Time To Blame Ben

[flippy]

To his credit, he usually takes the blame. But he also kinda deserves it. Hopefully this is the tuneup he needed to get ready for the stretch run.

He basically did squat until garbage time. And his 2 turnovers leading to 14 points were more than San Diego's margin of victory.

I do think we brought him back too early because I've never seen the guy playing like he was afraid of contact in the first part of the game. But it's good to have him ready for Cincy.

We can still drop 1 more game as long as we beat Cincy. Heck we might be able to drop more if Cincy drops more too. Although I'd prefer a little momentum going into the playoffs.

On a positive note, there won't be any bad teams in the playoffs, so we might be ok if we can just manage to get there.

[pittpete]

Howb is it Bens fault when he was running for his life most of the first half and they ran on obvious running downs and passed on obvious passing downs.
I respectively disagree with this flipp.

[JAR]

Amazing.....

[flippy]

Howb is it Bens fault when he was running for his life most of the first half and they ran on obvious running downs and passed on obvious passing downs.
I respectively disagree with this flipp.

That's Ben's problem. Sometimes a QB has to be more decisive and just get rid of the ball fast. Haley can help him out, but the buck stops with Ben. And he knows it.

Ben did make the turnovers. And he kept going to Wally to his own detriment. I think he did relatively well given that he looked like he had a gladiator uniform under his jersey and that musta been a little weird.

The point I was really trying to make is, it's a team game. Blame everyone. Everyone else but Ben's been called out so far :)

[Chadman]

Suisham sucks. That is all.

Oh- and Sean Spence did NOTHING!

[Chadman]

Also- some blame MUST go to Norv Turner for not simply laying down & giving up.

[SteelBucks]

Amazing.....

Amazing + 1.

It might be time to dig out the Billy Madison clip.

[Steelhere10]

Sometimes you have to give the other team credit, the Chargers took advantage of a lame offensive game plan.

[Mister Pittsburgh]

I blame Heinz Field's turf. It wasn't the bog we are used to this time of year.

[Sword]

Wasn't Ben's fault at all..This was a poor game plan...
This game plan should have been 90% passing to start the game!!!

[DBR96A]

I can't blame Ben considering he had more rushing yards than any of the RBs, and he couldn't even throw a lateral pass without one of his blockers being pushed into the path of the ball. He was under constant pressure, and the short-yardage running game failed on two 3rd-and-1's and one 4th-and-1 in the first half alone. In all, this illustrates how pathetic the offensive line was. They had zero control of the line of scrimmage. Zero.

[BURGH86STEEL]

Ben deserves a lot of the credit when the offense performs well and a lot of the blame when they don't perform well. Ben didn't play well early in the game vs the Chargers. That seemed to set the tone for the entire game.

[ramblinjim]

Everyone gets fault. Let's not forget I was the starting left tackle for the San Diego Chargers last week and I stone walled James Harrison all day long. DL should have brought every blitz package in his book against that rough shod OLine, played the safety's back and made Rivers wilt under pressure. We should have had ten sacks this game.

[BURGH86STEEL]

Everyone gets fault. Let's not forget I was the starting left tackle for the San Diego Chargers last week and I stone walled James Harrison all day long. DL should have brought every blitz package in his book against that rough shod OLine, played the safety's back and made Rivers wilt under pressure. We should have had ten sacks this game.
It appeared that there were times Rivers was under pressure and appeared to get rid of the ball just before he was hit. The Chargers offense seemed to be as bad as the Steelers offense early in the game. I thought the Steelers defense did good job keep the Chargers out of the end zone considering the Chargers had good field position for most of the first half. If I remember correctly, Chargers had good field position because the Steelers offense couldn't sustain any drives.

[ikestops85]

It appeared that there were times Rivers was under pressure and appeared to get rid of the ball just before he was hit. The Chargers offense seemed to be as bad as the Steelers offense early in the game. I thought the Steelers defense did good job keep the Chargers out of the end zone considering the Chargers had good field position for most of the first half. If I remember correctly, Chargers had good field position because the Steelers offense couldn't sustain any drives.

That was my take on the game also.

[hawaiiansteel]

Big Ben says it’s time to go

By F. Dale Lolley
published dec 13, 2012

http://ORweb.SX2.atl.publicus.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=OR&Date=20121213&Category=SPORTS0403&ArtNo=121219726&Ref=AR&q=100&maxw=550&maxh=500

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger feels as though the team needs to put a multitude of distractions behind it. “It’s time to pick it up and go,” Roethlisberger said.

