben

Fair enough.

And on that note, I'll agree to disagree, particularly due to the fact that he is on pace to not only surpass but shatter his previous high for sacks sustained in a season. He's getting virtually no help from his OL. It also doesn't help that his receivers are a collection of smurfs (a fact that truly rears its ugly head in the red zone). IMO, average QBs don't complete passes at a 64.5% clip, especially when they're getting hit as much as he's been getting hit this season.

stillers4me

11-13-2013, 05:01 PM

Just for the record:

400753846206476288

Dwinsgames

11-13-2013, 05:05 PM

Fair enough.

And on that note, I'll agree to disagree, particularly due to the fact that he is on pace to not only surpass but shatter his previous high for sacks sustained in a season. He's getting virtually no help from his OL. It also doesn't help that his receivers are a collection of smurfs (a fact that truly rears its ugly head in the red zone). IMO, average QBs don't complete passes at a 64.5% clip, especially when they're getting hit as much as he's been getting hit this season.

he is also on pace to set a personal record for turnovers in a season too in both fumbles and ints and combined .... I understand the line has some culpability but I have also witnessed throws off his back foot looking in an entirely different direction than where he throws the ball and it is picked off , those sort of plays you expect out of Junior Varsity high school players not " franchise NFL QBs " so it is as broad as it it wide ...

:drink:

as a side note in 2009 Matt Leinart completed over 66 % of his passes was he a franchise QB too ?

stillers4me

11-13-2013, 05:07 PM

Big Ben Trade Rumor:

http://www.benstonium.com/videos.php (http://www.benstonium.com/videos.php)

Spike

11-13-2013, 05:27 PM

Ben is our QB and I will always support him - but the day is coming...

We'll need a Joe Willie Namath with the hunger in his belly - plus chasing girls keeps your legs alive longer.

it's true

Roll Tide

fansince'76

11-13-2013, 05:34 PM

...plus chasing girls keeps your legs alive longer.

it's true

Not according to Mick...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7DR33xa5QM

:chuckle:

Spike

11-13-2013, 05:57 PM

they made poor Joe Willie play with torn knee ligaments - this was in the days before MRI's

he toughed it out

if he was good enough for Bear Bryant, he's good enough for me

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51TMj0nd68L.jpg

Mistah Q

11-14-2013, 10:24 AM

Craic

11-14-2013, 11:01 PM

I think Dwins hit it on the head - Ben was great; he isn't anymore. He's at the age when he should be in his prime but year after year of horrible O-lines... sure those horrible O-line haven't been his fault but now he is making more and more of those mistakes on his own accord - call it psychological buildup if you will but now that it's there it's unlikely to be shaken. I'm not sure I blame him but there it is. If Ben spent his career on the Patriots or Broncos, he'd have made John Elway's career look pedestrian. But he got the Steelers and now he's in early decline.

If you look at our drafting habits though, we've heavily invested in O-line, so what does that speak to? Some here are tired of hearing it but it doesn't ring any less true: talent evaluation and player coaching in the post-Cowher years. Every team will have its whiffs, but we endemically don't know how to pick out or coach up players to man the trenches - either side of the ball really.

What some here are tired of hearing, is a comparison that has more to do with nostalgia than reality. It was very easy to draft a run first, run always offensive line. You don't need to worry about pass blocking in that type of offensive line because you really don't care. Play-action is two to three times as effective as well. I also would remind anyone that it was Cowher's coaching staff that neglected to draft O line players for quite some time, which put the line in the deficit it's still trying to work out of. That doesn't mean he gets blamed for the line now, it means that not everything was rosy then either.

I remember people around here yelling and screaming about Willie Colon, Max Starks, Trai Essex, Kendal Simmons (Ken doll was a common one), etc. Those were all Cowher picks in the first years of Tomlin. Throw the D line in there, and look at the picks from 2006 backwards: Willie (false start/holding) Colon, Orien Harris (both 4th round), Trai Essex (4th) and Shaun Nua (7th), Max Starks Bo Lacy and Drew Caylor as O line and Nathaniel Adibi, and Eric Taylor as D line in 2004.

