Is Ben still clutch?

[zoneblitzerII]

When I saw Ben stride out from the sidelines after his 2nd INT, I did not like the look of his body language. He looked defeated already. Here was a chance at redemption and to drive his team down for the win. Instead he sailed a long ball directly into the hands of the opposition. His body language before that pass charted that throw. The question needs to be asked: Is he still clutch when it absolutely matters most?

The answer is, unfortunately, no. No, he is not. He used to be. It was routine for him. But it has been awhile since I've seen that Ben. He's still a very good to great QB. But the fourth quarter comebacks are a thing of the past. He just isn't that guy anymore. Furthermore, he hurt his team today very badly with his INTs late in the game. As a veteran leader of this club, he just can't do that and he knows that.

So what now? They need to protect Ben by giving him more of a game manager role. The long bombs today are an example of low percentage stupidity and it contributed to their loss. I simply did not understand today's play-calling at all. They should use Ben and his talents to play high percentage possession football. Call it dink and dunk if you want, but it works. I've seen him do it with great success. In this way Ben, will get you the lead and in that way you'll win more than you lose.

Just don't ask Ben to win it for you at the end. He's just not that guy anymore, sadly. That Ben is long gone.

[stillers4me]

Really. Seriously?

Another post I have to watch and delete from twitter and Facebook and I'm about done with it.

[zoneblitzerII]

Really. Seriously?

Another post I have to watch and delete from twitter and Facebook and I'm about done with it.

The truth hurts.

[zulater]

Ben's hobbled. Only an idiot would judge Ben on today's performance. Go away!

[Shoes]

Delete thread!

[vasteeler]

:rolleyes:

[Skinart82]

This might be the dumbest post yet. His first game back from injury, it's obvious to anyone watching that the knee is still bothering him and you think he's not clutch? I still wouldn't want any other QB with 2 minutes tong and needing a TD to win. If we would have had a few more seconds and he scored the game winning TD would you have even written this?

[Shoes]

Lot's of dropped balls out there today, Bryant mostly.

[hawaiiansteeler]

The truth hurts.

if only Ben watched more film and was a better leader like Peyton...

[Drazo85]

if only Ben watched more film and was a better leader like Peyton...

Or if Tomlin called that timeout at 2:38 and saved exactly three seconds. :behindsofa:

[86WARD]

Yes. Traditionally he's been bad after returning from injury if I recall correctly.

[hawaiiansteeler]

Or if Tomlin called that timeout at 2:38 and saved exactly three seconds. :behindsofa:

sure hope we get Mike Vick back from his injury soon...

[tube517]

This might be the dumbest post yet. His first game back from injury, it's obvious to anyone watching that the knee is still bothering him and you think he's not clutch? I still wouldn't want any other QB with 2 minutes tong and needing a TD to win. If we would have had a few more seconds and he scored the game winning TD would you have even written this?

Yep. After that one hit he was limping. His accuracy was off as opposed to the opening drive


But, you know the season is over so we may as well wrap it up and call it a day. Goodbye all. See you next year. :sarcasm:

[zoneblitzerII]

The issue is one of Ben's ability to close out games. In his career, he has tailed off DRAMATICALLY in crunch time. And THAT IS A FACT. It is not a judgement on his game performance in the 2nd or 3rd quarter.
Coaching staff and management need to acknowledge this FACT and adjust accordingly.

[lipps83]

The issue is one of Ben's ability to close out games. In his career, he has tailed off DRAMATICALLY in crunch time. And THAT IS A FACT. It is not a judgement on his game performance in the 2nd or 3rd quarter.
Coaching staff and management need to acknowledge this FACT and adjust accordingly.

http://i1.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/000/045/n725075089_288918_2774.jpg

[steelerdude15]

Yes. Traditionally he's been bad after returning from injury if I recall correctly.

He is. Ben is pretty bad in his first game back after injury.


Roethlisberger's return games haven't been all that memorable for Steelers

Sunday afternoon at Heinz Field, Ben Roethlisberger will ride in on his white horse to lead the Steelers to a victory against the Cincinnati Bengals, giving them hope of repeating as AFC North Division champions.

That is the fairy-tale comeback Steelers fans want to witness.

But, based on history, fairy-tale endings usually don’t take place when Roethlisberger returns from injury.

The Steelers are 2-4 in Roethlisberger’s first games back after injury, and his performances in those games haven’t been memorable.

Read More: http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2015/10/29/Roethlisberger-s-return-games-haven-t-been-all-that-memorable/stories/201510290085

[MrPgh]

In this game, the difference between Ben being clutch or not might have been Tomlin's utterly retarded clock management skills. Could have bought the offense 20 more seconds.

[fansince'76]

Really. Seriously?

Another post I have to watch and delete from twitter and Facebook and I'm about done with it.

Yep, time to turn the feeds off on days when the team loses, because all the numbnuts come out of the woodwork.

