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View Full Version : Ben's best magic trick is making receivers appear much better than they are



SteelCrazy
06-24-2014, 09:27 PM
http://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/34762797/20140101_kkt_sh5_140.0_standard_709.0.jpg

The answer is: Hines Ward, Plaxico Burress, Mike Wallace, and Antonio Brown.

The question, obviously, is who are some of the outstanding receivers to play with Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. A solid list, but this isn't exactly Rice, Moss, Owens and Harrison.

Roethlisberger has already shattered every franchise passing record previously held by Terry Bradshaw - a Hall of Fame quarterback with four Super Bowl rings and two Hall of Fame teammates playing receiver. Ben, and his passing era, will leave a gap between himself and Bradshaw nearly one career of Bubby Brister passing stats wide by the time he's done, and he's done this with many different receivers.

How many of them were, you know, actually good? The ones who left didn't exactly re-write records books on their own.

How about Antwaan Randle-El? He left the Steelers after 2005 and signed a seven-year deal with the Washington Redskins for $31 million, including $11.5 million in bonus money. The 'Skins immediately tried to make him a starting receiver, and he ended up starting 48 total games from 2006 to 2009.

However, Randle-El only started 23 games for Pittsburgh. In those 23 games, he tallied 184 receptions, 2,265 yards, and 7 touchdowns. In his 48 starts for Washington, he caught 186 passes for 2,202 yards and 8 touchdowns. Translation? With Roethlisberger at the helm, Randle-El had almost identical statistics as he did with the Redkins, in an astounding 25 less starts.

Nate Washington saw regular spot duty as the No. 3 receiver for the Steelers from 2006 to 2008, but only started seven games in that span. After showing flashes of talent with Big Ben throwing him the ball, Washington cashed in on a six-year, $27 million deal with the Tennesse Titans. Just like Randle-El, he was inserted directly into the starting lineup.

Throughout his duration in Tennessee, Washington has only eclipsed 1,000 yards once, and averages less than 50 yards per game in that time. While his overall statistics are better with the Titans, he's also started 75 games. But he did average more yards per catch with Roethlisberger than he has overall in Tennessee.

He's another one who cashed in off his time with the Steelers even though he hasn't lived up to his deal with the Titans. There's no question playing with Roethlisberger made him look better than he is.

Last but not least, there's Santonio Holmes. The hero and MVP of Super Bowl XLIII. He was a fixture of the Pittsburgh receiving corps and started 48 games in 4 years. Unfortunately, Holmes had some off the field issues, and was traded to the New York Jets in 2010.

Holmes' stat-line with the Steelers is solid. 235 receptions, 3,835 yards, and 20 touchdowns. Compare that to his 41 starts in his injury-riddled tenure with the Jets, and it's not even close. His 146 receptions, 2,128 yards, and 16 touchdowns pale in comparison to what Holmes accomplished with Big Ben.

Of course, it helps to have reliable guys and playmakers. Ward is the best receiver in Steelers history. Burress and Roethlisberger had a fantastic rapport. Wallace and Big Ben were one of the most lethal deep threat combos in the NFL. Brown has emerged as one of the NFL's best all-around receivers and a true #1.

But, behind the #1 guy, Roethlisberger has always made whoever he is throwing to better. This is why there should be no concern what combination of receivers make the 53-man roster in 2014.

Whether it be Markus Wheaton, Martavis Bryant, Justin Brown, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Derek Moye, or C.J. Goodwin - Big Ben will bring the best out of them. He's done it his whole career, and I don't see him stopping anytime soon.

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/pittsburgh-steelers-nfl-features-news-blog/2014/6/24/5839774/steelers-ben-roethlisberger-contract-extension-talks-rumors-2014

SanAntonioSteelerFan
06-25-2014, 01:15 AM
I've thought of this before ... I think Ward is truly something special, but the others, eh.

Being a Spurs fan, I have to say that although I do think Ben has a lot to do with the good receiving corp stats, it may be also that "The System" has a lot to do with that. There is a Steeler Way, and my guess is that people who decide to sign up and embrace it have a one up when they play.

Shawn
06-25-2014, 06:57 AM
Ward and Brown are the only real deal WRs Ben has ever played with.

SteelCrazy
06-25-2014, 09:01 AM
Ward and Brown are the only real deal WRs Ben has ever played with.

Plaxico in his prime, but Ben didnt have a lot of time with him, one season. I think a very good example of Ben making a wr better than they are is Wallace. Mike should give Ben 50% of his salary from the Dolphins.

Shawn
06-25-2014, 09:58 AM
I wouldn't call Plaxico a real deal anymore than Wallace. Both were good but neither were elite.

SteelCrazy
06-25-2014, 12:00 PM
I'll have to agree to disagree on Plax. He was light years ahead of Wallace.