I mean, the last real HIT in drafting an O line player for Cowher was Marvel Smith in 2000. Before that was Alan Faneca in 1998. Before that, who? Jamain Stephens? first round bust, gone after two years and out of the league after five. Cowher inherited an O line that had Tunch Ilkin, Dermontti Dawson, John Jackson all starting and Justin Strzelczyk as a rookie. For instance, PFR puts the first three as tied for third in overall team value, behind only two nobodies named Greg Lloyd and Rod Woodson.

We have problem on the line. We've been having problems with the line for a long time, part of that was mismanagement of the future of the O line by the previous coaching staff, but the last few years can only fall on this coaching staff. There's no doubting any of that. But we I DON'T agree with, is this magical enhancement of Cowher now being the all-wise, all-knowing coach. He was very good. I liked him. He also sucked in some areas, and had a number of draft picks in his era that blew up on him, including O line picks.

blackngldblood

11-15-2013, 03:43 AM

I just can't believe that the Nation is pretty much going to be torn asunder over the best quarterback to wear the black and gold since Terry Bradshaw. Tis sad... History repeating itself? Funny how humans act when things aren't exactly going their way...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk (http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1)

Steeldude

11-15-2013, 07:04 AM

What some here are tired of hearing, is a comparison that has more to do with nostalgia than reality. It was very easy to draft a run first, run always offensive line. You don't need to worry about pass blocking in that type of offensive line because you really don't care. Play-action is two to three times as effective as well. I also would remind anyone that it was Cowher's coaching staff that neglected to draft O line players for quite some time, which put the line in the deficit it's still trying to work out of. That doesn't mean he gets blamed for the line now, it means that not everything was rosy then either.

I remember people around here yelling and screaming about Willie Colon, Max Starks, Trai Essex, Kendal Simmons (Ken doll was a common one), etc. Those were all Cowher picks in the first years of Tomlin. Throw the D line in there, and look at the picks from 2006 backwards: Willie (false start/holding) Colon, Orien Harris (both 4th round), Trai Essex (4th) and Shaun Nua (7th), Max Starks Bo Lacy and Drew Caylor as O line and Nathaniel Adibi, and Eric Taylor as D line in 2004.

I mean, the last real HIT in drafting an O line player for Cowher was Marvel Smith in 2000. Before that was Alan Faneca in 1998. Before that, who? Jamain Stephens? first round bust, gone after two years and out of the league after five. Cowher inherited an O line that had Tunch Ilkin, Dermontti Dawson, John Jackson all starting and Justin Strzelczyk as a rookie. For instance, PFR puts the first three as tied for third in overall team value, behind only two nobodies named Greg Lloyd and Rod Woodson.

We have problem on the line. We've been having problems with the line for a long time, part of that was mismanagement of the future of the O line by the previous coaching staff, but the last few years can only fall on this coaching staff. There's no doubting any of that. But we I DON'T agree with, is this magical enhancement of Cowher now being the all-wise, all-knowing coach. He was very good. I liked him. He also sucked in some areas, and had a number of draft picks in his era that blew up on him, including O line picks.

You left off Leon Searcy. He also brought Gandy, Hartings and Love to help solidify the O-line. For the D-line he drafted Hampton, Kiesel, Steed, Aaron Smith and Buckner. He brought in Ray Seals and Kimo Von Oelhoffen. I remember Roye being a pretty good player they lost to FA. Who has Tomlin brought in via FA? Mahan? Scott? Whimper? At least Velasco was a good find, but then again he wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Pouncey going down. The team went into the season with two very suspect tackles and no backups.

Something needs to be done with the O-line. Unfortunately, the cap situation is going to make it impossible to do much. With all the problems with the O-line the Steelers are still in the playoff hunt.

