Ben Reportedly Has An AC Sprain (Separated Shoulder)

Anyone think this could be a blessing in disguise? Lately he's been forcing the ball to brown and trying to go deep when shorter options were available. This might force him to play more of a short/medium passing game. We all know that he's capable of being deadly when he uses the short and intermediate options more.

 

Yes and no.

Yes I think it could be a blessing because like you said, it would limit him to the more intermediate stuff and ideally cut down on the INT's thrown deep into double coverage.

No because I don't want the defense to sit on the short stuff, and I think the deep game is what makes us so dangerous to defend most games.

I hate to say it, and I mean no ill intent, but if AB is out I think that may be more of blessing if you want Ben to focus more on the shorter options. I think he'd use his reads better if he knew his AB security blanket wasn't available.

 

If Denvers defense knows the steelers are limited to short area passes and dump-offs, that super fast and aggressive defense will destroy us. They weren't number 1 in total Defense, and Sacks and Pressure for nothing.

 

They don't need to know that. First play of the game, have Ben launch it as far as he can. Even if he puts it out of bounds, it will tell the defence that he can and is more than willing to go deep. He doesn't need to throw a deep out, that requires major strength and accuracy, but just have him lob it up for Bryant, or even just put it out of bounds. That could immediately change how the defence plays if they are sitting on the underneath stuff.

But even if they are cheating a bit, Ben can beat them if he plays smart. Take what's open and don't force it to brown, and definitely don't hold the ball and take sacks. He'll get knocked out of the game if he gets sacked too many times, plus sacks have a way of firing up a defence.

Ben is good enough to put the ball where it needs to be and our receivers are good enough to get open. We're going to need Heath in the passing game though and not strictly use him as a blocker. Let a man come in unlocked but immediately pitch it to Heath. Lots of screens and draws too

 

If Ben dosn't improve by Sunday, he can't throw it long. Even that pass to Brown on Saturday, after it, Ben went to Haley and said you can't call that play again..it hurt too much Ben said. And that was barely 15 yards down the field.

 

Yeah, if it's still that bad, were screwed