3rd INT was good for the Steelers?

Not for everyone apparently.

 

It's not a personal post Scribe, just board fodder. What's your opinion on Ben's decision with DJ's first touchdown? Was another receiver more open? (honestly I don't know) Was it a bad decision by Ben to make that throw?

 

As I mentioned above, I don't have a problem with him attempting throws with some risk earlier in the game. In another situation, I wouldn't have a problem with him giving Smith-Schuster a shot on a 50-50 ball with a linebacker. My issue was with doing it in that situation.

 

We would see, maybe not you, Ben getting grilled for piss poor redzone awareness if that is picked. Should have checked down, this guy was open, we need to come away with points not force throws into coverage there. All valid in hindsight, useless in reality.

 

I feel weird agreeing with you. But when you're right, you're right. (Fortunately, that doesn't happen often)

I think there's an even bigger problem at play here. It's not just that throw. Ben is forcing the ball to JuJu. I don't know if he's trying to throw the kid a bone and get him more involved or if he just trusts him a little too much. Remember the public comment he made about a throw to AB and said he should have gone to JuJu instead? I don't remember the specifics, but I remember the comment and subsequent fallout. I haven't noticed him forcing the ball much this season, at least not like last game. That play should not have gone to JuJu in that situation, just like you said. But bigger than that is he's not taking what he's given and following outcomes with higher percentage rates of success. And he definitely didn't do that when the situation demanded it.

(And I'm just jerking your chain about not being right often. No offense intended there, just being ornery, okay?)

 

No offense taken.

I believe that comment was after the disastrous interception at the end of the loss to the Broncos in Denver two years ago.

Roethlisberger had been doing a better job of taking what the defense was giving him in recent games and even early on against the Titans. This team has too many good options for him to be forcing the ball to anybody.

 

And like you said, especially in that situation. It's more than obvious I'm not a fan of Tomlin's, but I do appreciate his mantra of situational awareness. We just need more of it to become ingrained in the playcalling and execution.

 

It is rarely if ever better to turn the ball over, and certainly not when your team is up by 3, needs only A FIRST DOWN to win the game.
Stop acting like the choices were between kicking a field goal or throwing an INT. Ben should have hit Ebron underneath, or even the crossing receiver. If we pick up the first, we run out the clock completely, or at least so low that a hail mary would have been the only option for the Titans.
Don't believe me that it was a terrible decision? Look at Ben shaking his head while watching the INT on his tablet. He knew he screwed up. it happens. he's still a great QB, but we won't win a super bowl with such poor decision making.