Spike

11-15-2013, 07:31 AM

The Steelers vs. NFL Network - the war is on

NFLN keeps driving wedge between Steelers, Roethlisberger

For the second time in four days, NFL Network has published a report that could drive a wedge between the Steelers and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

On Thursday night, Mike Silver of NFL Network shared this observation from one or more unnamed Steelers sources: “When he is away from the facility, he is no Peyton Manning. That is the biggest obstacle to him staying.” Silver also said that the Steelers believe Roethlisberger “is more engaged this year, doing a better job of preparation when he is at the facility.”

On Sunday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported, citing unnamed “Steelers sources,” that the Steelers believe Roethlisberger may ask for a trade in the offseason. All parties denied any intention to part ways, with Roethlisberger coming out so strongly and zealously against being traded that he has essentially backed himself into a corner. If the Steelers don’t offer him what he wants, it’s now impossible for him to ask to be traded.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/11/14/nfln-keeps-driving-wedge-between-steelers-roethlisberger/

--------------------------

go get him

https://twitter.com/InsideNFLMedia/status/401131500227133440

what is up with picking on Ben?You are right, he isn't Peyton. He has 2 championship rings & has been to 3!

Ben has 2 SB rings, a 10-4 playoff record. Playoff choker Manning is lucky to have 1 ring

fansince'76

11-15-2013, 09:21 AM

NFLN keeps driving wedge between Steelers, Roethlisberger

For the second time in four days, NFL Network has published a report that could drive a wedge between the Steelers and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

On Thursday night, Mike Silver of NFL Network shared this observation from one or more unnamed Steelers sources: “When he is away from the facility, he is no Peyton Manning. That is the biggest obstacle to him staying.” Silver also said that the Steelers believe Roethlisberger “is more engaged this year, doing a better job of preparation when he is at the facility.”

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/11/14/nfln-keeps-driving-wedge-between-steelers-roethlisberger/

Mike Silver? Consider the source...

Porter's payback
Linebacker will make Steelers regret letting him go
(http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/michael_silver/03/15/porter/index.html)
:yawn:

86WARD

11-15-2013, 09:41 AM

http://m.dve.com/media/podcast-morning-show-interviews-Interviews/ben-roethlisberger-111513-23977930/

vader29

11-15-2013, 09:45 AM

The Steelers vs. NFL Network - the war is on

NFLN keeps driving wedge between Steelers, Roethlisberger

For the second time in four days, NFL Network has published a report that could drive a wedge between the Steelers and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

On Thursday night, Mike Silver of NFL Network shared this observation from one or more unnamed Steelers sources: “When he is away from the facility, he is no Peyton Manning. That is the biggest obstacle to him staying.” Silver also said that the Steelers believe Roethlisberger “is more engaged this year, doing a better job of preparation when he is at the facility.”

On Sunday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported, citing unnamed “Steelers sources,” that the Steelers believe Roethlisberger may ask for a trade in the offseason. All parties denied any intention to part ways, with Roethlisberger coming out so strongly and zealously against being traded that he has essentially backed himself into a corner. If the Steelers don’t offer him what he wants, it’s now impossible for him to ask to be traded.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/11/14/nfln-keeps-driving-wedge-between-steelers-roethlisberger/

http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18xqhlwr3bqysgif/original.gif

7SteelGal43

11-15-2013, 10:53 AM

When Big Ben stood in the locker room and announced basically "I want to retire a Steeler", I have no reason to doubt him ! I'm calling BS on this one as well. As for NFLN stirring the pot, please NFLN, sit down and shut up. That is all. Carry on, y'all.

Dwinsgames

11-15-2013, 11:20 AM

why so many lay the picks at the feet of the Head Coach is beyond me , Head Coaches have very little time to devote to player evaluation prior to said player being a member of the team they are to busy with their own team while Colleges are playing their games the GM and his scouting staff do MOST of the evaluations they narrow the lists down , then in the off season that list of players is looked over by the entire coaching staff and scouting department , Gm and HC and it is refined even more and a draft board is assembled .... Primary culpability is at the feet of the GM for this because the scouts are his people he hires and fires them ....

