Stafford, who I like as a player and has great talent. A guy that might be able to do it, but he does tend to make too many mistakes when it matters in games. Probably an underrated QB because he has played on bad teams.
Matt Ryan- a former NFL MVP
Carson Wentz- An immense talent, and a player that would have won the MVP a couple years ago if not for injury.
Teddy Bridgewater- I completely disagree with this one. I like Teddy, but he has never really shown that he is capable of lifting a team up in the way Ben has when nothing else is working.
I think when you have to name two former MVP caliber players that are capable of doing what he is doing, it makes my point that Ben is not a middle of the road QB. We'll have to disagree on this one. I believe Ben is still a top quality QB...particularly in big moments when it is all on the QB to make a play or carry the team. There are a lot of quality NFL quarterbacks that can't do that consistently. That's what separates the QBs. The guys that can line up in empty set, do it all at the line of scrimmage to create and take advantage of matchups, and get it done when it really matters to win football games when your team is not able to run the ball or get anything going are not many at all. When everything is on the quarterback, the vast majority don't hold up.
Fair enough. A few years ago, Ben outdueled Wilson and Rodgers and looked amazing doing it. I don't think he can consistently do that anymore. If the 2020 Steelers face the Chiefs and everything goes to crap on defense and comes down to can Ben R outduel Mahomes...I don't think this version of Ben can. Just as I don't think that he could keep up with Wilson and Metcalf if they went off like they are capable of doing.
It isn't really a big knock on Ben. It is just that he isn't in that top tier or two anymore. Who knows? He could come out later today and start connecting on deep balls and showing better precision in getting balls onto the right shoulder or into tight windows. Then this whole take changes. Right now, he is just "missing" on too many throws. Not badly. And not in way that just makes you concerned he shouldn't be out there or something. But we all know that a version of Ben R has existed that doesn't lead guys inside when it should've been outside. Doesn't miss guys running the post by 10 yards. That version is missing through 8 games. I am starting to think it isn't coming back. With that erosion of accuracy and precision in his passes, Ben isn't a guy I expect to be able to sit back there 30-40 times a game and just be like "screw it. watch this." anymore. He can still do a lot of positive things. I just think he might not be able to pull rabbits out of his hat anymore.
And is any of that "fair"? Likely not. But the truly elite QBs that occupy that top tier or two don't operate under a fair set of expectations. They go out each week and. for the most part, just do unreasonable things. Make plays happen that shouldn't.
So through a quarter and a half, a Ben we haven’t seen yet this season is making an appearance.
I should go on anti Ben rants more often!!
You should make one for our running game!
Maybe this year is the version of 2017 for Ben(but with a better first half of the season for Ben in 2020 that 2017)...It was my prediction before this year that Ben was going to be at his best in the second half of the season like in 2017 .... We'll see if that will be the case.