[hawaiiansteeler]

But, you know the season is over so we may as well wrap it up and call it a day. Goodbye all. See you next year.

nah, all is not lost this season.

just think how many more Boykin threads we could still start...:thumbsup:

[salamander]

nah, all is not lost this season.

just think how many more Boykin threads we could still start...:thumbsup:

We need one of those signs that says, "It's been ___ days since the last Boykin thread." :chuckle:

[StillCurtains]

Don't do this man come on! One game after 4 weeks out from injury? I expected him to struggle and so should you.
Bell is the problem right now losing him for the season.

I guess we're more lucky that it's Bell and not Ben. I can't stand to have Bell gone, but without Ben, we have no chance and you should know that.

However how this season is going with injuries, I won't hold my breath.

- - - Updated - - -


We need one of those signs that says, "It's been ___ days since the last Boykin thread." :chuckle:
I'm more sick about losing Bell for the year to even entertain anything about our healthy players.

[TeeTee]

When I saw Ben stride out from the sidelines after his 2nd INT, I did not like the look of his body language. He looked defeated already. Here was a chance at redemption and to drive his team down for the win. Instead he sailed a long ball directly into the hands of the opposition. His body language before that pass charted that throw. The question needs to be asked: Is he still clutch when it absolutely matters most?

The answer is, unfortunately, no. No, he is not. He used to be. It was routine for him. But it has been awhile since I've seen that Ben. He's still a very good to great QB. But the fourth quarter comebacks are a thing of the past. He just isn't that guy anymore. Furthermore, he hurt his team today very badly with his INTs late in the game. As a veteran leader of this club, he just can't do that and he knows that.

So what now? They need to protect Ben by giving him more of a game manager role. The long bombs today are an example of low percentage stupidity and it contributed to their loss. I simply did not understand today's play-calling at all. They should use Ben and his talents to play high percentage possession football. Call it dink and dunk if you want, but it works. I've seen him do it with great success. In this way Ben, will get you the lead and in that way you'll win more than you lose.

Just don't ask Ben to win it for you at the end. He's just not that guy anymore, sadly. That Ben is long gone.

I noticed the body language too; he did look like he was already defeated. :behindsofa:

[zulater]

I noticed the body language too; he did look like he was already defeated. :behindsofa:

Maybe he just looked like a guy who had an achy knee at the end of a long day?

In the NFL with qb's your legs matter. Marino was never worth a damn after his Achillies injury. Yeah he had moments, but rarely could he sustain 4 strong quarters of football after that injury. Now I'm not saying Ben's latest injury is career changing, but it was certainly game changing. Fatigue set in and his passes started sailing late. It happens. If his knee is improving it should be less and less of an issue as the season goes on. If not, this season likely goes quickly down the crapper.

But if you're looking to throw Ben under the bus and say he's no longer the type of qb who can get you to the big game ( this despite the fact he's done it 3 times) then I've got nothing to say to you. You're really not worth my keystrokes or time. :coffee:

[vasteeler]

Maybe he just looked like a guy who had an achy knee at the end of a long day?

In the NFL with qb's your legs matter. Marino was never worth a damn after his Achillies injury. Yeah he had moments, but rarely could he sustain 4 strong quarters of football after that injury. Now I'm not saying Ben's latest injury is career changing, but it was certainly game changing. Fatigue set in and his passes started sailing late. It happens. If his knee is improving it should be less and less of an issue as the season goes on. If not, this season likely goes quickly down the crapper.

But if you're looking to throw Ben under the bus and say he's no longer the type of qb who can get you to the big game ( this despite the fact he's done it 3 times) then I've got nothing to say to you. You're really not worth my keystrokes or time. :coffee:


this

i swear some of you guys......

[zoneblitzerII]

I noticed the body language too; he did look like he was already defeated. :behindsofa:

I really picked up on that. I was not trashing return from injury Ben, but the end there was just a sudden reminder of the reality of the situation the team finds itself in. When the chips are down, and points are needed at the end of the game, Ben ain't the guy anymore. He's YOUR guy in that he's your starting QB, but he's not THE guy to get it done when it matters most. He USED to be. But no, he can't anymore. He used to be money, always getting the drive when it was most needed. Over the last several seasons, he has tanked in that regard. This is why I'm saying that they really need to be careful in how they handle Ben. He's not superman anymore and it would best if they ran more of a possession offense to protect the ball, the D and him.

[fansince'76]

Yeah, I mean, he's only been playing the best football of his career the last 2-3 seasons, last week notwithstanding... :rolleyes:

[86WARD]

Yeah, I mean, he's only been playing the best football of his career the last 2-3 seasons, last week notwithstanding... :rolleyes:

So that's a no? :heh:

[hawaiiansteeler]

Ben passed both Joe Montana and Johnny U today:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CTUW3bRUwAAcrtq.jpg

[zoneblitzerII]

Yeah, I mean, he's only been playing the best football of his career the last 2-3 seasons, last week notwithstanding... :rolleyes:

Stats are there but situational performances are not. ie. Fourth quarter comebacks and playoff performances. That side of Ben's game, the thing that made Ben, Ben, has fallen off the map.