I'm tired of seeing Cowhers picks / Tomlins picks ..... the reality is they where Donahoe and Colbert picks

granted some HC have more say than others in the final process but the boards are still primarily set up by info presented from the GM and HIS staff

zulater

11-15-2013, 11:36 AM

Michael Silver of the NFL Network says the Steelers are unhappy with Ben Roethlisberger's unwillingness to change his style. The Steelers feel Ben is "more engaged" when at Steelers HQ, but does not prepare enough away from the facility. "He's no Peyton Manning" in that regard, apparently.
Perhaps, when he's at home, Ben is busy being a husband and father. Shame on him.
Silver says the Steelers want Roethlisberger to be smarter and put himself at less risk. But if Ben drops three steps and dumps the ball off every time, there’s no point having him. He's Mike Tomczak, not a Top 5 NFL quarterback.
Roethlisberger is what he is. It's served the Steelers well.
Instead of changing Roethlisberger, get a line that can block and a receiver that can go deep. F that bubble screen. Assemble a better offensive platoon around your $102m quarterback.
Roethlisberger is due for a contract extension in the off-season. He reportedly wants $20m per year. The Steelers probably don't want to give Ben that much.
Are the Steelers planting reports designed to drive Roethlisberger away, or get him to take less?
Roethlisberger says he's staying in Pittsburgh no matter what. Now he's got to take what the Steelers offer, or look like the bad guy once the battle starts.
Don't forget, the recent hoopla surrounding Roethlisberger has been reported on the NFL Network. The league’s network. The network the Steelers partially own.
Did Bruce Arians retire? Is Russ Grimm the head coach? Lying is what the Steelers do.
I'm shocked the national media hasn't yet deduced that the Rooney family has never forgiven Roethlisberger for Milledgeville and has since mostly tried to minimize him. Arians was Ben's friend. Todd Haley was hired to put Ben in his place. From bold strokes to dink and dunk. Agenda served, games lost.

Read more: http://www.1059thex.com/pages/markmadden.html#ixzz2kjkCPiuf

Spike

11-15-2013, 12:21 PM

Roethlisberger lashes out again at ongoing reports of discord

NFL Network continues to drive a wedge between the Steelers and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. And Roethlisberger continues to reiterate his desire to stay in Pittsburgh — and to express frustration at the reports regarding the existence of reports that tend to drive a wedge between the Steelers and Roethlisberger.

Roethlisberger joined WDVE radio on Friday morning, following the latest barrage from NFLN, which among other things suggested that Roethlisberger needs to spend more working on his craft while away from the team’s facility.

“First and foremost, I don’t want to go anywhere,” Roethlisberger said. “I want to be in Pittsburgh. I hope that’s very clear to everybody that I want to stay, my family wants to stay. We do not want to ask for a trade, we don’t want to go anywhere. I want to finish my career here. I’ve always said that, and I still feel firmly that way.”

While Roethlisberger suggested at times that the reports are fabricated, he acknowledged the possibility that someone in the building is talking out of turn, even though he doesn’t think that’s happening.

“When someone is a source and they’re unnamed, they have an agenda,” Roethlisberger said. “And their agenda is not winning football games and not helping this team. Whoever that agenda is coming from, they’re not helping us, they’re hurting us.”

Even if it’s coming from within the walls of the organization, Roethlisberger scoffed at the idea that he’s not working hard away from the facility.

“First of all, how does anybody know what I’m doing at home,” he said, “when I’m watching film or I’m looking through my playbook at home, unless someone someone’s got cameras set up in my house and they’re spying on me? But then they’d see the truth that I am doing that stuff.”

He makes a good point, but it could be that folks in the building are concluding that he’s not doing anything at home based on where his level of preparation is, or isn’t, after a day or night off.

