Ben had 7 game winning drives last year.

[Joel Buchsbaum]

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RoetBe00.htm

Ben had 7 game winning drives last year, which are 4th quarter drives that put us ahead for good, and 6 4th quarter comebacks. Career highs by a good margin. We were very close in a lot of games, and basically won them all. This is rare in football, and odds are we won't be seeing this again. Bye Ben, you'll be missed. If we spilt these games we end up a losing record. A bad one. That's how close we were to a 5-11-1 season. Our margin of error with a low scoring offense was next to zero. It a good thing Ben didn't turn the ball over often. Just saying.

[WindyCitySteel]

As you imply, those kinds of things are not sustainable year over year, but the makeup of this team has changed markedly on the OL and of course with a new QB, so I think this year is a blank slate, at least on offense.

[feltdizz]

The reason for so many comebacks was 3 quarters of terrible offense.

Most blame Canada but I think it was a combination. No way a QB like Ben follows marching orders until the 4th quarter. It was the Ali rope-a-dope.

[Northern_Blitz]

Ben was special.

He'd slipped a fair bit by the end.

But he always had the heart of a lion.

I didn't want us to bring him back, but it was nice to see the comebacks. And to see him beat the Brown and Rats a couple more times.

[Northern_Blitz]

The reason for so many comebacks was 3 quarters of terrible offense.

Most blame Canada but I think it was a combination. No way a QB like Ben follows marching orders until the 4th quarter. It was the Ali rope-a-dope.

I agree that it was both of them.

Hopefully we can carry more leads into the 4th this year. And that Canada will be better with an O that supposedly fits what he wants

[Joel Buchsbaum]

The reason for so many comebacks was 3 quarters of terrible offense.

Most blame Canada but I think it was a combination. No way a QB like Ben follows marching orders until the 4th quarter. It was the Ali rope-a-dope.

The odds are with a new QB ( Rookie or Turbisky ) and more risk in the passing game we turn the ball over more often. Harris will likely lose a fumble this season too. I'm saying we won't be able to replicate that type of success in terms of the 4th quarter game winning drives and comebacks. Losing Ben will hurt more than we think.

[WindyCitySteel]

The odds are with a new QB ( Rookie or Turbisky ) and more risk in the passing game we turn the ball over more often. Harris will likely lose a fumble this season too. I'm saying we won't be able to replicate that type of success in terms of the 4th quarter game winning drives and comebacks. Losing Ben will hurt more than we think.

Odds are they put up more than 23 PPG, too.

[feltdizz]

The odds are with a new QB ( Rookie or Turbisky ) and more risk in the passing game we turn the ball over more often. Harris will likely lose a fumble this season too. I'm saying we won't be able to replicate that type of success in terms of the 4th quarter game winning drives and comebacks. Losing Ben will hurt more than we think.

Harris only had one fumble at Bama. Odda are he probably has a fumble again this year with all the touches.

But one can also say Minkah will have more INT’s since he was down last year.

We really have no idea how our turnover rate will play out. Of course it makes sense you would think worse instead of better.

Some folks are optimistic, others pessimistic.

But I’m more focused on PPG and better offensive production in the first half.

[BURGH86STEEL]

I think one of Ben's main issues was he could no longer push the ball down the field accurately and consistently. I think the Oline was probably a factor in Ben's in his " after football" quality of life decisions on the field.

Don't know if the stats back me up.

[whisper]

https://www.pro-football-reference.c...R/RoetBe00.htm

Ben had 7 game winning drives last year, which are 4th quarter drives that put us ahead for good, and 6 4th quarter comebacks. Career highs by a good margin. We were very close in a lot of games, and basically won them all. This is rare in football, and odds are we won't be seeing this again. Bye Ben, you'll be missed. If we spilt these games we end up a losing record. A bad one. That's how close we were to a 5-11-1 season. Our margin of error with a low scoring offense was next to zero. It a good thing Ben didn't turn the ball over often. Just saying.

That's all but 2 wins. Wowzie. We better not screw around in games next year for 3 quarters a game. We won't have Ben to save us.

[Ernie]

Ben was bottom tier last year. His lack of mobility and vertical accuracy severely limited our playbook... and made us one of the easiest teams in the league to game plan against.

Our roster should be better this year from top to bottom...
Which may not translate to wins given the strength of our division..

[flippy]

That's all but 2 wins. Wowzie. We better not screw around in games next year for 3 quarters a game. We won't have Ben to save us.

And we won’t have Ben to put us behind after 3 Qs every game either.

[whisper]

And we won’t have Ben to put us behind after 3 Qs every game either.

Hmmm, some question the offensive calls given for the 1st three quarters as to what led to the deficit all those games.

[Ernie]

Hmmm, some question the offensive calls given for the 1st three quarters as to what led to the deficit all those games.

Excellent point.. and the million dollar question is.. why? Was it due to Ben's limitations... Canada's ineptitude, or a combination of both?

[WindyCitySteel]

HOF QB can check out of play calls, or progress past his first read. He often threw short of the sticks on 3rd down when other receivers were open or breaking open past them.