[fansince'76]

Stats are there but situational performances are not. ie. Fourth quarter comebacks and playoff performances. That side of Ben's game, the thing that made Ben, Ben, has fallen off the map.

Wrong.

Ben Roethlisberger's Career 4th quarter comebacks and game-winning drives (http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/comeback.cgi?player=RoetBe00)

[zoneblitzerII]

Tim Tebow.

[fansince'76]

Tim Tebow.

Interesting. I went and saw that debacle in person and that is when I thought LeBeau should have been shown the door, as opposed to 3 years later when it actually happened.

[Kgor93]

Nothing more clutch than coming into a game that 99% of other quarterbacks would be injured inactive for.

[clemdawg]

He's still one of the best in the league.

Sent from my SPH-L710T using Tapatalk

[Shoes]

LMAO!

[Rotorhead]

After today, let's say no

[MrPgh]

Good thing the Steelers don't have a bum like Aaron Rodgers. Two weeks in a row he has the chance to give the Packers a chance to tie or win at the end of the game. Both times he failed.

[fansince'76]

Haven't seen hide nor hair of the OP today. Just sayin'...

[86WARD]

Ben wasn't "clutch" today...he was just good from the beginning...lol. Or should I say...as a back up?

[TeeTee]

Interesting. I went and saw that debacle in person and that is when I thought LeBeau should have been shown the door, as opposed to 3 years later when it actually happened.

I have not seen every game in every season the last 20 years, but of EVERY game I have EVER seen (including all other games I've seen of other teams) that was the worst coaching job I had ever seen. Horrid on DL's
part for going with that failed game plan, and awful on Tomlin's side for not MAKING DL alter his game plan after it was OBVIOUS that the total single coverage on the wide outs was the ONLY defense that Tebow could
throw on. Being stubborn is a trait that often happens when you get old, and that was a disastrous example of being too inflexible. The fact that they stayed in that D after Tebow ripped them down field all day
is outrageous. It took Tebow one play in OT to further showcase what a dumb game plan that was. But DL and Tomlin did NOTHING to alter it. Not a damn thing. But he sure had man-love for Troy.

http://media.cleveland.com/browns_impact/photo/lebeaujpg-95d18895eed28adb.jpg

[zoneblitzerII]

Yesterday against Baltimore.
2:55 left. 1 timeout. Result? Nada.
Old Ben shakes off all the shit that went down and drives his team to the win.

[zulater]

So which Ben was it that threw 3 second half td passes to rally the Steelers to beat the Broncos the week before?

[86WARD]

How has Ben done in "clutch" situations?

[zoneblitzerII]

So which Ben was it that threw 3 second half td passes to rally the Steelers to beat the Broncos the week before?

Old Ben manufactures that drive when you absolutely have to have it. The comeback against the Broncos was nice but he almost blew it with a late INT. Clutch, to me, means the ability to deliver when the game is on the line in its final moments. That was Ben's strength years ago but since the SB against Green Bay, that magical ability of his has faded.

[Psycho Ward 86]

How has Ben done in "clutch" situations?

this is honestly a fair question to ask

- - - Updated - - -


So which Ben was it that threw 3 second half td passes to rally the Steelers to beat the Broncos the week before?

and threw an interception that would have unraveled it all if not for an outstanding defensive stand. if peyton manning had the same game, we'd all be calling him the choke artist (that he is)

Ben is my QB, but i can agree with the sentiment that he doesnt quite have the killer instinct that 2004-2008 Ben used to. Ben has come so far in terms of skill as a QB but his clutch factor hasnt kept up. im still optimistic about that kicking back in if we make the playoffs this season or in the future

[fansince'76]

Without Roethlisberger, this is at best a 5-11 team and pretty much out of any realistic playoff contention before Halloween. That's the real bottom line here.

[zoneblitzerII]

Without Roethlisberger, this is at best a 5-11 team and pretty much out of any realistic playoff contention before Halloween. That's the real bottom line here.

No doubt Ben is a capable starter who can deliver the wins. But in recent years he has lost some magical intangibles like the ability to engineer drives when they are in a do or die situation. That great part of his game has eroded. So when he is given the ball with 2:55 left and 1 timeout we can now expect that him and his offense will more than likely fail to deliver. That's the current reality of it. Once upon a time, he was money in this regard and that was his forte. Now we are seeing a QB on the backside of his career starting to lose his intangibles and play-making ability in crunch time. It's just that simple. The team needs to adjust and recognize that. Talk to Ben about it. They can't keep pretending that he's that guy who would engineer late 4th quarter drives on a routine basis. That guy is gone.

