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Should we be concerned: Big Ben Edition

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by cajunyankee, Nov 5, 2020.

  1. cajunyankee

    cajunyankee Well-Known Member

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    Should be be worried about Bens inability to consistently / Accurately hit on deep throws??

    Ben has always been good on short and intermediate Throws and ok on deep Rtes. He’s really good when he is charge, hurry up / no huddle type of style ....BUT......

    After his elbow injury not only is he throwing deep less often But Also is way less accurate. We have two deep threats in Claypool And Washington and if he does NOT start hitting them deep at least once a game the defenses are going to really start stacking the Box.......

    Cajun
     
  2. Roonatic

    Roonatic Well-Known Member

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    More concerned with his arm holding up to finish this year's run. I could see Mason winning the SB with this team but I like our chances with Ben better.
     
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  3. SteelersFanIrl

    SteelersFanIrl Well-Known Member

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    I had brought this up on another thread recently. When the Ravens took away the short passing game last Sunday the offence looked completely impotent. This has been happening to a lesser extent in nearly all the games so far, the offence will look toothless for stretches but then turn it on and do just enough to win.

    They are 7-0 so it is a small complaint really. They do need to add that deep threat if they want to go on a deep playoff run, perhaps it will come as the season goes on. Ben is coming off major surgery and had no pre season in the traditional sense. The preparation for his comeback really was not ideal so I think he has to get a pass for his efforts to date.

    He’s been pretty good in the Redzone which is encouraging. That TD pass to Claypool v the Ravens was a thing of beauty.

    As well as the above I wish we had a more consistent and reliable run game. Conner will get some yards in spurts but he often gets stuffed in the backfield for negative yards on early downs. Look at how the Ravens wore the Steelers down on Sunday with 5-10 yards runs over and over. I don’t think the Steelers running stats are necessarily bad but I don’t think teams need to gameplan that much to stop James Conner, and then Snell and McFarland haven’t contributed at all. This again is not helped by the lack of a downfield passing game to back defences up.
     
  4. steelersrock151

    steelersrock151 Well-Known Member

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    Not concerned. As long as he is overthrowing them, as compared to underthrowing them, he'll eventually get the timing right.
    No training camp, surgically repaired arm whose strength he is still getting used to, coming back after a year off. Lot of reasons the timing isn't perfect yet, but not time to send up any red flags.
     
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  5. cajunyankee

    cajunyankee Well-Known Member

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    You make a good point , he is overthrowing more than underthrowing, But.... it seems every game he is either holding his elbow or wearing a warming sleeve mid-game or the docs are rubbing it on the sidelines!!!! That does worry me also!!!

    Cajun
     
  6. CanadianSteel

    CanadianSteel Well-Known Member

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    He didn’t connect on any deep throws last week, but keep in mind, those throws produced 3 pass interference calls, I believe.... Which is obviously a positive.
     
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  7. Da Stellars

    Da Stellars Well-Known Member

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    Right now, I don't think our run game is dangerous enough to really open up a lot of deep throws.

    Also our deep threats are DJ (Often Hurt), James Wash.(Rarely in the game), and Mapletron (Rookie, can only expect so much).
     
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  8. HeinzMustard

    HeinzMustard Well-Known Member

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    I don't think deep throws matter much in the long run. Ben can win games with short and intermediate throws.
     
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  9. 86WardsWay

    86WardsWay Well-Known Member

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    Yep. Brady has made a career off the dink and dunk although Brady does also have a much more reliable deep pass than Ben does and has been using it more often, if nothing else just to draw the defensive PI which he always calls for.

    I just think Ben is calling what he is comfortable with right now which is short and intermediate passes. I'm sure if Arians were still the OC we have seen several 3rd and 1, 50 yard bombs by now.
     
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  10. WinTheNorth

    WinTheNorth Well-Known Member

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    Emulating Flacco (giving hairball a taste of his own medicine)
     
  11. STEELWINDS

    STEELWINDS

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    Hey Cajun.

