Flacco now significantly outplaying Ben

Yup. He has choked - which is why IMO while Manning is great, he's not Brady, Montana, Bradshaw or Aikman in my book because he fails in the biggest spots and fails badly.

 

Well, since they just grow on trees, it should be no problem replacing Ben with one. Who in their right minds wouldn't want a Elit QB in that situation? Ben was a top 10 QB this year. 23teams would have loved to have him this year. I just think the Steelers got out coached in this game.

 

Ah yes Aikman, an elite QB. Until they built a complete team in Dallas, he won what, 10 games in his first 3 years?

 

Any great QB has a good team around him - do you think Ben was 15-1 in 2004 because of him or the team around him?

Elite QBs can win games when it's on their shoulders - Ben did that in 43.

 

Pretty sure flaccid was wearing makeup tonight

 

Which makes it all the more digusting that Flacco now has a better playoff record than Ben. Do you think Flacco has had the better team around him for their careers?

 

I don't think our OL matches up well with the ravens front seven. We have very average tackles out there trying to block Suggs and Dummervile and it's a mismatch no matter who try's to block Ngata.

 

Yeah well duh Ben is 3-1 against flaccid head to balls and Ben has 2 Super Bowls to his 1 duhh flaccid played the better game but he only was touched by our defence when he tripped himself I could've been blind and been as affective

 

Also, that INT that was dropped. Would love to hear how they would have spun an INT by the Greatest Playoff QB Ever!

 

The difference between Flaco and Ben was the ravens had a better pass rush, and when we did hurry Flaco he threw it into the ground. When Ben got hurried he took a sack. He has got to at times feel the rush and throw it away. I know that is not his style but taking all those sacks you got to do something different,

 

Ravens are like 5 players deep at the DT spots, and they are all giant bruisers. Their offensive line always keeps Flacco clean as well. I just don't get why their lines are always more dominate in every game we play against them? We just aren't bringing in the type of players who can compete with that. Even the games where we came out on top it wasn't because we were controlling the line of scrimmage.

 

They do when the "Ben is Elite" discusion comes up. Not arguing one way or the other. Just saying.

 

As much as Ben had a poor day, his line didn't help, Heath had a poor day, no running game, and the WR's were wearing DB's like gloves. Even if Ben was on his "A" game he couldn't have done a lot.

 

Heath was very Un-Heath-like yesterday. He may be showing his age. Time for a new TE draft pick?

 

Yes, just mentioned this in another thread; the old warrior needs to retire.

 

This board is awesome and I think we all are realizing the Steelers Front Office has a lot of critical decisions to make this offseason. Their decisions this offseason will decide the course for the team for the next 5 years and their future of being average or a Super Bowl contender. With the challenges we have at the O line, D back field, and RB position (only Bell) I would hope all options are on the table to get us back to a dominating force.

We may not like what happens during the offseason but we can once again debate items on this board as transactions occur and during next years season.

Thanks everyone for your point of view during the season and I have enjoyed reading all posts. Keep posting and making this the best Steelers message board on the internet.

I am glad I am not in the Steeler Front Office with the decisions ahead of them

 

Ben didn't put the ball in the end zone enough early and left the Cards in the game.

The defense held the Cards in check through most of the game - look at the points they put up against everyone else - and added a 100-yard epic pick six.

Yes, he had one of the best drives and best plays in Super Bowl history but he's been little more than average in the three SBs he's played in. Elite QBs have their best games in the big games and I'm not sure you can say that about him.

 

Our WR's were covered by their no name secondary like gloves.

 

I'll answer your question - over the last 5 years Flacco has definitely had a better team around him than Ben. The Ravens at this point in time are a better run organization than Pittsburgh period. They manage the cap much better and are far more shrewd (kind of like the Pats) in getting rid of guys.

 

You can't judge a QB on championships alone, yes it should factor in and be a consideration, but by your judgment Dan Marino and Johnny Unitas aren't in the criteria for greatest of all time and many would think they do deserve consideration. Keep in mind Troy Aikman arguably had the greatest RB and greatest offensive line in front of him for those glory years...when that line started getting old Aikman was awful and completely incapable of carrying a team on his shoulders....the guy did nothing to elevate mediocre Cowboy teams of the late 90's.

Bradshaw was a complete superstar on the big stage, but he had the luxury of probably the greatest defense over a period of years in the 70's to back up his regular season miscues (Ben to some extent did as well).

Brady won his championships during years where the Patriot's defenses were Top 10 in yards allowed per game and Top 5 in points per game. Brady elevates the team to a contender alone, but not enough to win championships.

Montana was a superstar on a team absolutely loaded with superstars as well.

 

i dont want to make any excuses for Ben, but when you loose a guy like Bell who not only is one of the top rb's in the game, he is also one of if not the top receiving rb in the game an one of the best at picking up the blitz, your gonna struggle.

i know other guys loose weapons, but he was such a huge part of their success and him not playing hurt and we all saw the results.

that 1st int Ben threw wasnt a perfect pass, but i bet Bell makes that catch. Bell may of even picked up that unblocked rusher and Ben never is pressured and forced to get rid of it.

they missed Bell in that game. he was the guy they couldnt afford to loose.

 

And he hit super fast mike wallace right in his hands for a 1st down and he dropped it against GB

 

I agree. Gradkowski + Bell > Ben +harris, lolarcher, tate. If Ben was injured instead of Bell. I actually have faith in grad, Steelers usually have good backup qb's.

 

Well after this preseason I was scared chittless of our BU qbs. Grad only was in two plays. I think we should have left him in. Ben said he had whiplash, I think he had whipcussion

 

I'll say it again, if #7 can survey the field he will win but when he has to move as soon as he drops back it isn't good. If the o-line can keep 4 at bay making them send 5 or 6 then #7 will shred them but when 4 guys get pressure quick it lets the LBers close cover to keep the short passing game at bay. Did you see the Jets and cheatriots game? They sacked Brady and hasseled him and the jets had the game won but no offense at all lost it for them but the Jets gave Brady fits because they didn't allow him time for Gronk to get open. The ratbirds did the same to us, the front 4 just killed us, Gilbert had no answer for Dummerville, and Beachum and Heath together couldn't stop Suggs and Nagta was pushing the pocket without Foster or Decastro help, it was bad and no QB could play like that just like Manning, he hasn't looked to good the last few games and he chokes miserably in big games, Ben is 10-5 in post season, Manning has a losing record, I'm tired of this.