[BigBen2004]

Ben delivered a beautiful pass to Bryant on 3rd and 15. He couldn't hold on to it. That's not Ben's fault.

Ben is still clutch, and I'd take him over anyone in a 2 minute drill. Knock off the nonsense.

[lipps83]

No doubt Ben is a capable starter who can deliver the wins. But in recent years he has lost some magical intangibles like the ability to engineer drives when they are in a do or die situation. That great part of his game has eroded. So when he is given the ball with 2:55 left and 1 timeout we can now expect that him and his offense will more than likely fail to deliver. That's the current reality of it. Once upon a time, he was money in this regard and that was his forte. Now we are seeing a QB on the backside of his career starting to lose his intangibles and play-making ability in crunch time. It's just that simple. The team needs to adjust and recognize that. Talk to Ben about it. They can't keep pretending that he's that guy who would engineer late 4th quarter drives on a routine basis. That guy is gone.

I don't think it is his abilities that have eroded, but his decision making. He has blinders on for AB which is understandable, but more often than not he misses the completely uncovered and already passed the marker guy trying to force it to to his preferred read in double or sometimes triple coverage.

Deangelo Williams was draped by two guys wearing them as jerseys and Ben still tossed it to him and then seemed to be baffled as to how the throw was intercepted.

I have always been suspect of his ability to read a defense and make the best play manageable. Some of his decisions are mind boggling. This seems to be getting worse. 50 yard passes on 3rd and 1.... 2 yard passes on 3rd and 8....

There is little efficiency with this offense. Big play or die.... and they are dying.

[zulater]

I don't know. But just a week ago Ben was rated as having the best season to date of any NFL qb by Profootballfocus. Now them saying it doesn't make it true, but most people who have watched the Steelers through the years would have comfortably stated that Ben was having his best season ever prior to the Ravens game. Yeah I get his stats weren't his best ever, but there's more to the game than statistics show.

He had one bad game! Yep it came at the worst possible time ever. But it wasn't his fault the way the season evolved that the Steelers had no margin of error. And as far as clutch goes, as bad as he was in Baltimore his last two passes were right on the mark. If either is caught then the Steelers are at worst going to OT.

Personally what I think happened to Ben is what happened to him last year and shows why coaching is so paramount to sustained success. What I'm referring to is this. Sometimes you can play too good. If you remember last season after Ben had the two back to back career games against the Colts and Ravens he followed up with two stinkers against the Jets and Saints. What happened then was Ben was so in the zone that he got away from proper throwing mechanics. If you're a moderate bowler you may get this. Say you get in the zone, everything you throw gravitates to the into the pocket for a powerful strike! Even when you miss you're ball goes Brooklyn and pow you're still there. Anyway I'm not saying Ben was playing above ability, well to some extent because he was virtually playing above anyone's ability. What I'm saying is no matter how good you are you can't sustain success if you lose track of your fundamentals. Ben became overconfident and thought he could will the ball anywhere anytime and he paid for it. And speaking of too much of a good thing I half think he went into this past game trying to help AB set single season records.

Oh well, I know it will probably be too little too late but I expect Ben to rebound this coming week and play a helluva game.

You know in the end if it doesn't happen this year maybe it just wasn't meant to be? There's always next year. Hopefully the Steelers will address some of their defensive needs correctly, we'll have better luck on the health front and we'll have a team that actually can be the best in the league by all measures.

[86WARD]

this is honestly a fair question to ask

- - - Updated - - -



and threw an interception that would have unraveled it all if not for an outstanding defensive stand. if peyton manning had the same game, we'd all be calling him the choke artist (that he is)

Ben is my QB, but i can agree with the sentiment that he doesnt quite have the killer instinct that 2004-2008 Ben used to. Ben has come so far in terms of skill as a QB but his clutch factor hasnt kept up. im still optimistic about that kicking back in if we make the playoffs this season or in the future

I think you need to define what a "clutch situation" is first and then apply that to Ben. The situation he was in during Super Bowl 43 is pretty clutch IMO and he came through with a TD pass to Santonio Holmes? But what is clutch?

[fansince'76]

No doubt Ben is a capable starter who can deliver the wins.

No, he's more than that. Neil O'Donnell was a "capable starter." People seem to forget the couple decades of "journeymen" this team suffered through after Bradshaw retired. Not to worry, unless we get supremely lucky, those times are close enough at hand again. Chances are better that we get another Landry Jones than another Ben Roethlisberger when the time comes. We'll see how much people continue to bitch about Roethlisberger when the next guy is one-hopping passes in the dirt in front of wide open receivers.

[fansince'76]

You know in the end if it doesn't happen this year maybe it just wasn't meant to be? There's always next year. Hopefully the Steelers will address some of their defensive needs correctly, we'll have better luck on the health front and we'll have a team that actually can be the best in the league by all measures.