    From what I have observed, he seems to be "dropping dimes" right in there. Accuracy seems good from what I have seen. Twenty yard type passes for now. Yes, those are more mid-range type passes but they seem to be on the money. As I have been stating, he is getting "re-calibrated" to various things:
    • His Elbow (Biggest factor) Must overcome, if any, psychological hindrances that may be in the back of his head. Normal for a major injury for any athlete. Constantly pushing the envelope to test it more and more. He will build a continued confidence as he passes each "test" with each practice and each game.
    • New Players: Claypool, Ebron, McCloud and DJ- worked very little with DJ before his injury.
    • Overall Chemistry: So many weapons. Just effectively and efficiently working with them; which he is.
    Personally, I think as he passes these "tests" on a weekly basis the longer stuff will gradually evolve with time. Right now things are progressing nicely as things seem to be moving in the right direction. Maybe not as fast as some would like but IMO he is on the right path towards "re-calibrating". Patience is definitely key.


    STEELWINDS The East Side Kid
     
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  12. cajunyankee

    cajunyankee Well-Known Member

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    But wouldn’t a few deep throws that’s completed draw the attention of the defense and help open up the run game ??

    Cajun
     
  13. Da Stellars

    Da Stellars Well-Known Member

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    It can work that way, but I don't think that plays to Ben's strengths.

    I feel he doesn't have deep ball accuracy like some other QB's.
     
    Last edited: Nov 5, 2020
  14. thorn058

    thorn058 Well-Known Member

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    I disagree somewhat. I don't think the Ravens stopped the Steelers short passing game as much as the Steelers stopped it. In doing what they do, they weren't gaining favorable match-ups on the field. The should have had Claypool and Washington outside forcing the Ravens corners to run deep every down and committing a safety to dbling one of them. This would open up the short to medium game for Juju and Dj as well as Ebron and Mac. After Judon was tossed the Ravens were weak inside with lbs and safeties. Once Ben saw he could work those underneath routes to possession guys the offense started to move. But not playing for favorable match ups hurt more than anything the Ravens did.
     
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  15. SteelerJJ

    SteelerJJ Well-Known Member

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    It could be partly that defenses are protecting against the deep throws and forcing Ben to be patient with the underneath stuff.
     
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  16. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    As long as the refs call PI on the defense, I'm not too worried about it :hehehe:.
     
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  17. SteelinOhio

    SteelinOhio

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    I read an interview a few weeks ago (I forget where now) where Ben said he's not used to having this much arm strength b/c of his elbow having been a problem previously. He said he knows he's overthrowing and is working on it, but that he's adjusting to having more strength in that arm than he's used to.
     
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  18. bigbenhotness

    bigbenhotness Well-Known Member

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    I’m more worried about him holding his elbow
     
  19. The Sodfather

    The Sodfather Well-Known Member

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    Good take. Keep in mind, he is working with a rookie, a second year player that he doesn't have much time with (Johnson), and has basically a year and a half with Washington. That leaves him with JuJu as the only one he has significant playing time with. Lots of factors at play, but I think when they get on the same page, they'll come in bunches.
     
  20. Boot55

    Boot55 Well-Known Member

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    I think it might be a few things:

    Play calling. They are making sure to get the ball out of Bens hands quick this year.

    Protection of Bens arm. Meaning, I don’t think they try to push too much for whatever reason or limit down field throws.
     
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  21. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    That's just Ben being a drama queen :lolol:
     
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  22. 86WardsWay

    86WardsWay Well-Known Member

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    Often times it depends on who the QB is. JS
     
  23. Rush2seven

    Rush2seven Well-Known Member

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    Not in the long run, but they do in the long pass
     
  24. Rush2seven

    Rush2seven Well-Known Member

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    He never held it after a touchdown, lol
     
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  25. AskQuestionsLater

    AskQuestionsLater Writing Team

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    As most have stated, I am more concerned about his elbow holding up. Big Ben has already hit nearly 100 Pass Attempts the past two weeks. The Running Game has to step it up at some point.


    Big Ben cannot be throwing it like crazy on a consistent basis. The Rushing Attack has to wake up at some point. Dallas should be a good starting point to do so.
     
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