Interesting Article About Ben Roethlisberger

Aye. There were other factors, of course, that were down to Ben coming into the team, but not necessarily on Ben himself. For example, I remember the team being a lot more energised and focused when Ben came in (maybe that was just my perception, but there was a definite excitement when he came into the line up that wasn't there with Maddox). Also, the playbook was made a little simpler (againm could be just my perception but sure it was), and the team seemed to buckle down to doing what it did best - running over opponents - which later in the season opened up gaps in the secondary for Ben to do his thing.

What Ben brought - and still does, even in those games where he could hardly stand up but was still put in - was "winnability". And, if that is indeed a word, it's what I think separates the great QBs from the good ones.

 

I'll take this since I'm the one who brought up Maddox. Bringing up Maddox has all the relevance in the world Mac, Ben took over the team from him and went on a tear, the same exact team and didn't lose a regular season game for the rest of the year. So yeah, I think Ben deserves a lot of that credit. What I do think is irrelevant, is when everyone likes to throw in "well he had a good team around him", news flash, most successful QB's do. An exception to that rule would be last years Colts, but in general a successful QB has a good team around him. I'm not saying Ben deserves ALL the credit but he deserves a great deal of it but that goes with the territory, I believe the ultimate success of any team depends primarily on the QB, he's the most important cog in the wheel. And when a rookie QB comes in and wins the first 13 games he started in, that's impressive, I don't care who they had around him.[/quote:7q6rg8au]

Except that when Maddox went down in Ben's first season the coaching staff did what they could to limit what he was responsible for as a rookie QB and the team rallied around the fact that they had a rookie QB and knew they had to step up to the plate and they did. Lets not diminish what Ben accomplished which was one heck of a start for a rookie QB and helping, can't stress the helping part enough, helping a very good team go 15-1. Now you are right if Maddox doesn't get hurt I don't think they put up that record, I don't think they rally as a team, nor does Maddox lead them on a whirl-wind run. After that first season of big numbers with Maddox they lost their identity and tried to become this high powered passing attack that just didn't work because they were built like we talked about to run the ball and play tough defense. To my mind it ended up being the perfect mix of the right things coming out of a bad situation and making for some great football, that led to wins but lets not romanticize Ben's first season. It is not like he threw for 400 plus yards and 4TDs in back to back games. He did enough to win and not too much to lose.

 

my thoughts exactly. Things just seemed to click for the team when Maddox went down.

 

Except that when Maddox went down in Ben's first season the coaching staff did what they could to limit what he was responsible for as a rookie QB and the team rallied around the fact that they had a rookie QB and knew they had to step up to the plate and they did. Lets not diminish what Ben accomplished which was one heck of a start for a rookie QB and helping, can't stress the helping part enough, helping a very good team go 15-1. Now you are right if Maddox doesn't get hurt I don't think they put up that record, I don't think they rally as a team, nor does Maddox lead them on a whirl-wind run. After that first season of big numbers with Maddox they lost their identity and tried to become this high powered passing attack that just didn't work because they were built like we talked about to run the ball and play tough defense. To my mind it ended up being the perfect mix of the right things coming out of a bad situation and making for some great football, that led to wins but lets not romanticize Ben's first season. It is not like he threw for 400 plus yards and 4TDs in back to back games. He did enough to win and not too much to lose.[/quote:11fbeabc]

I agree about them running the wrong offense under Maddox but I think you are simplifying things too much, it almost sounds like you are implying that if you have a good ground game, that any shmoe could come in and be successful, let alone as successful as Ben first season.[/quote:11fbeabc]

Not at all i think it was a great situation for a young QB to come into though. A team that believes strongly in pounding the football on the ground for 60 min, that played a tough defensive game that kept the score close and would allow a rookie Qb to come in and make mistakes but still be successful which obviously Ben was. As I said it was almost the perfect situation, right QB in the right system and the right time to make things click. I think if you take Ben and put him on a team like the Giants or the Chargers, the two teams that took QB's ahead of Ben, I don't think things turn out the same way. THere would be wins, sure but not the string of wins that the Steelers put together that season. Of course what do I know, I am still the guy that tells people that if Brady wasn't on the Patriots team you never hear anything about him. Good QB in the right system with the right coach. Put him on the Browns and he is Mr. Nobody.

 

The reason I think of Ben as a true Steeler is because he's a FOOTBALL player. When you watch Manning or Brady throw a pic the first thing they do is head for the sidelines. Ben is the guy that will try and atleast lay somebody out if they come at him. Also think of the "gadget" plays that we would run under Whiz. In the Super Bowl Ben threw the block that allowed Randle-el the time to throw the td to Hines. Also Ben single handedly saved our season in the Colts game when the Bus fumbled and Ben made a FOOTBALL play to stop Nick Harper from taking it 99yds the other way and ending our season. That is the guy that I think of when I think of Ben. He's maybe what you might even consider a "jack of all trades and master of none". But really we've seen when we needed Ben to slice up a d that he can do that too. Just ask the Pats from this past season.

 

You misunderstood me. I meant his reading of pre-snap defences was pretty terrible the first few years of his career. Ben as an all around QB was obviously good considering he won 27 of 31 games. I was strictly talking about his ability to read the defence.

