Who's the starter?

[stillers4me]

It's a new horserace, folks. Nobody ever accused the Steelers of being a boring team to follow and this year has certainly cemented that fact.

The poll question is, "Who is the Steelers most likely to name as the Starting QB for the opening game with Atlanta?" Batch or Doxon. Not who YOU WANT to see starting, but who the Steelers will choose.

[ALLD]

Dixon of course.

[steelpride12]

Dixon for sure. Batch is too much of a concern for injury and losing another QB would be a terrible situation and the team will do what they can to prepare Dixon for week 1.

[Moose]

Between the 2 we are down to, I have to think that Batch will be our starter with Dixon coming in and out on different plays. I do agree with 'steelpride12' and Batch is definitely injury prone, but a injury to Dixon would put us in the same scenerio....either one injured leaves us with just 1 QB---unless, we throw Randle El in the mix. I do think though that Dixon has a lot to learn yet, and watching Batch, learning the defensive schemes, and coming in and out on different plays set up for him will help his learning process. We don't want to throw him to the wolves just yet.

[Kaeg]

I don't think I can answer this one. Do they want the experience of the one who has filled in admirably in the past or the youth with upside and possible big play ability? I think if I made a choice, it would be a total guess. I do think, however, that durability is a non issue. If they choose Batch and he gets hurt, well, then they are right where they would have been if they had chosen Dixon anyway. If they think Batch has the better chance of winning a game for them, I'm sure they would go with him. Injury possibility being irrelevant.

[Raleigh Steel]

dixon should be the starter. even with his poor performance in the denver game he should still be the starter even over leftwich (had he not gotten injured).

dixon's mobility is key. his athleticism gives the steelers the best chance to win. how do you think ben moves this offense, cause he his mobile and can avoid the rush. dixon doesn't have ben's passing ability, but i'd rather see him get 5-7 yards on a scramble than batch or lefty take a 7-9 yard lost on a sack. if dixon gets most of the reps in practice his decision making will improve! and with batch backing him up, and being the consummate professional, he can help mentor dixon in ben's absence.

gotta start dixon....just don't try to turn him into a pocket passer! first off, he's not one, second, we really don't have one (it's more of a collapsing pocket)...get him moving around and the field will open up.

[Shoes]

I think they will go with Chuck and mix things up with DD.

[Psycho Ward 86]

I want Dixon, but im seeing multiple sources saying its likely that Batch is starting so i'll say Batch. I'm confused as to why he would start over Dixon because of how little snaps he's taken with the starters...

[The Duke]

I want Dixon, but im seeing multiple sources saying its likely that Batch is starting so i'll say Batch. I'm confused as to why he would start over Dixon because of how little snaps he's taken with the starters...

this

I'm not saying he's not capable of starting, but considering most reports say he's been more a coach than a player this offseason, I'd go with the guy who has actually practiced and taken hits out there

either way, it's an iffy QB situation until october

I'd go with dennis for now

[Steeldude]

if they remember the failed kordell experiment they will start batch

[Wallace108]

Yoi, my heart says Batch, but my head says Dixon. Neither is usually right, so I'm going with Either of them is better than J. T O'Sullivan and Jordan Palmer. The Bengals suck.

[Nadroj 20]

if they remember the failed kordell experiment they will start batch

Dennis isn't kordell!!!! Nobody I mean NOBODY can say that at this point in his career!

[Nadroj 20]

I'm also seeing many reports saying batch which I don't get at all. It has been lefty or dixon all along, so lefty gets hurt we start...batch? Makes no sense to me. I want dixon but to answer the question I'll go with either is better then o sullvan and Jordy Palmer

[steelpride12]

Im sure Dixon has had plenty of more reps during TC with the first team offense and will be more suited and ready to start than Batch is at this point.

[GodfatherofSoul]

The question wasn't really Leftwich VS Dixon. It was "Is Dixon ready to be a #2?" Since we only have room on the roster for 3 QBs and Leftwich beat out Batch AND Dixon blew his chance with the 1st team in game 3, the answer to that question is NO. Batch's problem has never been his abilities, it's his durability. With only 4 games for him to play, I say throw him out there. If he gets hurt, so what? You're back to square 1. Or square 3...QB that is.

The reps Batch got made it pretty clear to me Tomlin wants to get him as much play time as possible to prepare (or Dixon would've gotten a little more playing time).

[steelerdude15]

I'm pretty sure they'll go with Dixon to start the season.

[X-Terminator]

I'm nervous as all hell with either of these guys starting. Dixon because he has zero pocket presence and is pretty much one-dimensional, and Batch because...well, because he's Batch. So I went with "either of them is better than J.T. O'Sullivan and Rosie's sister. The Bengals suck."