PITTSBURGH – Between injuries, suspensions and holdouts, the Steelers have had more than their share of potential distractions this season.

The way the Steelers see it, they’ve turned the corner, even if that turn came on just two wheels, and are ready to begin their drive toward the postseason.

“That’s a good way to put it, turning the corner on two wheels,” said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. “But I think the turn is over. I think we’re going to settle down on four, kick it into four-wheel drive and get going.”

The Steelers (7-6) swear that the latest drama surrounding the team, the suspension of running back Rashard Mendenhall Tuesday for conduct detrimental to the team, won’t be a factor in their preparations for Sunday’s game at Dallas (7-6).

“I think those are reasons (when) you lose,” said Steelers safety Ryan Clark. “If we were three games better, it’s not talked about as much. It’s more about the way we overcame adversity, or drama. I think the words change and the language used about what we’ve been through changes.”

Mendenhall was suspended by head coach Mike Tomlin for one game after not showing up for last Sunday’s loss to San Diego when he learned that he would be inactive.

But it’s not been the lone issue surrounding the Steelers, who have been inconsistent, this season.

Wide receiver Mike Wallace did not report to training camp while in a contract dispute, while rookie nose tackle Alameda Ta’amu was arrested Oct. 14 after he allegedly evaded police while driving intoxicated and struck several parked cars, injuring one person, on Pittsburgh’s South Side, drawing a two-game suspension. He was later waived and signed to the team’s practice squad.

And then there are the injuries.

Pittsburgh’s starters have missed a total of 44 games to injuries this season, not including players such as offensive tackle Mike Adams, who were hurt after replacing other injured players.

“I think more than anything, the most drama we’ve had is injuries, not so much people going on IR, but missing games,” said Clark. “That’s probably been a lot more difficult to overcome than a guy not coming to a football game, or a guy not coming to training camp, or a guy who has never played a snap in a regular game missing time because of something that happened off the field.”

One of the biggest issues surrounding the Steelers coming into this season was how it would respond to a loss of veteran leaders such as Hines Ward, James Farrior and Aaron Smith, who all retired after 2011.

And because of the injury issues the team has had, a number of younger players are being counted upon to play increased roles.

Roethlisberger feels it is incumbent upon the team’s veterans to show the younger guys how to play with an increased sense of urgency and tune out possible distractions, not through words, but through actions.

“I think you’ll see from guys who have been around here a while that it’s that time, you’ll start seeing some leaders step up in how to practice, how to get ready for games,” Roethlisberger said. “Hopefully, young guys will take some cues from that.

“It’s that time of year. I know that me in particular and some guys who have been around here, you’re going to start seeing a different mindset and mentality that it’s that time of year. In years past, nobody has had to say it, because we have had so many guys that have done it before. It’s time to pick it up and go. I think we have some veteran guys who will do that. We’ve got to get the young guys to do the same.”

Odds and end zones

The Steelers on Wednesday released wide receiver David Reed from their practice squad and signed wideouts David Gilreath and Derek Moye and cornerback Isaiah Green. … Linebacker LaMarr Woodley, who has missed the past two games with an ankle injury, was a full participant in practice Wednesday. … Corner Cortez Allen has a groin injury, not a hip flexor injury as reported by Tomlin Tuesday. … In addition to Allen, corners Ike Taylor (anke) and Keenan Lewis (hip), offensive linemen Mike Adams (ankle) and Willie Colon (knee), linebacker James Harrison (illness), safety Troy Polamalu (coach’s decision) and wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (shoulder) did not practice Wednesday.

http://www.observer-reporter.com/article/20121213/SPORTS0403/121219726#.UMljVM2FEmw

[hawaiiansteel]

One day after Ben Roethlisberger asserted his leadership by publicly challenging his teammates to play better in Dallas than they did while losing badly to San Diego, tackle Max Starks confirmed the quarterback is the vocal leader of the offense. Until recent seasons, Roethlisberger often deferred to the Steelers‘ numerous veterans. You have guys like Larry Foote, James Harrison and Brett Keisel, those are probably your defensive vocal guys,” Starks said. “I think on offense you have more of a Ben-type. … I don‘t need to give a rah-rah speech. Let your play dictate itself over anything else.

“Heath (Miller) is also one of those guys that is a consummate professional and shows you how to do it; not a lot of words but plays bigger than his voice.”

http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/3118463-85/games-season-colon#ixzz2F4BV2vpV