Ben Picks Receiver Early

[sd steel]

Here is the deal, and don't get me wrong, I love Ben. He has helped win two Super Bowls, and he is a great athlete. But for Mike Wallace to say this only leads me to believe that he isn't reading progressions he isn't looking at other receivers. He has picked his guy before the play starts.

Wallace said:
I can’t even explain it. Probably nobody in the stands thought we were going to score a touchdown except for us. Ben told me he was coming to me before the play. He was like, “just stay alive, I’m going to come to you.” Sure enough, he threw it, and I made a play on it.

I'm not complaining, and maybe Ben said it to all of his receivers, but this wreaks of picking out who you are throwing to before the play ever starts. If that is the case it would account for the reason Ben has so many coverage sacks. He picks a guy and then holds it until he's open. Again, I love Ben and love the Steelers, and he threw for over 500 yards..... but imagine what he could do if he actually read progressions and knew where all of his receivers were. He would be the best ever!

Just a thought, not hating.

[Scarletfire1970]

Well maybe they knew what the defense was giving them and Wallace was their best option.

[Scarletfire1970]

Wallace was Roethlisberger's fifth-and-final option on the play. Looking from right to left, he didn't see any way of getting the ball to Holmes, running back Rashard Mendenhall, tight end Heath Miller or wide receiver Hines Ward. That left Wallace in single coverage against cornerback Josh Bell. He made the catch as he dragged his two feet just inbounds.

Read more: [url="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09355/1022557-87.stm#ixzz0aK1VfWRN"]http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09355/10 ... z0aK1VfWRN[/url]

[DukieBoy]

It was an amazing throw. One of many yesterday. He read the defense and went to the one place he could go with his throw.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

Ben might have meant, especially since he said Wallace gave up on the previous play, "stay heads up, I might depend on you".

As a matter of fact, Wallace was Ben's third or 4th read, according to a post game interview Ben gave (vid on nf.com).

I think it was just a motivational phrase for Wallace, not Ben locking on to one receiver.

[stlrz d]

Wallace was Roethlisberger's fifth-and-final option on the play. Looking from right to left, he didn't see any way of getting the ball to Holmes, running back Rashard Mendenhall, tight end Heath Miller or wide receiver Hines Ward. That left Wallace in single coverage against cornerback Josh Bell. He made the catch as he dragged his two feet just inbounds.

Read more: [url="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09355/1022557-87.stm#ixzz0aK1VfWRN"]http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09355/10 ... z0aK1VfWRN[/url]

I was going to post that same thing. Ben was telling Wallace to be ready in case he had to go to him. Because Wallace was down about dropping that other pass.

In the presser Ben said he looked at EVERY receiver, including the back.

[papillon]

Here is the deal, and don't get me wrong, I love Ben. He has helped win two Super Bowls, and he is a great athlete. But for Mike Wallace to say this only leads me to believe that he isn't reading progressions he isn't looking at other receivers. He has picked his guy before the play starts.

Wallace said:
I can’t even explain it. Probably nobody in the stands thought we were going to score a touchdown except for us. Ben told me he was coming to me before the play. He was like, “just stay alive, I’m going to come to you.” Sure enough, he threw it, and I made a play on it.

I'm not complaining, and maybe Ben said it to all of his receivers, but this wreaks of picking out who you are throwing to before the play ever starts. If that is the case it would account for the reason Ben has so many coverage sacks. He picks a guy and then holds it until he's open. Again, I love Ben and love the Steelers, and he threw for over 500 yards..... but imagine what he could do if he actually read progressions and knew where all of his receivers were. He would be the best ever!

Just a thought, not hating.

Considering that the Packers were playing in the endzone with their safeties the best place to look is to the sideline where there's a good chance you get a 1-on-1 matchup. In this case, it was our 3rd best receiver vs the Packers worst cornerback and that's about as favorable a matchup as you can expect in that situation.

Based on the way Wallace ran the route he was Ben's last option, he never went to top speed and all he tried to do was shield the defender and make the catch on a ball thrown where only he could make the catch.

Ben also knew he had Wallace on the play before and put a bit too much heat on the throw it went through Wallace's hande before he knew what happened.

Pappy

[flippy]

The Packers had to be thinking Hines, Santonio, or Heath would be the target and Wallace only had one catch on the day. He probably just knew he was going to be the best option and prepared him to keep his head in the game.

[skyhawk]

The Packers had to be thinking Hines, Santonio, or Heath would be the target and Wallace only had one catch on the day. He probably just knew he was going to be the best option and prepared him to keep his head in the game.

Just brilliant leadership by Ben in my opinion.