http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...-a-roll/page/5
I agree with this article. It is rising to a fire-able offense at this point for me. The Steelers need to find a capable back-up QB. This crap has to stop. In fact, it had to stop 2 seasons ago...
Why they insist on pretending Landry jones is a viable backup is beyond me
This team has swept the backup QB under the rug for quite some time now, Landry Jones is not the answer and that's obvious. If the Steelers spent a 2nd round pick on a good QB who has positive upside and isn't just a guy. The Steelers situation is unique, every year Ben is injured and every year he has to hurry his recovery because the Steelers would rather spend 4 draft picks a year on Linebackers than spend a high draft pick on a guy that will play during the season, not might play but absolutely will play at some point.Originally Posted by Mojouw
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It's part of the reason I was so against drafting Jones in the first place. I never liked Landry Jones as a player. He had huge stats in college, but played his worst games in the biggest games. With that said, I hoped that he would develop into a reliable player, but I still believe it was the wrong move to make. This team needs a quality, experienced backup quarterback that can come in and manage games. A player that has been through the wars and can mentally help a football team with an understanding of the game. A player that understands defenses. A guy that can audible out of a bad play in a big situation. A reliable guy that won't be a turnover machine.
That's what this team needed then and still needs today. They should have used the draft pick to address the many holes they had on the team at other positions. That was my argument at the time, and I still believe that to be the case. Backup quarterbacks are supposed to be there to guide a team when the starter goes down, and should be competent enough to help a team win some games without having to protect them by limiting the playbook too much.
Ben probably shouldn't have been out there. The next big question is how will Ben's knee respond to playing in this game? Will it be better next week, or will he be in a lot of pain and be in the same boat against the Cowboys?
We don't have the answers to those questions yet.
All I know is that the Steelers feel they have to risk Ben when he probably shouldn't be playing because they fear the guy that would replace him. Tomlin needs to make that call to protect Ben from himself. Ben is always fighting to be there for his teammates and lead by example. He needs that decision to be taken out of his hands, and the team needs an experienced backup quarterback until they try to draft Ben's successor.
Well, they're not wrong about Ben's performance, and how he shouldn't have been on the field, but I don't feel the conservative play calling was necessary, and I think Haley just over-adjusted. Overall, Ben played like shit, but the coaching decisions were ultimately what sunk us, and especially when they allowed a hobbled Ben to play.
“They say you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone. So I got rid of everything to see what I had.” ~ Steven Wright
jones takes a lot of heat here. he didnt look too bad against the *s. what other back up would you guys want?
"Zeds dead baby, Zeds dead." - Butch
Mettenberger gets a bad wrap because he is 0-10 as a starter like he was the problem with the Titans.
Nobody mentions along with that that he was on the worst team in the league. They were collectively 5-17 with other QB's playing in that same time span.
Had a chance to see what he brought to the table but the team decided to verify for the umpteenth time that Landry brings absolutely nothing and will stick with him regardless.
So far in his career his best game was against the Steelers. Lebeau made this guy look like Steve Young.
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Mettenberger will replace Landry Jones as the backup QB for next season at the latest, IMO. Jones has shown zero improvement in this system. Maybe he can flourish in a different system with a different team. That said, it remains to be seen if Mettenberger can be a starter in the league. Need to look hard into priority drafting/trading/signing FA at the QB position. NOW.
They need to go through the draft. Odds are, no QB allowed to hit free agency or get put on the trading block will be worth anything.
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This team has much bigger problems than an average backup quarterback.
"With love, with patience, and with Faith
....She'll make her way" ~ Natalie Merchant
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Probably right, but I'm still holding out a little hope for one of the Broncos QBs. Prefer Lynch, but Siemian would be a considerable upgrade.
They've made some legitimate moves to try and address it IMO. Leftwich, Vick, Gradkowski all were good signings in theory, except that every single one of them spent more time injured than available. If not for that, Landry Jones probably still would not have seen the field and we'd all be thankful for it.