They MUST do something about the secondary. If it stays status quo back there, I will probably jump on the fire Tomlin bandwagon at that point.

[steel striker]

Look Ben had a bad day lets move on and, like Gary said without Ben this team would be in deep trouble.

[Craic]

It seems there's two or three arguments in this thread.

First - Is Ben a great QB? The answer is yes, absolutely. No doubt about it.

Second - Is Ben the reason this team has a shot at the playoffs and can be considered a good team? Again, absolutely. No doubt about it.

Third - Is Ben still a clutch QB, that guy that in the fourth quarter, when you absolutely need a drive to win a game, you want him holding the ball? Let's look at the stats that Gary so kindly linked.

In 2012-2014, Ben's had three game winning drives each season. That's pretty dang good. In 2011, he had 1. However, in his first year and also the second SB year, Ben had 6 game winning drives. The year we lost the SB, he had 4 game winning drives. Other than that, he's averaged 2 or 3 game winning drives each year.

Now, compare that to the leaders each year - This year, Ben has one GWD, the leaders this year have 4.
Last year, Ben had 3, leaders had 5
2013, Ben had 3, leaders had 5
2012, Ben had 3, leaders had 7.

The interesting thing about this trend, is that only a couple or three QBs make the list more than once. So, is Ben still clutch? The other question is how often had they had the opportunity to win a game? It seems Ben missed quite a few over the last few years, but that's purely on memory. It IS obvious Ben isn't winning as many as at his high points during his career, but, he's at least average an average clutch QB today. Pair that with his average play, and it means he's a QB I'd still be happy to have on my team.

[Psycho Ward 86]

I think you need to define what a "clutch situation" is first and then apply that to Ben. The situation he was in during Super Bowl 43 is pretty clutch IMO and he came through with a TD pass to Santonio Holmes? But what is clutch?

4th quarter/OT comeback wins/playoff wins

simple as that for me. they havent been there as much as they used to be

[86WARD]

4th quarter/OT comeback wins/playoff wins

simple as that for me. they havent been there as much as they used to be

Is that Ben or the whole team in general that they haven't been there?

[86WARD]

That's what I would call clutch too BTW.

[smokin3000gt]

Yesterday against Baltimore.
2:55 left. 1 timeout. Result? Nada.
Old Ben shakes off all the shit that went down and drives his team to the win.

The more you post, the harder it is to take anything you say seriously.

[GoSlash27]

Look Ben had a bad day lets move on and, like Gary said without Ben this team would be in deep trouble.

^ This. Ben is still clutch, but he is not a demigod. He has good days and bad days just like the rest of us. There is no such thing as a QB who never goes out and stinks up the field.
Ask around and see how many other teams wouldn't take Ben over their QB.
/life goes on
//suck it up

[st33lersguy]

So the first game this year where Ben is at 100% and doesn't light up the scoreboard and statbook and all of a sudden we have to question his clutch? Like last week when he spear-headed a 17 point comeback win against the best defense in the league. Take Big Ben away from this team and the game last Sunday would have been a battle for 2nd place in the division.

[Psycho Ward 86]

Is that Ben or the whole team in general that they haven't been there?

of course we have to distribute blame. its not all on Ben, but even so, Ben is missing out on plays he would normally make in the same situations. he's missed many wide open receivers going for the kill shot, very uncharacteristic of him. as i said in another thread, i suspect tomlin/haley are encouraging him to do this so i dont put it all on his shoulders, but it still seems he doesnt have the same magic he used to have. if ben is on the field and he hits the checkdown for yet another 1st down instead of an incompetion/pick, i doubt anybody, including tomlin/haley are going to complain.

on a side note, the thing that really annoys me about Haley is how different our offense seems from year to year, with no clear direction as far as "breaking open the playbook." The 1st 2 years we were extremely overzealously a dink and dunk offense, which allowed our very good YAC receivers to utilize their skill set, but completely nerfed Ben's arm talent. then last year, we seemed to have a pretty healthy mixture in terms of passing distances, albeit not without a couple of horribly called games like that 2nd browns game where we had like 15 runs called in a row at one point. And this year has been a shit ton of home run balls.

I prefer last year the most

[ALLD]

Ben is clutch, but that does not mean he can walk onto a field with no preparation and get consistent desired results. It looks like he took the holiday week off and was distracted. His focus was not entirely on football and the tape shows it.

