Ben is back

A 3rd round QB doesn't have a ton of expectation on him anyway. I'm looking at his footwork in the pocket. His arm strength. His decision making, and none of that showed me a thing about being a guy that is capable of being a starting QB. Now I'm no coach nor am I a QB aficionado but I can recognize talent I think and he does not seem to have that talent. I hope I'm wrong. I'm the kind of guy that doesn't want any steeler on the roster to fail just to prove me right. As to Dupree we'll see how he performs this year. I'm not a huge Bud fan either but he seemed to prove me wrong me finally after 4 years. I'm with you in hoping Rudolph can be the guy here. He reminds me to much of guys named Brister, Malone, etc. for me to feel comfortable with him. But on we go

 

he may have been fat. the media may have encouraged him to loose weight. good job for both

 

I heard they found ramen noodles hidden in Ben’s beard.

 

I like the picture of your dog

 

Thanks, he was a stray.

I can't figure out how to straighten it. He looks like he fell over. He’s blind but as happy as can be.

 

I love folks that rescue dogs. My two pits are both rescues. your dog is lucky to have someone that loves him

 

Currently have 3 rescue/stray/etc. Have had more over the years. I’m glad a Buffalo never showed up at my door. I’d have broken furniture.

 

LOL you sound like me. I used to bring stray dogs home all the time. My dad always had 5 or six pitbulls on the tiny farm we had so they took care of the groundhogs in the garden. When I would get home from school they would be out in the garden and when they saw me all of them would come running over to the bus. I would try to run to the porch before they caught me but never remember making it.

 

Season one people expected him to be duck hodges, a game and a half into season two they expected him to be ben.

 

Charlie Batch was a veteran qb. He knew the system. He wasn't a top tier qb, but yes, I was much more comfortable with Batch backing up Ben. I think the question you should be asking is if you'd rather have a 30 year old Batch backing up Ben right now or what we currently have. If you say anything other than a resounding yes, then give me some of what you're smoking, because it must be potent.

 

I think a lot of the media are doubting Ben. I'm hoping this serves as a huge motivation for him this season.

 

I hope you're on to something there. My homer-optimism has me thinking that he got another dose of his football mortality and lit that fire again. He came back after the bike wreck and the appendectomy with a vengeance. The beginning of 2006 was a nightmare for him, but he rebounded with one of his best seasons ever in 2007. Hopefully, we get another such rebound in 2020.

 

I never had that expectation. I had expected some barely recognizable completeness. There was none. I simply think he has no ability to be a starting QB in the NFL that's all. Landry Jones was supposed to be good according to the Steelers. Where is he now? You comfortable going into the year with Rudolph and Hodges as the backups? I'm not. If Ben goes down we are in huge trouble.

 

Loved seeing the video. This is getting me pumped up for the season. I just hope his arm will hold up for the season!

 

He is going for #8 Glory Days,

Coming this season:

8x division champ, 4th SB, 3rd Lombardi, SB Mvp.
What u got Lamar?
ZERO, nil, nadda playoff wins
"Can't win the big one" label.

 

Fifth season. And I was not on that bandwagon wanting to give Dupree a contract and believe he is way overpaid on that franchise tag in which I was not in favor of either. Unfortunately they didn't have a replacement for Dupree. Hopefully Hightower is just that.

 

Hey Thigpen82.

I do not think that we have chatted in a while. I hope all is okay with you and your loved ones.

I hear what you were saying. Ironically, I was thinking about what you were saying about the Batch comparison. We are actually on the same page about Batch. The difference as you stated is the amount of time that Batch was around vs. Mason and Duck and Hodges. I have been in the Mason camp from day one as well as the other two. As I have always said if you don the B & G I am pulling for you.

