Little Ben Is Inconsistent, the Truth Hurts

[NW Steeler]

Re: Little Ben Is Inconsistent, the Truth Hurts

So one SB berth from 1981-2003, and three in seven years since Ben got here and fans want to use 1981-2003's "success" as a means to downplay Ben's achievements?

WTF ever. If anything the lack of SB berth's and rings from 1981-2003 enhance Ben's career even more.

I agree. QB play was always the missing link. Enjoy it while it lasts.

[Blockhead]

Re: Little Ben Is Inconsistent, the Truth Hurts

We reached 5 AFCCG's and 1 SB from 1981 to 2003 with mediocre QB play... this is probably why some people don't think Ben is the second coming of jesus at the QB position.

Yep, if Ben was to do the work and become a student of the game and a smart player who still had his physical play when needed and didn't rely on it, we'd have a real elite QB. As of now, Ben's too inconsistent with the sacks, stupid plays and up and down play to be considered elite imo but clearly other can make a case and are entitled to their opinion.

No doubt we needed an improvement at the QB position but there are 15-20 QB's in the league that would have been enough of an improvement to win it all in Pittsburgh imo.

[feltdizz]

Re: Little Ben Is Inconsistent, the Truth Hurts

So one SB berth from 1981-2003, and three in seven years since Ben got here and fans want to use 1981-2003's "success" as a means to downplay Ben's achievements?

WTF ever. If anything the lack of SB berth's and rings from 1981-2003 enhance Ben's career even more.

I could see if the Steelers were cellar dwellers during those 20+ years but they made it to the playoffs 13 times and went to 5 AFCCG's and 1 SB with average QB play.

It's not downplaying Ben's achievements just pointing out the facts...

he didn't go to a bum sauce organization... he went to a team with the best D in the NFL since the 70's.

[papillon]

Re: Little Ben Is Inconsistent, the Truth Hurts

I don't really care if Ben is considered elite or not. He is the perfect fit for our team and we have had a ton of success with him under center.

It's no surprise that the people who thought Ben wasn't elite after winning 2 SB's have the same opinion of his game after losing a SB.

Fans criticizing/debating the QB position shouldn't shock anyone because it's done all the time. Now as far as the Ben debate goes here is my opinion:

We reached 5 AFCCG's and 1 SB from 1981 to 2003 with mediocre QB play... this is probably why some people don't think Ben is the second coming of jesus at the QB position.

However, when you look at the stats over the first 7 years it's hard to argue his elite status.

The real question is if Ben has hit the ceiling or is there room for him to grow and become a better QB?

With good to great quarterback play the Steelers have been to 4 AFCCG/3 SBs and won two of them in 7 years. I would say with this level of quarterback play for another 15 years the Steelers will exceed 5 AFFCGs and 1 SB (they've already exceeded the SBs)

No one believes he's the second coming (well, except for one poster :P ), but it's difficult to argue with the success that the team is having with Ben under center, regardless of how you classify him.

When you think about it, Ben is the model of consistency over his career, 7 years, 5 playoff berths and only twice out of the running. That is consistent where I come from, you don't judge consistency with a small sample size of say 4 consecutive games, but you judge it over time and over time Ben and the Steelers are what every other team desires to be.

If some of the folks that are Steeler fans would take a step back and put themselves in any other teams shoes over the past 7 years they will find that no team (except the Patriots and Colts) have had the consistent success that the Steelers have had. The Colts have been in the playoffs all of those years and the Pats all but one, the Steelers all but two and only the Steelers have been in the Super Bowl three times in those 7 years. That's as good as it gets guys and gals; that's consistency and I hope that the Steelers can continue that consistency for another 7 years, but it will be a daunting task to replicate.

The success is not all because of Ben to be sure, but he was the final piece that put the team on its current track of winning, winning playoff games and winning Super Bowls.

Many teams like the Chargers come into the season with high expectations and have typically under performed, the Texans, Cowboys, Giants and Bengals as well (can throw in the Ravens too).

The defense making Ben great doesn't hold water; the Chargers were #1 on offense and #1 on defense this past year and weren't even in the playoffs.

Only the following teams have been in the playoffs more than the Steelers have been in the Super Bowl over the past 7 years: Colts (7), Pats(6), Chargers (5), Eagles (5), Pack (4), Seahawks (4), Giants (4) and Ravens (4)

If you're more obsessed with finding fault with Ben or Lebeau or Arians or Tomlin or [insert whipping boy dujour], well, fine, you are missing a great time to be a Steeler fan.

Pappy

[ScoreKeeper]

Re: Little Ben Is Inconsistent, the Truth Hurts

Great post Pappy.

