fordfixer
09-07-2010, 12:41 AM
Falcons catch a break: Steelers must start No. 3 QB (Dixon)
12:03 am September 7, 2010, by Jeff Schultz
http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/ ... hultz_blog (http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2010/09/07/falcons-catch-a-break-steelers-must-start-no-3-qb-dixon/?cxntfid=blogs_jeff_schultz_blog)
With Ben Roethlisberger (center) suspended and Byron Leftwich (right) out, the Steelers must start the inexperienced Dennis Dixon (left).
With Ben Roethlisberger (center) suspended and Byron Leftwich (right) out, the Steelers must start the inexperienced Dennis Dixon (left).
Any game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, especially on the road, qualifies as a significant test. But the Falcons may be opening the season against the weakest starting quarterback they’ll face all year.
The Steelers announced Monday that Dennis Dixon will start Sunday’s opener against the Falcons. This follows the offseason suspension of Ben Roethlisberger (fortuitous timing for the Falcons) and the recent sprained knee suffered by backup Byron Leftwich.
Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin had two choices: 1) Start Dixon, a former fifth-round draft pick who has started one game in two seasons; or 2) Go with 35-year-old Charlie Batch. Dixon’s athletic skills and the fact he was the more impressive of the two in the preseason won out.
The last regular season pass Dixon threw was intercepted by Baltimore in overtime and set up a deciding field goal in a 20-17 loss to the Ravens. He was starting for Roethlisberger, who missed the game with a concussion (as opposed to during this offseason in Milledgeville when he only acted stupid). Dixon went 12-for-26 in the game.
Roethlisberger, meanwhile, has been stripped of his team captaincy.
I just went down the list of other quarterbacks they will face this season. They are Drew Brees (New Orleans, twice), Aaron Rogers (Green Bay), Joe Flacco (Baltimore), Carson Palmer (Cincinnati), Derek Anderson (Arizona), Matt Hasselbeck (Seattle), Alex Smith (San Francisco), Jake Delhomme (Cleveland), Kevin Kolb (Philadelphia), Matt Moore (Carolina, twice), Josh Freeman (Tampa Bay, twice) and rookie Sam Bradford (St. Louis).
We can debate the merits of the few of those quarterbacks, but none were expected to be their respective team’s third string quarterback. For the Falcons, this opener is on their defense.
If the Falcons hope to have a successful season – and success means nothing less than a playoff berth – this is not a game they can afford to give away.
12:03 am September 7, 2010, by Jeff Schultz
http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/ ... hultz_blog (http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2010/09/07/falcons-catch-a-break-steelers-must-start-no-3-qb-dixon/?cxntfid=blogs_jeff_schultz_blog)
With Ben Roethlisberger (center) suspended and Byron Leftwich (right) out, the Steelers must start the inexperienced Dennis Dixon (left).
With Ben Roethlisberger (center) suspended and Byron Leftwich (right) out, the Steelers must start the inexperienced Dennis Dixon (left).
Any game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, especially on the road, qualifies as a significant test. But the Falcons may be opening the season against the weakest starting quarterback they’ll face all year.
The Steelers announced Monday that Dennis Dixon will start Sunday’s opener against the Falcons. This follows the offseason suspension of Ben Roethlisberger (fortuitous timing for the Falcons) and the recent sprained knee suffered by backup Byron Leftwich.
Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin had two choices: 1) Start Dixon, a former fifth-round draft pick who has started one game in two seasons; or 2) Go with 35-year-old Charlie Batch. Dixon’s athletic skills and the fact he was the more impressive of the two in the preseason won out.
The last regular season pass Dixon threw was intercepted by Baltimore in overtime and set up a deciding field goal in a 20-17 loss to the Ravens. He was starting for Roethlisberger, who missed the game with a concussion (as opposed to during this offseason in Milledgeville when he only acted stupid). Dixon went 12-for-26 in the game.
Roethlisberger, meanwhile, has been stripped of his team captaincy.
I just went down the list of other quarterbacks they will face this season. They are Drew Brees (New Orleans, twice), Aaron Rogers (Green Bay), Joe Flacco (Baltimore), Carson Palmer (Cincinnati), Derek Anderson (Arizona), Matt Hasselbeck (Seattle), Alex Smith (San Francisco), Jake Delhomme (Cleveland), Kevin Kolb (Philadelphia), Matt Moore (Carolina, twice), Josh Freeman (Tampa Bay, twice) and rookie Sam Bradford (St. Louis).
We can debate the merits of the few of those quarterbacks, but none were expected to be their respective team’s third string quarterback. For the Falcons, this opener is on their defense.
If the Falcons hope to have a successful season – and success means nothing less than a playoff berth – this is not a game they can afford to give away.