3rd INT was good for the Steelers?

If Ben had not thrown his 3rd interception and forced the steelers to kick a field goal, they would have been up by 6 points and would have forced the Titans to go for a TD instead of a field goal. I'm sure they would have been more aggressive in getting into the endzone than just getting into field goal range. Personally, I would have been more worried if Titans had been aggressive cause the Steelers defense was getting tired and could not stop the Titans in the 4th qtr. I think Titans were less aggressive and luckily they missed the field goal. Teams have to think about these strategies to how to end the game. Similarly to what happened in Atlanta/Detriot game yesterday. Todd Gurley should have went down at the 1, but ended up in the endzone and left enough time for Detroit to comeback.

 

I do not buy it.At the end of the 1st half the Steelers were gifted an opportunity to get at least 3 pts. I do not mind going for a TD there, but it did not have to be a hail mary type of pass. Ben should have never thrown that ball, try to get it closer, or thrown it away. It would have been a long FG, but doable. The same with that last int., it was a stupid throw. There are times to be aggressive, that was not the time. Hindsight is worth nothing if you do not learn from it, but take that 3 pts at the end of the half, take the other FG and not we are up 9. Much different game. That said the Titans were trying to move the ball, they were 1st and 10 at the 50 with 2 mins to play. !st and 10 at the 25 with 1 min. The intentional grounding was huge as it was a loss of down and spot foul, moving the ball back to the 35. Remember w/o that grounding call they had 3 downs and 1 min to get a TD, or even 1st downs. There was plenty of time. Do not sugar coat a very stupid and potentially costly turnover. D stiffened and it made for a lengthy FG for them....we got lucky..at least not having to play overtime.

 

funny thing though...…… I read that the last 3 times ben threw 3 picks, our record in those games is 2-0-1

 

I would like to see Farve's stat line on that, lol. There were times Ben reminded me of that yesterday, that lateral back to Conner was just foolish. Lost yardage (more than the sack) and a fumble there was a real possibility. The stats (positive and negative) do not always show in the final results, but there were several other throws he made that just reminded me of bad Ben days. Remember a couple of years ago he threw that int against Cincy around the 25 yard line, just threw it right to the guy, lol. Love him, but there are some days like that I guess.

 

I have no issue with the hail mary to end the half. It would have been a 55 yard attempt from there if I remember. My issue was the target. You throw that to 11 or 13.... that's it.. that's the list. You definitely do not throw a jump ball to Dionte Johnson

The 2nd int Clowney popped it straight up at the line of scrimmage. It happens.

The 3rd I wanted that TD to go up 10 more than a FG to go up 6. Yes I would have taken the first and kept the drive going... but that pass was damn near the dagger....The Titans made a good play.. they get paid to play too

Not even slightly concerned about those 3 passes.

I was more concerned by the first TD to Dionte....it worked... Ben threaded the pass into get tight coverage right through the defenders arms.... that was more dangerous than the 3rd INT to me

I was more concerned Dionte did not make that catch on the free play. Ball hit him in the hands. He is probably the 2nd most gifted WR in the roster... but his hands fail him from time to time

I was more concerned with Bens backward lob to Ebron and it worked but i would rather see him toss that into the 3rd row

I was more concerned with Bens backwards lateral to Conner.... Ben never wants to give up a play.. but he was surrounded....Conner was just standing there watching the play at that point.... that really could have been a turnover


HACK

 

I can concede all of that. Another thing to consider (especially with long FG's) is the lack of practice Boz and Berry had. Yes he was there the previous years, but they could not have had much time to really do much pregame. It's usually at that moment, a few seconds left (half or game), when things go wrong. I have no idea if that even came into the thinking at that time, but I would think there was perhaps some concern. Up 24-7 you do not want a TD for them on a mishap, then coming out with the ball starting the 2nd half.

 

I didn't really have a problem with either "decision" to go for it. But it has to be a better call than a hail mary. The percentages are simply not with it. It's like you're conceding the points and just saying we hope we get lucky. I don't like allowing luck to be ANY part of the gameplan. And if you are going to risk losing the opportunity of a gimme field goal at the end of the game, you better have a better play dialed up than one that ends up a single receiver down the middle in triple coverage. Go for the win. I'm with you. Just don't do it on a wing and a prayer.

 

I just mentioned this on the game day thread. Upon re-watching the game, I realized it really wasn't Johnson's fault that he didn't catch the ball in the end zone on the free play. Butler swatted Johnson's left hand as he was reaching up for the ball. That is why Johnson wasn't able to get the hand into the right position to catch the pass. I'm not sure you're ever going to get that interference call, but it wasn't Johnson's fault.

I get why Roethlisberger threw that last pass into the end zone. The Titans had a linebacker covering Smith-Schuster on the play. The problem was the linebacker made a hell of a play to knock it from Smith-Schuster's hands. That said, it wasn't Roethlisberber's only option. He had Johnson open on a short crossing route. If he hits Johnson in stride, he's got room to run and a shot at the first down. Even if he comes up short, that either runs more clock or forces the Titans to burn a time out before Pittsburgh would try the field goal. Sure, the Titans would have been more aggressive, but they would have had less time to do it.