[86WARD]

of course we have to distribute blame. its not all on Ben, but even so, Ben is missing out on plays he would normally make in the same situations. he's missed many wide open receivers going for the kill shot, very uncharacteristic of him. as i said in another thread, i suspect tomlin/haley are encouraging him to do this so i dont put it all on his shoulders, but it still seems he doesnt have the same magic he used to have. if ben is on the field and he hits the checkdown for yet another 1st down instead of an incompetion/pick, i doubt anybody, including tomlin/haley are going to complain.

on a side note, the thing that really annoys me about Haley is how different our offense seems from year to year, with no clear direction as far as "breaking open the playbook." The 1st 2 years we were extremely overzealously a dink and dunk offense, which allowed our very good YAC receivers to utilize their skill set, but completely nerfed Ben's arm talent. then last year, we seemed to have a pretty healthy mixture in terms of passing distances, albeit not without a couple of horribly called games like that 2nd browns game where we had like 15 runs called in a row at one point. And this year has been a shit ton of home run balls.

I prefer last year the most

Even last years offense with this years "defense" would've gone deep into the playoffs IMO.

[teegre]

BB was locked in on AB. Period. He had Heath and D.Williams open all game long, but he forced the ball to AB. So much so, that the CBs were able to jump routes and get 3 INTs (one was called back).

He's still clutch; he simply focused too much on AB on this particular day.



NOTE: BB hit Bryant to get into FG range. Bryant simply dropped it.

[lotas]

BB was locked in on AB. Period. He had Heath and D.Williams open all game long, but he forced the ball to AB. So much so, that the CBs were able to jump routes and get 3 INTs (one was called back).

He's still clutch; he simply focused too much on AB on this particular day.



NOTE: BB hit Bryant to get into FG range. Bryant simply dropped it.

Good point, Tiger. I agree with ALLD as well, Ben looked completely unfocused and lost out there, even the way he was dropping back and stutter-stepping like a damn ballerina looked odd and uncharacteristic? Maybe it was just how out of sync he was, and perhaps some of that came from him looking to AB as option #1 too often when the defense had already shown it wasn't going to be there.

AB is great, but he's not so great we shouldn't utilize our other receivers when he's having a hard time getting open. Unfortunately, Bryant seems to be becoming less and less dependable. His best and most consistent catch is probably the WR screen where the catch is unopposed, as is his next best catch, when he gets over the top of the defense and catches it on his chest down the sideline. He needs to really work on some of his fundamentals, and he needs to get his mental game sharpened to stay focused and disciplined and get over the drops, don't let it start to define you.

I'm really pulling for the kid but when I listen to him talk and watch him interact I feel he's got a ways to go in terms of maturity and growing up to do. I can't imagine being 22 and becoming a millionaire, so I don't fault the kid, he still wants to have fun like a college aged kid, but he's at a place in his life where he needs to focus on what he's got and grow up to keep your career sustained and successful.

On the other hand, Wheaton seems much more mature, dependable, respectable, and disciplined, and between the two I think Wheaton is actually more valuable in the long run, especially if Bryant continues to struggle. This whole WR crew, as good as they are, have room to improve in general.

AB is god damn awesome, but I think he's the type to get frustrated and give less and less effort as the frustration builds. Whereas a player like Heath Miller is going to play with 100% intention and effort for all 60 minutes, but I guess AB is flashy superstar and that shit comes with the territory sometimes. I'll take AB over Chad Johnson (I'm not calling you your god damn numerical name, ass) Terrell Owens, or even Dez Bryant.

I'm just gonna throw this out there, sometimes when Ben throws a bad ball to AB, he sometimes gives up and doesn't give a true effort to catch/bat down the ball:behindsofa:

[zulater]

BB was locked in on AB. Period. He had Heath and D.Williams open all game long, but he forced the ball to AB. So much so, that the CBs were able to jump routes and get 3 INTs (one was called back).

He's still clutch; he simply focused too much on AB on this particular day.



NOTE: BB hit Bryant to get into FG range. Bryant simply dropped it.

Good points agree with all of them. I would like to add Wheaton could have made a better adjustment to the ball on the 4th down play. By his own admission he got distracted by the defenders arm. But the fact is the ball came to him untouched, and hit him at the top of his right shoulder-pad. ( not to be confused with collar bone high)

What's frustrating is that as bad as Ben was if either of those two balls gets caught we're probably going to OT or winning in regulation. Also if Antonio's touchdown is upheld as it should have been it's a different ball game as well. Instead of being in mourning mode today we would be talking about how it's the sign of a good team to win on a bad day. As they say, "game of inches".:pout:

[teegre]

Good points agree with all of them. I would like to add Wheaton could have made a better adjustment to the ball on the 4th down play. By his own admission he got distracted by the defenders arm. But the fact is the ball came to him untouched, and hit him at the top of his right shoulder-pad. ( not to be confused with collar bone high)

What's frustrating is that as bad as Ben was if either of those two balls gets caught we're probably going to OT or winning in regulation. Also if Antonio's touchdown is upheld as it should have been it's a different ball game as well. Instead of being in mourning mode today we would be talking about how it's the sign of a good team to win on a bad day. As they say, "game of inches".:pout:

Amen, brother.

