"You've heard people brag about 'being in the zone'. They don't know what the Hell being in the zone is about. I played in the NFL for 15 years and I was only in the zone that one time." - "Mean" Joe Greene on the 1974 playoff victory over Oakland
When was this? And, I think you're fooling yourself if you think the Earl Thomas hit did anything to Rudolph. Mason hit is ceiling for this year. Period. The weaknesses that had been discussed here by me and others were exposed. He has a weaker arm (all this crap about him having a better arm in practice is funny ... it's easy to focus on mechanics and throwing while wearing a red shirt). He is indecisive. He is a statue in the pocket. So on and so forth.
Mason seems like a very good guy. He has said all the right things from day one. I just hope he isn't in the Steelers future plans. I think Duck has the higher ceiling.
Duck isn’t afraid to throw the ball, he hits his WRs in stride (MR only did that in the preseason) and his deep ball is on target. Duck can actually run and other than backing into the pass rush a few times and running out of bounds, had a pretty flawless game.
Duck made a lot of money today. Showed that he can be a quality backup in this league. And if we don’t keep him, other teams will want him.
Hell, out of all the Steelers backups that we have had - he’s been one of the better ones. I’d rank him above Landry Jones and Dobbs. Maybe Leftwich and Batch were better but they had the luxury of having had much more experience.
Duck needs to learn how to escape a pass rusher. Twice yesterday he tried to escape by running directly into the momentum of the pass rusher instead of going the opposite way.
No doubt.
A couple times all he needed to do was step up into the pocket. Instead, he ran away from his protection when the OL and backs were in position to protect him if he stayed in the pocket.
It's something he needs to get a better feel for. I'm sure they will be going over that in the film room and working on that with him.
He needs to trust his protections.
I still have the same opinion of Duck I always have. He's a heady QB who sees the field and makes smart throws on time and on target, but he floats his deep passes. Probably won't sink us against weak secondaries, but it's a liability against Baltimore and perhaps Buffalo.
"You've heard people brag about 'being in the zone'. They don't know what the Hell being in the zone is about. I played in the NFL for 15 years and I was only in the zone that one time." - "Mean" Joe Greene on the 1974 playoff victory over Oakland
My only real question about Hodges physical tools is on a 3rd and 8 that has to get converted, can he muscle that square out to the far sideline into a tight window? For 15 years I’ve been spoiled by a QB who can absolutely thread that needle with a high grade fastball. Can Duck? If not, can the Steelers adapt and overcome to compensate?
To be fair, this was the same test Rudolph and Landry failed.
I know, just like Ben putting his head through a windshield and then a second concussion in 2006 didn’t affect him at all. Oh wait. It did. He was terrible for stretches in that season and lead the league in picks as the Steelers finished 8-8.
Mason in his early starts showed some level of growth and progression from his rookie year. He was more decisive, and moved around and even ran. Ironically, the big hit occurred when he was actually scrambled and left the pocket.
Mason was effectively dead. He looked like a 50’s football player and had to be helped off the field. If you seriously think a concussion that bad that doesn’t affect the psyche of a young quarterback, then you’re delusional.
Duck is our guy now. Just be grateful for that, and hope nothing horrible happens to him.
I like what I see in Duck. Mason seems to just not have it I read somewhere that he's a perfectionist and that seems to be hurting his reads.
We'll see if NFL level defenders start to bait teh Duck into some mistakes in the coming games
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Merry Christmas