 

Was DJ not already out with the ankle at that point?

HACK

 

Ben was excellent for the first 29:30 of the game. However starting with the int to end the first half his decision making was not good at all. Really need him to get back to taking what the D gives him and not try to play hero ball. First time this year I could say we saw Bad Ben and I didn’t like it.

 

He seems to be throwing a lot of balls that are getting tipped at the line of scrimmage maybe trying to get rid of it too fast

 

I went back and watched to be sure. Johnson was back on the field for that play.

To be honest, it could have been any receiver and that still would have been the right place to throw the ball. He had beaten the guy covering him and every defender down the field was running in the wrong direction. He had a really good shot at making the first down.

 

Years ago I read how the chances of winning go down with each turnover. Can't remember exactly but I think if a team had 3 or more TO's the chances of winning was 18%.

 

Yea I agree I hated pissing away those 3 points before the half after the botched Tennessee punt. It almost ended up costing the Steelers big time. I’m with you as well that I would have taken the 3 and gone up 6 there at the end of the game and force the Titans to score a TD. Luckily for the Steelers it all worked out because it definitely could have and probably should have backfired on them. But the bottom line is great teams find ways to win games like this and that’s exactly what the Steelers did and that’s all that matters at the end of the day.

 

ESPN had some stat that Ben had the fastest release this season

 

I would of liked to see him hit Johnson underneath, had he quick pumped deep and hit the crossing route to Johnson, Johnson would of caught it for 3 yards and literally the closest guy was a linebacker trailing johnson by almost 2-3 yards, he would out run (him) for the first down almost certainly.

It was 2:37 at that point and Titans had one time out. He throws it to Johnson even maybe without the pump fake, Johnson gets very close to the 1st down. I get Juju covered by the linebacker and liked that matchup.

Even if Johnson is short you have 4th and short maybe 4th and 1 4th and 2, maybe go for it and end the game right there and not attempt the Field goal. Plus you run it down to the 2 minute warning, as long as it's not incomplete. It was even the far more riskier throw, to stop the clock, I doubt Johnson drops an easy pass across the middle.

Sure if Juju catches it, it's moot point, but I like Johnson underneath, but that's Ben he's a risk taker, sometimes you get rewarded sometimes you don't.

 

Favre was 9-30 when throwing 3+ picks, not including playoffs. Bradshaw was 7-18 (2-8 first two years), not including playoffs. Ben is 4-12-1, 0-2 in playoffs. It was interesting to look back at Bradshaw's game logs. He was one inconsistent QB, but came up big when the team needed him.

 

Ben is playing a little scared. Not scared of making mistakes, but scared of being injured. I think you're right about trying to get rid of it too fast. He's throwing it to avoid getting hit as much as to complete the pass. Watch his feet. He isn't planting his back foot when the pocket is collapsing. He is dancing.

And I'm not really complaining about it. I get it. He faced his football mortality and it changed him. He's being cautious with his physical wellbeing. I don't blame him. Now he just needs to find a better balance and the line needs to help him out more.

 

The first pick was whatever. I mean should they have tried a few out routes and get a FG? Looking back now, yes. But I read someone else and they made a good point, at least throw that ball to Claypool.

Second pick happens. Ben was having a lot of balls Batted at the line all game. I said in the game day it was only matter of time.

third pick was straight garbage though. It was triple coverage. Literally zero reason to throw that ball.

that being said there was so much more that was bad than just the picks in the second half. Ben was apparently very angry after the game so I think that’s a good sign.


I see Ben having a monster game next week.

 

I can’t blame him self preservation

 

I thought the same real time and after. We go up 6 and they are desperate, 4 downs, need 7, and can win vs. defense gets a stop, 3 downs, field goal attempt, and OT if need be. I wonder what the statistics say but I do like the 2nd option. Give our d a chance and still got a chance in OT.

 

Some of the fans are acting like they've never seen Ben play before, and this type of throw is out of the ordinary for the self-admitted *Gun Slinger*.

 

It was nice to see Ben testing out his new arm and throwing the ball deep, but I do not think Johnson is going to be the next Brown, that can go up and get the ball and beat the double coverage.

I would have like to seen Washington on some of these deep throws.

 

That throw was to Smith-Schuster, not Johnson.

I agree that Johnson will not be the next Brown. We haven't seen much of him making what Tomlin likes to call combat catches. He doesn't seem to have great hands. What he does have is great quickness. He runs good routes, gets open, and makes plays after the catch.

 

You raise a good point, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a mistake. Roethlisberger has supposedly matured at least a little. He needs to be making the smart throws in those situations. That end was a lot more dramatic than it had to be in part because he made a poor decision.