Ward says Dixon should 'be Dennis'

[stillers4me]

By Mark Kaboly (mkaboly@dailynewsemail.com), TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, September 9, 2010


Forget about pulling the ball down and running. Forget about reading defenses. Forget about possible protection breakdowns. Forget about living up to the formidable shadow cast by Ben Roethlisberger. If Hines Ward could offer Dennis Dixon one piece of advice heading into Sunday's season-opener against Atlanta, he knows what he would tell the quarterback making just his second career start.

"Let Dennis be Dennis," Ward said. "That's all we ask for. We are not asking Dennis to be Ben or Byron (Leftwich) or Charlie (Batch). We want him to do what he does."

If that means scrambling for a first down, then that's fine, even though offensive coordinator Bruce Arians has said he would rather see Dixon use his arm than his legs.
Actually, Arians may be the only one who prefers Dixon stay in the pocket. While at the University of Oregon, Dixon rushed for 1,208 yards, including 583 his injury-shortened senior year.......

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_698610.html

Good video included!!!

[SteelerSal]

Actually, Arians may be the only one who prefers Dixon stay in the pocket.

Figures.....I think Hines is right and I hope Tomlin over rides any decision Bruce makes and let's Dixon play the type of football that he has been playing all of his life.
His style can't be all that bad, it got him into the NFL, didn't it? :)

[stillers4me]

Hines is right. They should play to Dixon's strengths, not expect him to someone else. That will just lose the game.

[steelpride12]

Just don't force Dixon to do anything different or new at this point. He has flashes of success and if we let him play his game I think it will benefit better that way.

[steeldevil]

Let Dixon play to his strengths. It would be stupid to do otherwise.

[Steeldude]

dixon played in a spread option at oregon. he will get killed in the NFL if he keeps running it.

i'll say it again, if atlanta is smart they will put 8/9 in the box to force kordell to pass.

[ALLD]

I think we should let Hines call the plays.