That game could have been so different if any number of plays had gone the other way.


Oh... and, we'd be talking about how BB fought through his early struggles (as opposed to talking about whether or not he's still any good).

[teegre]

Good point, Tiger. I agree with ALLD as well, Ben looked completely unfocused and lost out there, even the way he was dropping back and stutter-stepping like a damn ballerina looked odd and uncharacteristic? Maybe it was just how out of sync he was, and perhaps some of that came from him looking to AB as option #1 too often when the defense had already shown it wasn't going to be there.

AB is great, but he's not so great we shouldn't utilize our other receivers when he's having a hard time getting open. Unfortunately, Bryant seems to be becoming less and less dependable. His best and most consistent catch is probably the WR screen where the catch is unopposed, as is his next best catch, when he gets over the top of the defense and catches it on his chest down the sideline. He needs to really work on some of his fundamentals, and he needs to get his mental game sharpened to stay focused and disciplined and get over the drops, don't let it start to define you.

I'm really pulling for the kid but when I listen to him talk and watch him interact I feel he's got a ways to go in terms of maturity and growing up to do. I can't imagine being 22 and becoming a millionaire, so I don't fault the kid, he still wants to have fun like a college aged kid, but he's at a place in his life where he needs to focus on what he's got and grow up to keep your career sustained and successful.

On the other hand, Wheaton seems much more mature, dependable, respectable, and disciplined, and between the two I think Wheaton is actually more valuable in the long run, especially if Bryant continues to struggle. This whole WR crew, as good as they are, have room to improve in general.

AB is god damn awesome, but I think he's the type to get frustrated and give less and less effort as the frustration builds. Whereas a player like Heath Miller is going to play with 100% intention and effort for all 60 minutes, but I guess AB is flashy superstar and that shit comes with the territory sometimes. I'll take AB over Chad Johnson (I'm not calling you your god damn numerical name, ass) Terrell Owens, or even Dez Bryant.

I'm just gonna throw this out there, sometimes when Ben throws a bad ball to AB, he sometimes gives up and doesn't give a true effort to catch/bat down the ball:behindsofa:

BB was having an off day. When that happens to a QB, he looks for his "go to" guy, which is AB. The problem was: AB seemed to be a little off, as well.

AB had a TD called back, didn't really fight for two interceptions (one of which was called back), and didn't get both feet in in a third down pass. He was his usual self on the rest of the day, but the difference between All-Pro and pretty good are those exact type of plays.

Bryant slipped to R4 in the draft, because he dropped a ton of passes. He's the ultimate "boom or bust" type of player... on a single-game level, season level, and career level. He has the potential to be a 1000 yard 16 TD guy, but he could just as easily be a 400 yard 3 TD guy who drops 30 passes per season.

Wheaton is the epitome of a #2. He's got great hands, runs great routes, and is smart. Oh, and he can put up 150 when called upon to do so. He's just starting to develop. He'll be a 800 yard 8 TD guy for a decade.

[Mojouw]

Good points agree with all of them. I would like to add Wheaton could have made a better adjustment to the ball on the 4th down play. By his own admission he got distracted by the defenders arm. But the fact is the ball came to him untouched, and hit him at the top of his right shoulder-pad. ( not to be confused with collar bone high)

What's frustrating is that as bad as Ben was if either of those two balls gets caught we're probably going to OT or winning in regulation. Also if Antonio's touchdown is upheld as it should have been it's a different ball game as well. Instead of being in mourning mode today we would be talking about how it's the sign of a good team to win on a bad day. As they say, "game of inches".:pout:

The best perspective and statement on the game I have read all week. Great stuff, Zu!

[hawaiiansteeler]

last season Ben threw for 32 TDs with only 9 interceptions.

this season he has 21 TD passes but also has thrown 16 interceptions.

I love Ben and am very glad he's our QB, but he's definitely not playing like a future Hall of Famer this year...

[fansince'76]

I love Ben and am very glad he's our QB, but he's definitely not playing like a future Hall of Famer this year...

He wins the SB this year with this defense and his ticket is as good as punched.

[hawaiiansteeler]

He wins the SB this year with this defense and his ticket is as good as punched.

:iagree:

[ETL]

last season Ben threw for 32 TDs with only 9 interceptions.

this season he has 21 TD passes but also has thrown 16 interceptions.

I love Ben and am very glad he's our QB, but he's definitely not playing like a future Hall of Famer this year...

Agree.

He has the ability to play really well. I hope he does this Sat.

[tube517]

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/ron-cook/2016/01/11/Ron-Cook-Steelers-Ben-Roethlisberger-s-final-act-Saturday-night-among-his-greatest/stories/201601110038


Yeah, it's Ron Kook.

[Psycho Ward 86]

yesterday's performance by Ben will go down as a big part of his lore. It wasnt the prettiest but he was awfully impressive given his injury. I hate that the 2 penalties at the end of the drive are overshadowing the fact that Ben was driving us down the field just fine irregardless.