As to the far more relevant question regarding Roethlisberger’s next contract, given that his $17 million-plus cap number for 2014 can’t be reduced without an extension, Roethlisberger again avoided the question.

“I’m still ignorant to how all these cap things works and contracts,” Roethlisberger said. “Honestly, if they come to me and say hey we want to restructure a deal or we want to do [a deal], whatever, I want to help the team out. But all I can focus on right now is this season and this game. Because that’s all that matters to me. I don’t look for the future or the long term. What’s gonna happen next year? When’s my contract up? These kind of things. For me, it’s about how can I win this game, this week?”

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/category/rumor-mill/

Craic

11-15-2013, 04:28 PM

You left off Leon Searcy. He also brought Gandy, Hartings and Love to help solidify the O-line. For the D-line he drafted Hampton, Kiesel, Steed, Aaron Smith and Buckner. He brought in Ray Seals and Kimo Von Oelhoffen. I remember Roye being a pretty good player they lost to FA. Who has Tomlin brought in via FA? Mahan? Scott? Whimper? At least Velasco was a good find, but then again he wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Pouncey going down. The team went into the season with two very suspect tackles and no backups.

Something needs to be done with the O-line. Unfortunately, the cap situation is going to make it impossible to do much. With all the problems with the O-line the Steelers are still in the playoff hunt.

He did that over a 15 year career, plus the argument was about drafting only. On top of that, Tomlin came in when the ownership was dedicated to keeping a team together. Cowher came in when the ownership was dedicated to getting better, no matter the cost (including cutting the previous years number 1 draft choice). My point was simply that looking back on the Cowher years with Black and Gold glasses paints a picture that doesn't exist. It's not used to excuse where the line is now.

tube517

11-15-2013, 07:41 PM

Mike Silver? Consider the source...

Porter's payback
Linebacker will make Steelers regret letting him go
(http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/michael_silver/03/15/porter/index.html)
:yawn:

Who in the blue hell are Michael Silver and Ian Rapaport? I still don't know who they are.

Shoes

11-15-2013, 08:49 PM

NFL Media's Charley Casserly opined on "Around the League Live" that Colbert won't seriously consider a trade even under that unlikely scenario.

"This isn't even one you take seriously, or bring it up in a joke if you're thePittsburgh Steelers (http://www.nfl.com/teams/pittsburghsteelers/profile?team=PIT)," Casserly said. "This is your solution to the problem. You have problems around him that you have to solve. ... This guy is still one of the premier quarterbacks in the league. There's nothing wrong with his game. It's everybody else around him. ... But this isn't even a serious discussion. Believe me."

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000282099/article/ben-roethlisberger-steelers-facing-crucial-offseason

Is it off season yet? :chuckle:

Seven

11-15-2013, 11:49 PM

"This isn't even one you take seriously, or bring it up in a joke if you're the Pittsburgh Steelers (http://www.nfl.com/teams/pittsburghsteelers/profile?team=PIT)," Casserly said. "This is your solution to the problem. You have problems around him that you have to solve. ... This guy is still one of the premier quarterbacks in the league. There's nothing wrong with his game. It's everybody else around him. ... But this isn't even a serious discussion. Believe me."

Is it off season yet? :chuckle:

Feels like it. Casserly is dead on.

Mistah Q

11-16-2013, 02:41 AM

As much as I'd be in favor of a Ben trade under favorable conditions... it's a stupid discussion for the media to be having right now, and the chances of it actually happening are frighteningly remote.

Do I think Ben is still worth his mega contract, no. Is there anything we can do about it thanks to all the restructuring, no. Is he still great, no. Is he still very good but stuck with a stupefyingly incompetent O-line situation, yes.

