Someone finally gets it!

[zulater]

Steelers (-5.5) over BROWNS
At stake: For the banged-up Steelers, a No. 2 seed and a much-needed bye week. For the Browns, AFC North pride and a feel-good ending for their 30-minute NFL Films 2010 Season In Review video. Don't underestimate the importance there -- those things run on cable at random times for the rest of eternity.



Why you should pick the Steelers: Because the Browns have looked like crap the past three weeks. We're inching closer and closer to the Dirk Diggler-like return of a sobbing Eric Mangini as the Patriots' secondary coach (with Belichick as Jack Horner).



Enduring lesson from 2010: The Steelers are headed for a bye even though Ben Roethlisberger has been playing with "Two Mississippi" protection these past two months, which means that either offensive lines are overrated or he's better than we thought.


:yup:

[HollywoodSteel]

Well, Steelers fans already knew that offensive lines are overrated. We have Lombardi trophy #6 to prove it.:wink02:

[zulater]

I was more leaning towards the "better than we thought" aspect HS. :chuckle:

Seriously, I get so tired of this shit that Ben holds the ball too long. Yeah I know he'll take a sack a game that he has no business taking. But he also gets out of about 3 a game that he has no busy avoiding, and usually he makes something good happen on those plays.

Ben is hurried early more often than any qb in the NFL period! I'd say more than half our designated pass plays Ben is forced to move before he wants to. "Two Mississippi" protection is a great way of putting it. It's just to see someone outside the Steeler fan base finally notice it.

[zulater]

In my opinion Ben had his best regular season yet this season. The numbers may not support that notion, but his overall level of play was consistently higher this year than any previous season.

Between the suspension, the young receiver core, and the injury plagued and often mediocre offensive line, Ben had to overcome a lot. But by seasons end you can see that he's finally starting to mesh with his receivers, and as a result he's able to do things to aid the offensive line ( i.e. quick hitting slants, check downs) and as the o-lines confidence grows, it allows Heath to again be utilized as a receiver. And with Heath back fully incorperated into the passing game, this offense goes from liablity to assett, and we can compete with anyone.