I really think that if neither of those penalties happened, we would have still won the game, just more along the lines of a 48ish yard field goal

[zoneblitzerII]

Ben is back in gear.

Steelers notebook: Ben Roethlisberger rekindles old, late magic

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2016/01/11/Steelers-notebook-Ben-Roethlisberger-rekindles-old-late-magic/stories/201601110037

It had been almost five years since quarterback Ben Roethlisberger showed off the quality that defined the early portion of his career. Once known for being one of the most clutch quarterbacks of his era, Roethlisberger rekindled that magic Saturday night in Cincinnati when he orchestrated a nine-play, 74-yard drive in the final minute that ended with Chris Boswell’s 35-yard field goal in the Steelers’ 18-16 victory in an AFC wild-card game at Paul Brown Stadium.
It was Roethlisberger’s fourth, fourth-quarter playoff comeback and the 38th of his career overall. Among active players, only Tom Brady (nine) and Eli Manning (five) have more fourth-quarter comebacks in the postseason. And by getting his fourth, Roethlisberger wrote his name in the record books alongside Terry Bradshaw, John Elway and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, who notched his fourth, fourth-quarter comeback in a playoff game Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.
It was Roethlisberger’s first fourth-quarter comeback since he led the Steelers on a late touchdown drive that beat the Ravens, 31-24, in a 2010 AFC divisional-round game. He had failed in his previous three fourth-quarter comeback attempts. He had the ball with a chance to win at the end of Super Bowl XLV, but the Steelers turned the ball over on downs. He had a chance to beat the Broncos at the end of regulation in the playoff loss at Denver after the 2011 regular season, and he couldn’t find a way to beat the Ravens at Heinz Field a year ago when he had the ball and a chance to tie the score in the fourth quarter.
“The only one I can’t put it ahead of was the Super Bowl against Arizona,” said veteran tight end Matt Spaeth, who witnessed firsthand three of Roethlisberger’s four postseason comebacks since joining the Steelers in 2007. “That was pretty amazing. But [Saturday] was up there. It was close. It was a crazy game. The fact that he did it the way he was feeling and hurt. It was pretty awesome.”
Roethlisberger’s first fourth-quarter playoff comeback came as rookie against the New York Jets in a divisional-round game in 2004. And of course, his most famous comeback came in Super Bowl XLIII. That drive ended with one of the most famous plays in Super Bowl history, a 6-yard pass to Santonio Holmes that completed an eight-play, 78-yard drive.
What made this one special were the circumstances. Roethlisberger made like Willis Reed and re-entered the game with 1:23 remaining after being injured on the final play of the third quarter when Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict sacked him.
He was 5 for 8 on the final drive, including a fourth-and-3 conversion to Antonio Brown with 28 seconds remaining.
“For me, it was probably his gutsiest one because he was in no way, shape or form, 100 percent out there,” said longtime long snapper Greg Warren, who has been with the team since 2005. “He was just grinding through, probably a lot of it on adrenaline and just trying to do everything he could to get this team through because we were that close. He knew if he could just go out there and help a little then that’s what he’d do. And he did. He gave us exactly what we needed. It was amazing.”
For a while it appeared the shoulder injury would prevent Roethlisberger from going back into the game. He didn’t immediately re-enter the game upon returning to the sideline. Backup Landry Jones led three drives, including one that ended in an interception with 1:36 remaining.
After Ryan Shazier stripped Jeremy Hill on the first play of the next series, Roethlisberger came on to lead the final drive.
“When he was out and then came back on the field everyone kind of got excited,” Spaeth said. “And then when he doesn’t go out there you realize he’s in a lot of pain because it’s not in Ben’s nature to not play. He’s a tough guy, and this is what he lives for. So it was a little disheartening when he wasn’t out there. And then when he did go back out there I think everyone got that little excitement and that little bit of energy that we needed.”
“Wild”, “awesome”, “amazing”, all words used by players Sunday to describe what took place Saturday night in Paul Brown Stadium. For the way it ended, with two personal foul penalties on the Bengals that set up the winning field goal, it will go down as one of the strangest endings in NFL annals.
For the teammates who watched Roethlisberger gut out the victory with an injured shoulder, it was one of the sweetest.
Sometimes, it takes time for moments to crystallize in sports history. And sometimes the moment is recognized immediately for its brilliance.
Warren said he knew as it happened that he had just witnessed one of the most remarkable endings to a playoff game in NFL history.
“Yeah, while it was happening we knew it was the greatest comeback that we’ve ever been a part of,” he said. “Even 24 hours later it hasn’t sunk in. We’re still excited about winning. It’s pretty special.”

[stillers4me]

The argument is moot. The man has a heart and gives all he's got and then some. No question about it.

[steel striker]

Ben has true grit!