Given that, the big factor is time. We just do not have enough of it on our side to trial and error with our current back-ups if Ben goes down. As I have stated, we are stacked on the "D". For the "O" I feel very, very good about what we have I broke our sub-groups down by position in another thread. I am not sure what some may be looking at but our WR, TE, RB and O-Line are right there. All is good for 10/11 positions on the "O". As you know, it is all going to come down to the QB play. As I stated it is unfortunate, but the reality is so much hinges on that one player for that one position. The O" suffered last season for the following reasons:

• No competent QB.
• Injuries throughout the season that plagued the skilled position players on the "O". They were rarely, maybe two games at the most, on the field for an entire game. These are all young that need critical snaps and to build chemistry.
• Lack of usage of the TE. Still scratching my head there.
• Some kind of lapse for the O-Line; which I feel they will bounce back from.

All of the above are manageable.

Back to the Batch/Mason comparison. Maybe Mason can be that guy. I hope so. However, as I stated time is not on our side. As you know each season is different. The composition of the 53 guys will change. We cannot afford to waste anymore time with out a competent QB. Now whether that is Ben, or for me I wanted Andy Dalton, or whomever to fill these shoes. Again, if Ben has any setback whatsoever we will in all likelihood see a repeat of last season's movie with another year wasted of all of this GREAT talent on both sides of the ball. Here are the problems again with no competent QB

• Ben and the whole team will be another year older.
• The young guys growth will continue to be stunted.
• The chemistry of the team will continue to be upheld.
• Contracts draft and other personnel issues will arise as they always do with each year.

If we have a competent QB, man I hope it is Ben, we are in a great position IMO to get a ring. Without him the drop-off is very, very significant with the options currently on this roster. I am not willing to sacrifice another year without Ben or a competent QB. IMO, we blew it with Dalton. His price tag came down dramatically. I realize that he stated he wanted to be closer to home by going to Dallas. IMO any one can be persuaded if the offer is too good to pass up. He knows our division he has had success against the browns and the rats. He has good career statistics. He would be coming to a proven winner with a great tradition and atmosphere.

Oh well, he made his decision. If I was Management I would have pushed the issue harder with him. Maybe they did. I would not know. I just feel that he would have been he a great fit. Some argued he would not want to be a back-up. Newsflash: For now that is what he is. Plus Dalton could eventually become our starter once Ben's contract runs out if that is the way Management wants to play it.

I realize I went a bit off tangent but that is the truth of the matter without a proven back-up for now and until Mason or someone else can step up. Just not good all the way around without a competent QB at the helm and a proven backup just in case.


STEELWINDS AKA The East Side Kid

 

His looks are meaningless to me but why the hell would a man want to deal with caring for that bush. I guess it's better then shaving all the time.

 

To be fair one has been in the league a lot longer then the other but IMO no way Lamar has the career Ben has had.

 

Doing well in the circumstances, ESK, thanks.

I see what you’re saying about needing the winning guy now. I still think that guy won’t be here until Ben goes...

In the meantime, Masons stats stand up fairly well against the other back ups we’ve had in other years.

 

All he has to do is win 1

 

Apparently the governor is upset about the beard trim and haircut. So he won't be on the list for tickets then.

 

Win 1 what? Playoff game? I know you're not thinking SB. He'll get RG III'd before that happens!

 

I can't disagree with any of that...except...I just have a really difficult time getting his numbers to overshadow his actual performance. When you watch him play, there's something missing. Maybe confidence. Maybe ability. Not moxy, because he's got that. He just didn't show "it" to me last season. No, not "it" you douchebags. "It," that indefinable quality that winners have. His stats just couldn't overcome him looking like a deer in the headlights. He wasn't ready. Maybe it wasn't all his fault. But maybe he is exactly what we saw. I don't know. He inspires no confidence, whatsoever. Hopefully that changes.

 

The problem with that to me is that in the almost what 8 to 9 years that they have been developing guys behind Ben we have never gotten to see them run an offense that caters to them they way this system is set up for Ben. I said it with Jones where he was comfortable taking snaps out of the shotgun but was forced to learn how to be under center, now its Mason the same thing. Dobbs was given a shot but not really because they didn't tailor the play calls to his style either. Then you had Ben's injury and Mason was the guy for the season yet the bandaided the playback and just try to protect him instead of trying to mold an offense to what he brings. It is tough to judge r here guys behind Ben when there are limits on them.