Originally Posted by
Mojouw
This is a good discussion and a number of solid points. The thing, for me, that the past 3 seasons have driven home is how spoiled and skewed my perspective got as a Steelers fan. The inches didn't really matter most of the time. Just keep the game close and then one of the other-wordly talents on the roster would do a thing and win the game. Most often, it was the QB just making a series of plays that would erase deficits in a hurry regardless of what the opposing defense tried to do.
Against the Chargers, that was the extra something that was missing, Minkah and Watt were out on defense (and it isn't to say that the defense didn't make plays - they did) and Ben played really well...but that extra gear that separated him onto another level from most of the rest of the league is gone.
I guess I am just realizing how far above "average" prime Ben really was. I totally thought the gap between Ben and Rudolph had shrunk because of Ben getting older...but I guess I forgot just how far above everyone else he was starting the decline from.
Despite the loss it was a great game from a young roster in a rough situation.