[THEREGOTHATMANAGAIN]

Dixon is better. Batch is more experienced. I believe Batch will get the start for that reason.

[solardave]

I do too. How much Dixon plays will depend on how well Charlie performs and stays injury free. I don't see any other way for it to go right now. As talented as Dennis is he still needs to learn to read the defense better. We see plays designed around his skill set in PS but in a real game he needs to be able to slide in the pocket when it will work,take off when it won't and not try to force balls in tight places like that int. in the endzone against Denver. That was just a poor decision. Even if he would have lofted it a little it still gets picked by the second guy behind him.
Don't get me wrong. I'd love to see DD get some playing time, lots of it but plays like that point to the fact that he is still inexperienced and I'd hate to see him end burned out with frustration.

[Kaeg]

NFL Network stated that Dixon is the expected starter on day one. By "expected" I think they mean "Our guess is about as good as anyone else's.".

[stillers4me]

NFL Network stated that Dixon is the expected starter on day one. By "expected" I think they mean "Our guess is about as good as anyone else's.".

Which is exactly what Tomlin wants.

[Nadroj 20]

NFL Network stated that Dixon is the expected starter on day one. By "expected" I think they mean "Our guess is about as good as anyone else's.".

Lol exactly right....I'm not sure anyone knows at this point

[GoSlash27]

I say Dixon. Not necessarily because Dixon is a better starter, but because Batch is a better backup.

[BlastFurnace]

Dennis isn't kordell!!!! Nobody I mean NOBODY can say that at this point in his career!

When we watch a QB stare down his receiver, make one read and run....that is exactly what Kordell used to do and that is what Dixon does.

The only thing different about Dixon is the different name on the back of the jersey.

[Polamalu Princess]

I am having a very hard time with this. My gut tells me Batch, but my head is telling me Dixon. I am glad that I do not have to be the one to decide.

[Nadroj 20]

When we watch a QB stare down his receiver, make one read and run....that is exactly what Kordell used to do and that is what Dixon does.

The only thing different about Dixon is the different name on the back of the jersey.

My point is it's still too early to declare him a kordell...this is only his third year, will be become comparable to kordell?Possibly. but at this point just because he may show flashes of simlarity i don't feel u can say he's a kordell yet. To early

[GoSlash27]

I feel very comfortable calling him a Kordell.
I mean that in the nicest possible way; I'm a big fan of Dixon and was also a big fan of Slash Stewart.
How Dixon's story turns out will depend on whether Arians is willing to adapt to playing his style of ball or whether he (like many critics on this forum) tries to force Dixon to be a pocket passer.

[Steelman]

It's a 4-game season for whoever starts. Possibly less pending the development of Leftwich coming back from his injured knee.

Batch is a known, albeit a bit fragile, commodity, and not necessarily a threatening one. Is that enough to glide on for four games? I'm not sure I like that possibility.

Dixon offers much less experience, and perhaps less quarterbacking abilities, but he does have more of an x-factor. I think people read a lot into his good performance in the first two preseason games, and then his bad one against Denver. He's somewhere in the middle. And if Arians would cater to what Dixon does well, I think he's a viable option.

Here's my thought right now. Basically the one must-win in that 4-game span is Baltimore. If you go with Dixon, you give him three games worth of experience to lead up to that game (hopefully winning at least one on the way).

Dixon's one NFL start was against Baltimore. Yes, we lost a very close game on a zone-blitz interception that he never saw. But, from what I saw then, and how much he's progressed since, I think he's as good a bet as anyone.

OR, do we go with Batch to manage three games, and Lefty comes in for Baltimore?

I'm going to say Dixon. I'm no Batch hater, but I think Dixon gives us more.

[43Hitman]

It's a 4-game season for whoever starts. Possibly less pending the development of Leftwich coming back from his injured knee.

Batch is a known, albeit a bit fragile, commodity, and not necessarily a threatening one. Is that enough to glide on for four games? I'm not sure I like that possibility.

Dixon offers much less experience, and perhaps less quarterbacking abilities, but he does have more of an x-factor. I think people read a lot into his good performance in the first two preseason games, and then his bad one against Denver. He's somewhere in the middle. And if Arians would cater to what Dixon does well, I think he's a viable option.

Here's my thought right now. Basically the one must-win in that 4-game span is Baltimore. If you go with Dixon, you give him three games worth of experience to lead up to that game (hopefully winning at least one on the way).

Dixon's one NFL start was against Baltimore. Yes, we lost a very close game on a zone-blitz interception that he never saw. But, from what I saw then, and how much he's progressed since, I think he's as good a bet as anyone.

OR, do we go with Batch to manage three games, and Lefty comes in for Baltimore?

I'm going to say Dixon. I'm no Batch hater, but I think Dixon gives us more.

Great post, I couldn't agree more.