[Oviedo]

Re: Little Ben Is Inconsistent, the Truth Hurts

If you're more obsessed with finding fault with Ben or Lebeau or Arians or Tomlin or [PAPPY], well, fine, you are missing a great time to be a Steeler fan.

You were right...good post

[Crash]

Re: Little Ben Is Inconsistent, the Truth Hurts

What's sad is most of the resentment is because they now want to protect Bradshaw's legacy. A legacy they didn't care about when they were booing him and when he avoided Pittsburgh for 20 years.

Ben will get the same treatment, people will only appreciate him once he's no longer here.

Yay, they went to 5 AFC title games from 1981-2003.

Fails in comparison to the four in 7 years that Ben has been to, no?

"Fans" who are so hell bent on trying to downplay Ben's career should just shut up. Because all they do when they talk with their gibberish is prove Ben's value even more.

[Crash]

Re: Little Ben Is Inconsistent, the Truth Hurts

he didn't go to a bum sauce organization... he went to a team with the best D in the NFL since the 70's.

What does the 70's have to do with now?

NOTHING!

What do the 1982-84, '89 Steelers playoff teams have to do with now?

NOTHING!

Trying to lump the success of the Steelers of the 1970's/early 90's as a way to downplay Ben would be like me trying to excuse the Pirates for now because of how they dominated the 1970's.

The Steelers played 71 seasons prior to Ben's arrival.

They made the playoffs 21 times in 71 seasons.

Ben's made them five times in seven and won two titles.

This team was founded in 1933. Not 1972 when the ball hit Jack Tatum.

You want to lump stuff together? Use all of it then.

This is a QB driven league, of the 26 playoff seasons the Steelers have had Ben and Bradshaw combine for 14 of them and Bradshaw hasn't played in almost 30 years.

That's not a coincidence. It also shows how bad this team was prior to 1972 as well as for the majority of the 1980's and 1990 and 1991.

[Crash]

Re: Little Ben Is Inconsistent, the Truth Hurts

Yep, if Ben was to do the work and become a student of the game and a smart player who still had his physical play when needed and didn't rely on it, we'd have a real elite QB

You don't know Ben. You don't know how much work he does.

Until you provide facts? Shut it.

I don't want Ben to be Peyton Manning, Ben performs in the playoffs.

[ScoreKeeper]

Re: Little Ben Is Inconsistent, the Truth Hurts

Bring back Bubby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[birtikidis]

Re: Little Ben Is Inconsistent, the Truth Hurts

So one SB berth from 1981-2003, and three in seven years since Ben got here and fans want to use 1981-2003's "success" as a means to downplay Ben's achievements?

WTF ever. If anything the lack of SB berth's and rings from 1981-2003 enhance Ben's career even more.

I didn't read that about the 81-03 seasons. who ever said our qb play was even decent during that time is a moron. Our running game carried us for so long that we forgot what a good qb looked like.

[feltdizz]

Re: Little Ben Is Inconsistent, the Truth Hurts

he didn't go to a bum sauce organization... he went to a team with the best D in the NFL since the 70's.

What does the 70's have to do with now?
NOTHING!

Oops.. my bad. I forgot you can't talk about the Steelers before Ben was drafted.

6 year rule... how could I forget

[feltdizz]

Re: Little Ben Is Inconsistent, the Truth Hurts

I didn't read that about the 81-03 seasons. who ever said our qb play was even decent during that time is a moron. Our running game carried us for so long that we forgot what a good qb looked like.

...and reaching 5 AFCCG's and SB berth's with that kind of QB play is one of the reasons some question Ben's elite status.

[birtikidis]

Re: Little Ben Is Inconsistent, the Truth Hurts

I didn't read that about the 81-03 seasons. who ever said our qb play was even decent during that time is a moron. Our running game carried us for so long that we forgot what a good qb looked like.

...and reaching 5 AFCCG's and SB berth's with that kind of QB play is one of the reasons some question Ben's elite status.

so you were happy with mark malone, bubby and all the other turds we had? if we had even a decent qb Cowher would have won multiple super bowls. Ben will never be statistically elite, but really, who wants stats? not me.

[Crash]

Re: Little Ben Is Inconsistent, the Truth Hurts

...and reaching 5 AFCCG's and SB berth's with that kind of QB play is one of the reasons some question Ben's elite status.

Um, 5 AFC title games and 1 AFC title, in 23 years isn't that good.

Oops.. my bad. I forgot you can't talk about the Steelers before Ben was drafted.

"As a black man I don't even recognize sports before blacks were allowed on the field."

-feltdizz February 21 2010.

So it's OK for YOU to not recognize sports because blacks didn't play but then you get PO'd because I say the success of the 1970's team has nothing to do with Ben?

That makes sense.