Mike Silver of NFL Network on Big Ben

Lean yrs werent 'quite that lean'.

[TABLE="class: wikitable"]
[TR]
[TH="align: center"]1980[/TH]
[TD="align: center"]NFL[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]AFC[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Central[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]3rd[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]9[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="align: center"].563[/TD]
[TD="align: center"][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="align: center"]1981[/TH]
[TD="align: center"]NFL[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]AFC[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Central[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]2nd[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]8[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]8[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="align: center"].500[/TD]
[TD="align: center"][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="align: center"]1982[/TH]
[TD="align: center"]NFL[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]AFC[/TD]
[TD="align: center"][/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #96CDCD, align: center"]4th[SUP][T][/SUP][SUP][3][/SUP][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]6[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]3[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="align: center"].667[/TD]
[TD]Lost First Round (Chargers) 31–28[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="align: center"]1983[/TH]
[TD="align: center"]NFL[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]AFC[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Central[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]1st[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]10[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]6[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="align: center"].625[/TD]
[TD]Lost Divisional Playoffs (Raiders) 38–10[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="align: center"]1984[/TH]
[TD="align: center"]NFL[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]AFC[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Central[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]1st[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]9[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="align: center"].563[/TD]
[TD]Won Divisional Playoffs (Broncos) 24–17
Lost Conference Championship (Dolphins) 45–28[/TD]
[TD]Louis Lipps - Offensive Rookie of the Year
John Stallworth - Comeback Player of the Year[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="align: center"]1985[/TH]
[TD="align: center"]NFL[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]AFC[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Central[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]3rd[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]9[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="align: center"].438[/TD]
[TD="align: center"][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="align: center"]1986[/TH]
[TD="align: center"]NFL[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]AFC[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Central[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]3rd[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]6[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]10[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="align: center"].375[/TD]
[TD="align: center"][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="align: center"]1987[/TH]
[TD="align: center"]NFL[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]AFC[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Central[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]3rd[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]8[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="align: center"].533[/TD]
[TD="align: center"][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="align: center"]1988[/TH]
[TD="align: center"]NFL[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]AFC[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Central[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]4th[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]5[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]11[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="align: center"].313[/TD]
[TD="align: center"][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="align: center"]1989[/TH]
[TD="align: center"]NFL[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]AFC[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Central[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #96CDCD, align: center"]2nd[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]9[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="align: center"].563[/TD]
[TD]Won Wild Card Playoffs (Oilers) 26–23
Lost Divisional playoff (Broncos) 24–23[/TD]
[TD]Chuck Noll - Maxwell Football Club Coach of the Year[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="align: center"]1990[/TH]
[TD="align: center"]NFL[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]AFC[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Central[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]3rd[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]9[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="align: center"].563[/TD]
[TD="align: center"][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="align: center"]1991[/TH]
[TD="align: center"]NFL[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]AFC[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Central[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]2nd[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]9[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="align: center"].438[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

You wouldn't have any sources if you did that. Sources reveal stuff like this with the ability to remain unknown. Sometimes they do it for real, sometimes the do it to stir the pot towards something else.

What makes Hines a reliable source any more? He isn't in the locker room. He doesn't work for the organization. Since we don't know WHO the source was...maybe it came from Tomlin as a way to manipulate Ben into carrying the team for the rest of the year. Maybe it came from Colbert. I can't take the word of a former teammate at this point.

Just because someone can't see it happening, doesn't mean it WON'T happen. Montana, Manning, Farve, Ed Reed, and on, and on, and on. Guys who were icons to their organization who didn't finish with them. If this was years ago, we would maybe even put Rod Woodson into that group. Franco Harris? Al Faneca? These are guys that most could never see in another uniform, but guess what, they put others on. It happens.

IMO, the Steelers will do what they always do....make a combined business and player decision. Can they afford him? Can he play to the level which is required to earn that $$$?

 

It's all hogwash. The last person the Steelers would lose is Ben. Now everyone else, that's up for grabs and debate, particularly on this board.

Will it cost big bucks? Well, Duh. That's just reality of the times.

You sign your franchise and build said franchise around him, not the other way around.

 

You don't build a franchise around an aging, beat up QB who resists change at every corner. Just what we need, a 37 year old Ben who is constantly injured. That's a great way to ensure we don't compete for a SB for the next 10 years. It takes some good scouting and a bit of luck, but with the right QB, rebuilding can happen incredibly fast in the NFL.

 

But don't our choices flow from our attitude? So, Ben is making these choices.

