Who do you start Sunday?

I don't know what happened, my post got chopped up there. It should have read...

Some are advocating putting him on a short leash. For what? Here Mason, bounce back from potentially the worst game of your life against the worst team in football. But if you can't cut it against the worst team, you're on the bench. No pressure. Oh, and by the way, you're going to have to bounce back with an even more depleted offense and a center you have had 3 days to work with. Your career could be riding on this. Again, no pressure. Just go out there and do better than you have this year with less.​

 

I'm not buying the O-line excuse for MR. According to NFL NextGen stats he's taken an average of 2.83 seconds to throw per attempt including sacks. That's ninth longest in the league. Over the last three previous years Ben took 2.55, 2.56, and 2.59. I once read that 2.5 seconds is the benchmark for offensive lineman. That's the goal in terms of how long to maintain a block.

MR is getting plenty of time he just takes too long to get the ball out.

Now you could argue that's because his receivers aren't getting open. Without the 22 film I can't say, so that might be true, but let's not blame the OL for the poor offense.

As for the titular question of this thread, it has to be Rudolph even though he stinks. He has to be given every chance to prove (or disprove) that he's the QB of the future.


Edit: Ben's 2.55 sec to throw the ball last year was tied for lowest in the league with Derek Carr. The O-line is probably doing just as well in pass protection as in year's past but just looks worse because MR holds takes too long to let it go.

 

Steelers officially list JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Conner as OUT for this week at Cincinnati. Artie Burns doubtful. Everyone else is all set.

Per Brian Batko

 

Who then become the 5 active WRs on Sunday?

 

JW,DJ Holton,Cain,Jones?

 

Actually early 70's as well. Bradshaw was not a fan fave. People were calling for Hanratty, then Joe Gilliam. Gilliam actually beat them both out for the job in 74, then as Bradshaw said, "..gave me the job back".

 

I cannot say for a certainty the overall look of the O line, but to say he is getting 'plenty of time' is not really true. The lack of a running game has to be added to the struggles of the O. The opposing D is stacking the line at will, this creates more pressure from the start. many times Pouncey's snaps have been way off. I am not defending MR, but you cannot compare this O line to last year's protection of been.

 

You can't average 2.83 seconds per throw (ninth longest in the league) without decent protection, unless you can really scramble. You can't have a 5.0% sack percentage (7th lowest in the league) without decent protection, unless you get rid of the ball quickly or can really scramble.

There are only two QBs in the Top 10 in lowest sack % and longest time to throw: Dak Prescott and MR. Prescott can really scramble. MR, OK, but he's no Prescott.

I'll submit that there's no way he can have the stats that he has without having above average protection.

As I said, I get the O-line "looks" worse than before, but that's because Ben got rid of the ball so quickly. Lowest in the league last year. It's not surprising that right now four of the Top 10 in lowest sack % are also in the Top 10 in lowest time to throw (Brady, Brees, Rivers, and Carr). The O-line is always going to look worse when the QB isn't decisive.