 

I agree about them running the wrong offense under Maddox but I think you are simplifying things too much, it almost sounds like you are implying that if you have a good ground game, that any shmoe could come in and be successful, let alone as successful as Ben first season.[/quote:353zly4t]

Not at all i think it was a great situation for a young QB to come into though. A team that believes strongly in pounding the football on the ground for 60 min, that played a tough defensive game that kept the score close and would allow a rookie Qb to come in and make mistakes but still be successful which obviously Ben was. As I said it was almost the perfect situation, right QB in the right system and the right time to make things click. I think if you take Ben and put him on a team like the Giants or the Chargers, the two teams that took QB's ahead of Ben, I don't think things turn out the same way. THere would be wins, sure but not the string of wins that the Steelers put together that season. Of course what do I know, I am still the guy that tells people that if Brady wasn't on the Patriots team you never hear anything about him. Good QB in the right system with the right coach. Put him on the Browns and he is Mr. Nobody.[/quote:353zly4t]

Much of what's been said about this is true, but I assume many of you remember Fannica bloviating to the media that he was not happy a rookie was going to relieve our starting QB. Not sure how much of the locker room felt that way, but it wasn't a universal rally. I think Ben brought something to this team than (and still does) that is hard to articulate perfectly.

For me, I started to really believe at around the fourth or fifth game that season when Ben fought like a charging soldier on D-day, against the Cowgirls. After we won that rough one from a gutsy performance by Ben in the fourth quarter I had a very good feeling. On one particular play he fell hard on his knee and got up, limped to the huddle and finished the drive with a score (as I recall). My opinion was echoed by Parcells in the post game interviews and who seemed like he saw a ghost and only had great things to say about Ben from then on. Ben doesn't give up at all and it motivates the rest of the players to stay in it and focussed. He's had sooooo much success being that way it becomes real to everyone as it has from day one and on any given play, game and super bowl drive to the present. His physical effort is unequalled in the starting QB's in the NFL.

 

Not at all i think it was a great situation for a young QB to come into though. A team that believes strongly in pounding the football on the ground for 60 min, that played a tough defensive game that kept the score close and would allow a rookie Qb to come in and make mistakes but still be successful which obviously Ben was. As I said it was almost the perfect situation, right QB in the right system and the right time to make things click. I think if you take Ben and put him on a team like the Giants or the Chargers, the two teams that took QB's ahead of Ben, I don't think things turn out the same way. THere would be wins, sure but not the string of wins that the Steelers put together that season. Of course what do I know, I am still the guy that tells people that if Brady wasn't on the Patriots team you never hear anything about him. Good QB in the right system with the right coach. Put him on the Browns and he is Mr. Nobody.[/quote:386r5zem]

Much of what's been said about this is true, but I assume many of you remember Fannica bloviating to the media that he was not happy a rookie was going to relieve our starting QB. Not sure how much of the locker room felt that way, but it wasn't a universal rally. I think Ben brought something to this team than (and still does) that is hard to articulate perfectly.

For me, I started to really believe at around the fourth or fifth game that season when Ben fought like a charging soldier on D-day, against the Cowgirls. After we won that rough one from a gutsy performance by Ben in the fourth quarter I had a very good feeling. On one particular play he fell hard on his knee and got up, limped to the huddle and finished the drive with a score (as I recall). My opinion was echoed by Parcells in the post game interviews and who seemed like he saw a ghost and only had great things to say about Ben from then on. Ben doesn't give up at all and it motivates the rest of the players to stay in it and focussed. He's had sooooo much success being that way it becomes real to everyone as it has from day one and on any given play, game and super bowl drive to the present. His physical effort is unequalled in the starting QB's in the NFL.[/quote:386r5zem]

i think we all agree ben is as tough as nails, almost to a fault at times. if i got hit like he does at times, i'd be walking towards the bright light saying " grandma is that you".

 

lol, ok, that makes more sense although I think "terrible" is still a little harsh [/quote:171zxtts]

I don't, I actually think terrible is being generous. There's a reason he looked so ugly back there in his first 3-4 years, it's because he had no idea what the defence was doing. He usually couldn't figure it out. Ben got the job done despite not reading defences well, and I have no idea how as typically QB's aren't successful when they don't make the correct reads. He's lucky he's so big and strong, otherwise his early struggles would have been magnified and I think he would have been a backup at this point in his career. Him being so big and strong allowed him to fight off defenders and give himself more time. Now he's obviously gotten much better and doesn't need to rely on his strength as much.

 

In 2007 (Ben's 4th year) he threw for over 3,100 yards, with 32 TDs compared to only 11 INTs and a completion percentage of 65.3%. If that's just "getting the job done" or "looking ugly back there", I can only hope that he does that each and every year the rest of his career. In 2009, he had a 100+ passer rating while throwing for over 4,300 yards and posting a 26/12 TD/Int ratio (in only 15 games). He did this when the team (O and D) had an overall "down" year.

Peyton Manning is an undisputable, true student of the game (film room junkie, work out warrior, etc.), and possesses an array of skills that enable him to be an elite QB in the NFL...and arguably the best to every play his position in the history of the league. It took him until his ninth year in the league to reach (and win) the SB. Ben won in his second year, and for those that want to point at the lacklustre SB performance and say the team won despite him...i'd tell you to watch the 3 playoff games that preceded that. Without Ben, that team doesn't even make the SB.

I truly hope that Steelers fans can appreciate what we have right now at QB because it's most likely only going to be around another 5/6 years. After that, it is a crap shoot. Aaron Rodgers situations do not come around very often and most often than not, fans must endure a painful transition gap between great QBs. Pitt fans endured 24 years in between their great QBs. Yes, it's possible to win with mediocre level talent at the QB position, but it is becoming more and more rare to produce SB victories. With Ben at the helm this team has enjoyed 3 SB appearances and 2 wins in 8 years. I understand the human desire for "more," but this team has given us so much to cheer about the past few years it is hard to complain.

 

Great post, I agree completely

 

BINGO, just think if he would have put in the time that Peyton has put in. The sky was the limit
Unfortanatley Ben's physical skills have started to break down due to a poor OL and
The QB, Ben has always been. He is so gifted and his skills have not improved under BA
like they should have. Here is hoping that Todd Haley can get more out of #7. He could be
SO MUCH MORE.