 

I tend to remember the 80s as us always being around 9-7, 7-9... I think the point is more that we were, by and large, competitive, and the play-offs were never completely out of the question, even if unlikely in some years. Part of that was also due to the success of the Browns and the Bengals, as well.

I don't really have a point to this, I'm just getting nostalgic for when I first started watching...

 

keep going. we didn't get ben until 03. most teams would be overjoyed to be in the playoffs that many times. or lets go back a little further to the 4 SB's we had just won a decade before your little list there. we should be happy, happy, happy.

the team really won't end when ben is gone. not to mention, just because it happened then, with a change of coach I might add, doesn't mean it will have to happen that way.

you can't rebuild around ben if he has all the money either. we see he's not enough to carry the team. these last couple of years with him are looking pretty lean too. I guess we could give him more money and that should fix it. c'mon man.

 

the coaching switch had a lot to do with that I believe. cowher had never been a head coach before that either and had a rebuild to do. lean yes but we still made some playoffs and a championship game in Miami. 58's last year. 83 or 84. I was there. a lot of teams then dreamed of seeing one or a playoff. that was marino's one trip to the dance.

I don't foresee as difficult a time as then, we have a guy that's been a head coach for a while now.

 

Well put.

 

THAT is a clever line right there!

 

Once again Mac, spot on.

 

I know most of you people on this board are not old enough to remember Archie Manning's
playing days. Well Archie was a great Qb, but the Saints failed to surround him with talent.So Archie's teams were never really competitive.This reminds me of the situation Ben R. and the Steelers are in at the present
time.We also have to manage
the CAP,the Steelers have tough
decisions on the horizon coming
up.

 

Can you be a great qb if your team doesnt win?

 

I think so, you have understand what greatness is though. Tomorrow you are going to witness a QB with God given talent that has a gun that I haven't seen for a long time.He has won nothing up to now
but you can't always blame it on that person as in the case Of Archie. Lets just put it this way, Archie had great physical
talent.I think your missing the jist of my conversation,Ben can't do it all himself. Ben has been
a wonderful QB for this organization, we just have so
many other needs that I believe
and just my opinion with paying Ben R all this money what will
you have left for his supporting class?

 

We've struggled for a season and a half. Jeez!
It'll turn around, have a little patience.

 

Jack, I agree with you here, but I also think the head coach and staff has a problem with not knowing nuances of the defense and not great film coaches.
Example of this is did you watch Life of Belichek on the NFL network? He and Brady spend hours weekly discussing the opponents and their tendencies and how are they going to attack them.

I just don't think Ben and Tomlin do this nearly enough and we are just lucky that Ben had the physical tools. Ben says he could be watching film at home, when even Brady needs advice and help from the coaching staff. This should be done in the film room with all the help, advise and coaching eyes.

I just don't think the film study should be all on Ben, but a combination of Ben with the coach, and the film study is also Tomlins week spot.

 

I understand what you're saying and somewhat agree, but if the coaching staff isn't demanding it of you you should demand it of yourself. I'm sure Belichick demands it of Brady and that's why Brady has taken his sixth round talent and developed into one of the greatest ever. But I'm not sure anyone has ever demanded it of Peyton. He's always demanded it of himself. IMO, Ben has gone into most games in his career with the thought that he can use his physical abilities to affect the outcome of the game, not with the thought that he knows the opposing defense inside and out and with a definitive strategy to attack their weaknesses. It's worked well up until the last couple of years but it's always had a disconnected and frenetic quality to it. That's what the Rooneys and the FO are concerned about and that's why the drumbeat is getting louder in the national media on Ben's cerebral insufficiencies.

 

The fact is, Ben is in the backload of his contract and his cap hit in 2014 is 17 million Dollars, we can sign a 1st round QB for 4 years for what his cap hit will be: It's a money thing and because of those players with big contracts at the top, it prevents us from building said franchise around him....

 

Look, I love Ben. I love his heart. I love that when the team loses, HE takes the heat, takes the blame. And when they win, he tends to give all the credit to his teammates. He's a stand-up guy, always has been. It's an admirable trait.

BUT...

I have long sensed that Ben is exactly as you describe him here. The number of sacks he takes is part line play, but also part indecisiveness.

 

The only true "lean years" were 1985-1988. And the team would have made the playoffs in 1987 if there weren't a strike and the replacement games had not counted. Coincidentally, those were also the years in which I didn't follow the Steelers nearly as much: I was in college those four years and sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll were far more important to me. LOL

 

The fact is, millions and an NFL Player go hand in hand. Ben and the Steelers will sign a contract so he will be our QB for the foreseeable future.

You don't start by getting rid of your franchise QB. Finding another could prove more elusive than many think.