Mettenberger was also a good pickup; I get that he still hasn't had a lot of time to learn the offense, but at this point they really ought to make him the #2. That might actually be the legitimate solution for the next couple years.
In summary, I can't really fault them for several moves that all looked to be excellent ideas but then went sideways by what appears to be plain bad luck.
See you Space Cowboy ...
They need a solid veteran back up. They had one in Hoyer and let him go.
Enthroned Into The Good Old Boys Club - 2024
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This. They signed Gradkowski thinking he was better than Hoyer. Unfortunately, he must have drank the same water as Batch and Leftwich and got injured by air.
Zack will probably be #2 next year. Laundry is a free agent after 2016
I still feel they need a solid veteran back up.
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I agree but who? Anyone decent probably has a fat contract.
That is an ugly list - http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/quarterback/
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Not so ugly. Look, just trying to upgrade Landry Jones here. Kellen Moore, and Austin Davis are very attainable and both are upgrades. Not superstars, but Landry Jones does not fit this system, or is a moron. Either way it's an upgrade there. Mettenberger should have become #2 just by signing the contract. Just my opinion. Hell, I would take EJ at this point.
I don't think that's an ugly list at all as candidates to replace Landry Jones. Keenum, Schaub, Hill, Gabbert, Hoyer. Those guys are all veterans and all have starting experience for more than a couple games.
Here is another head scratcher from the coaching staff: (http://www.steelersdepot.com/2016/11...harting-notes/)
– Javon Hargrave has played 70.7% of the 3-4 nose tackle snaps this year. Daniel McCullers is at 28.7%.
– Though I understand the numbers lack context, when Hargrave is on the field in their 3-4, teams are averaging 4.4 yards per carry. With McCullers, that number drops to 2.7.
So Hargrave is getting owned in the run game and he has a whole TWO quarterback pressures. Seriously, why is he playing 70% of the snaps?
FREE BIG DAN!!
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I didn't want to pile on after the Cowboy loss, but think about it. If ever there was a time for McCullers to be on the field, it was against a power, downhill, old-school running game.
I think Hargrave has gotten too much playing time. He needs an NFL offseason to add strength and some weight. I truly believe there were a few losses that could have gone the other way if Big Dan got to see the field a bit more. If you can't stop the run, you should put the big fucking 350lb run stuffer a bit more. McCullers is even getting good push up the middle when rushing the passer in limited duty. He needs to see the field more.
This is a head scratcher to me.
with Heyward out I am in hopes to see some 3-3-5 with Big Dan plugging the middle bookended by Tuitt and Hargrave ... will we see that ? I doubt it but to me it makes the most sense rotate the linebacker keeping fresh legs on the field and still gives us plenty of coverage options with 5 dbs
I really hope we see that as well. To a dumb fan like me it makes a ton of sense. While I don't know if there is a justifiable reason, it seems that this defensive staff gets locked in to seeing certain players in a specific role and is hesitant or unwilling to get "creative". As much crap as Lebeau gets, that was always my favorite thing about his schemes and tactics, he was willing to move a player into a non-traditional role or alignment if he felt it allowed him to create opportunities for a defensive advantage.
I was encouraged when Butler deployed Gilbert earlier this season as "TE specific" defender, but am stumped as to why we have not seen more of that with other players. Many have pointed out that Jones in the middle of the defense with Shazier, flanked by Harrison and Chickillo might create some mismatches for the defense - but we have yet to see that beyond a handful of snaps. What about Hargrave as a DE flanked by Big Dan as many have pointed out?
I miss the days where the Steelers defense rolled out alignments and player groupings that made the offense respond to them. I feel that Butler is so focused on not getting beat that he is always countering the offense, rather than forcing the offense to counter his alignment. Kinda like in hockey when you get the last change. The 2016 Steelers defense never seems to have the last change.
http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com...-dan-mccullers
These types of plays are why I think we need to see more of Big Dan. Best outcome of this Heyward injury is that McCullers gets some run as the NT and seizes the opportunity. That shunts Hargrave to DE this season and a DL utility knife next season. In other words someone who can play all 3 spots on any down and can help create mismatches.
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