Oviedo
06-25-2014, 12:21 PM
Plaxico in his prime, but Ben didnt have a lot of time with him, one season. I think a very good example of Ben making a wr better than they are is Wallace. Mike should give Ben 50% of his salary from the Dolphins.

I think the Dolphins regret giving Wallace 50% of his salary. Dolphins fans hate the guys and feel he was a bad investment

Shawn
06-25-2014, 01:13 PM
I'll have to agree to disagree on Plax. He was light years ahead of Wallace. The stats disagree with you.

Jigawatts
06-25-2014, 02:03 PM
The stats disagree with you.

Plax is tall

Slapstick
06-25-2014, 02:49 PM
The stats disagree with you.


Do they?

Look at Plaxico the year after he left the Steelers:

76 catches - 1214 yards - 7 TDs

to Wallace last year:

73 catches - 930 yards - 5 TDs

dizzfelt
06-25-2014, 03:01 PM
Ward and Brown are the only real deal WRs Ben has ever played with.

Holmes was pretty darn good at WR for us.

dizzfelt
06-25-2014, 03:03 PM
Do they?

Look at Plaxico the year after he left the Steelers:

76 catches - 1214 yards - 7 TDs

to Wallace last year:

73 catches - 930 yards - 5 TDs

we also need to factor in OC..

BA was vertical so guys like Wallace and Nate Washington had great stats

steelz09
06-25-2014, 03:35 PM
I wouldn't necessarily use the argument that Ben "made" Plax and Holmes. Both were solid players that were 1st round picks. There is a reason they were 1st round picks to begin with.

SteelCrazy
06-25-2014, 03:38 PM
Plax is tall

and he is 6'4"

Shawn
06-25-2014, 04:15 PM
Do they?

Look at Plaxico the year after he left the Steelers:

76 catches - 1214 yards - 7 TDs

to Wallace last year:

73 catches - 930 yards - 5 TDs

Slappy, I expect more from you. You are one of the brighter posters here. Comparing production after they leave with different QBs in different systems is apples to oranges. I want to see what they do with Ben. Wallace had a higher YPC and more TDs with comparable yards with Ben.

Shawn
06-25-2014, 04:16 PM
Holmes was pretty darn good at WR for us. Good, yes.

Slapstick
06-25-2014, 07:42 PM
Slappy, I expect more from you. You are one of the brighter posters here. Comparing production after they leave with different QBs in different systems is apples to oranges. I want to see what they do with Ben. Wallace had a higher YPC and more TDs with comparable yards with Ben.

ummm...isn't the argument that Ben makes WRs look better than they really are?

What better way to compare Wallace and Burress then? If Ben makes WRs look good, why not compare how they look when NOT playing with Ben?

RuthlessBurgher
06-25-2014, 08:07 PM
ummm...isn't the argument that Ben makes WRs look better than they really are?

What better way to compare Wallace and Burress then? If Ben makes WRs look good, why not compare how they look when NOT playing with Ben?

Eli Manning with a good OL vs. Ryan Tannehill behind an OL in utter shambles isn't exactly an apples to apples comparison, though.

Slapstick
06-25-2014, 09:36 PM
Eli Manning with a good OL vs. Ryan Tannehill behind an OL in utter shambles isn't exactly an apples to apples comparison, though.

Perhaps not...

But, again, if the argument is that Ben makes WRs look better than they really are, how does comparing them with Ben refute or support that particular argument?

He made Wallace look more better than he did Plaxico?

dizzfelt
06-26-2014, 02:37 PM
He made Wallace look more better than he did Plaxico?

our offensive philosophy was different with Plax.... we were more ball control and weren't stretching the field like we were under BA. Wallace primarily ran go routes so it appears he was better but he wasn't.

Shawn
06-26-2014, 03:14 PM
I don't think Wallace was better. My statement was a counter that Plax was light years ahead of Wallace and IMO that just isn't the case.

Mr.wizard
06-26-2014, 05:54 PM
I think the Dolphins regret giving Wallace 50% of his salary. Dolphins fans hate the guys and feel he was a bad investment

This is absolutely not true, I live here in palm beach and the talk is about tannehill and their dreadful o-line. I watched every dolphins game last season and mike was opened a lot last season but tannehill couldn't hit anyone. Not to mention the dolphins where hell bent on trying to pound the rock behind a terrible o-line which eventually got the coordinator fired. Dolphins had a ton of problems last season but mike Wallace was not one of them.

SteelCrazy
06-26-2014, 09:35 PM
Talent wise, Plax was way ahead of the game as a pure WR. Wallace wasn't dubbed a one trick pony for no reason. Yes, Tomlin was trying to get more out of him by saying that, but it also happened to be true. Burress could stretch the field, run nice routes and be that red zone threat. Not sure how anyone could grade them out to be the same, but it is all subjective.