I don't think that Cowher is some magical mythical creature, believe me I lived through the Kordell experiment just like all of you have. But the team's culture rolls from the top... and what's going on in the trenches right now on both sides of the ball is very problematic, and not for lack of ownership expectations either - we've been heavily investing in picking linemen but almost all of those picks, complete failures. We have serious problems in either talent evaluation or coaching these players up, or worse, both. Granted that Tomlin is not directly involved in scouting these guys but can you seriously tell me that his attitude and his syllogisms have put any confidence into the situation?

What more, consider that Keith Butler during this past draft wanted to select Arthur Brown in the second - pushed for it. Now I like LeVeon Bell but can you imagine that? I can't wait until Butler is our Defensive Coordinator. But I have no confidence in Tomlin anymore and we need to do some real soul searching in our coaching. Fair enough point that these are Colbert picks but how consistently are we lauded for getting drafts full of steals and yet they all turn out duds? We have line coaching issues.

Dwinsgames

11-16-2013, 09:41 AM

stillers4me

11-16-2013, 10:07 AM

I have such mixed feelings about this offseason and draft. I knew we had to have a year where we suck pretty bad to get a good chance for another QB of Ben's caliber, but I wasn't ready for it quite yet. So passing up on a QB up this year ( if there's one that's got real possibilites) makes me nervous, because I sure don't want to suck this bad or worse again to have another opportunity. And we have so many other postitions to address. Deep down, I'm not ready for the "Big Ben era" to end.

Plus, if we don't get this O line mess straightened out, we are just getting another QB for them to get killed. And the chances of getting another one that takes it as well as Ben has, is slim to none.

Nor do I ever want to see that big, oh so recognizable figure in any other uniform.

Dwinsgames

11-16-2013, 02:17 PM

Spike

11-17-2013, 11:43 AM

Who in the blue hell are Michael Silver and Ian Rapaport? I still don't know who they are.

big city "Professional Insider" snitches

the greasy little whores never reveal their snitch "sources" either

Dwinsgames

11-17-2013, 12:46 PM

big city "Professional Insider" snitches

the greasy little whores never reveal their snitch "sources" either

you almost make them sound appealing .............

you can do better than that

Mojouw

11-17-2013, 03:42 PM

Colbert does not have the brains to do this though .... http://www.steelersuniverse.com/forums/showthread.php/18740-shits-and-giggles-mock

Way more draft knowledge than I will ever have, so I will not even begin to debate the picks. I do have one problem with it. If Ben is as bad as the detractors on this board claim, why would any team give up a 1st and a 3rd for him in the same draft year? Particularly in a draft that is by all accounts loaded with talent overall and potentially featuring several franchise QB's -- as evidenced by your own mock that has McCarron last until the 2nd round.

Wouldn't any team that would contemplate a trade for Roethlisberger be better served by sitting and waiting and taking McCarron with their own 1st rounder? Thus giving them a cost-controlled rookie starter and still retaining their own 3rd round pick. If Ben is worth the cost of a 1st and a 3rd, why would the Steelers trade such an asset away?

We could walk through the same thought exercise with Pouncey.

Dwinsgames

11-17-2013, 06:00 PM

Way more draft knowledge than I will ever have, so I will not even begin to debate the picks. I do have one problem with it. If Ben is as bad as the detractors on this board claim, why would any team give up a 1st and a 3rd for him in the same draft year? Particularly in a draft that is by all accounts loaded with talent overall and potentially featuring several franchise QB's -- as evidenced by your own mock that has McCarron last until the 2nd round.

Wouldn't any team that would contemplate a trade for Roethlisberger be better served by sitting and waiting and taking McCarron with their own 1st rounder? Thus giving them a cost-controlled rookie starter and still retaining their own 3rd round pick. If Ben is worth the cost of a 1st and a 3rd, why would the Steelers trade such an asset away?

We could walk through the same thought exercise with Pouncey.

some teams are a piece or two away to win and win now and have the cap room to do so with GMs with their jobs on the line to do so ....

while teams like us are cash strapped , cap impinged and multiple pieces away ... that is the logic

I do not claim Ben sucks ( yea I say it when he pisses me off in the moment )