Ben: "We'll Be Running The Ball A Lot More, So Fans Should Be Happy"

[Slapstick]

The Steelers were 10th in passing and 14th in rushing.

That's balance.

Again, if one won't admit to how only forcing 15 turnovers all year on defense affects offensive scoring in this NFL? Don't waste my time.

The Steelers passed 56% of the time and ran only 44% of the time. That's not balance...

If you don't want me to waste your time, then don't read my posts...

Isn't that what you tell other posters?

[Crash]

The Steelers passed 56% of the time and ran only 44% of the time. That's not balance...

You think 56% passing is too high when you have an alleged top 5 QB behind center?

If you believe that, you can't possibly want Roethlisberger and his $15 mil a year cap hit on this team.

[Slapstick]

You think 56% passing is too high when you have an alleged top 5 QB behind center?

If you believe that, you can't possibly want Roethlisberger and his $15 mil a year cap hit on this team. [/COLOR]

Nice straw man argument!

Try again with something legit...

[Crash]

Nice straw man argument!

Try again with something legit...

It's a valid question. Like I told you before, if you want close to 50% TOTAL, then there is no way you'd pay a QB $15 mil a year to hand off all day.

It's not worth the cost. You'd be short-changing your own team.

If you want a game manager, go pay Leftwich.

[fezziwig]

I'm a huge Ben Roethlisberger fan, but he continues to irritate me with his snide little comments. The more I hear from him, the more I want him to just shut up.

I have to agree. Ben was the answer to my prayers for so many years but he does need to tone it down a bit. Coaches change, players change, systems change and Ben needs to change.
As a fan I get it that, it's a passing league and I have no problem with that. I think many fans and Dan Rooney felt that, when it does come down to NEEDING to run the ball, we wanted a coach that would take it more serious and to be prepared and/or at least mix things up against the defense. I hope someone would teach Ben how not to brodcast his handoffs. I've never seen or can't remember seeing any QB stiff arm a handoff like he's raising a flag as Ben does. It's almost like he wants the defense to zone in on the runningback.

[Crash]

When you listen to Ben and not read him there's no issue. None.

[hawaiiansteel]

Roethlisberger Needs His Underdog Mentallity To Get Through Feelings Of Lack Of Confidence In Him

Monday, June 4th, 2012 by Dave Bryan


One of the biggest topics of discussion amongst Pittsburgh Steelers fans this off-season, outside of the ongoing status of restricted free agent wide receiver Mike Wallace, is the change of offensive coordinators and how quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has handled it.

Roethlisberger is perceived by many as one, and the only one, bucking the change so far, and with good reason, as his comments made about the new offense have included several Rosetta Stone references, which infers to how hard the translation of it is. Last week Roethlisberger took it a bit father by saying the fan base would finally get its wish because the offense will apparently run the ball more in 2012, a blatant jab that he was not in favor of it.

While many think that Roethlisberger has issues with new offensive coordinator Todd Haley, who replaced his good friend and golfing buddy Bruce Arians, the real issue is likely that he feels slighted by the organization by having all of his input and control of the game planning ripped from him. In short, he feels Art Rooney II and company do not trust him or his opinion like they have for the past several years.

While Roethlisberger is surely not naive enough to think that Arians would have been his offensive coordinator for the rest of his career, he likely thought that his eight years in the league, that includes two Super Bowl championships and three AFC crowns, would give him some level of say in who was hired and what type of offense they would run moving forward. He likely thinks that he has earned that right over the years as one of the top quarterbacks in the league.

Control is something that Roethlisberger has been used to since Arians took over as offensive coordinator and Mike Tomlin was named the new head coach in 2007. Sports Illustrated posted a story back in November 2007 that tells about rise in trust the organization had in Roethlisberger, who just so happened to be coming off of a season that saw him throw for 23 interceptions versus just 18 touchdowns. The story goes that Arians and Roethlisberger were coming off the 7th green at Treesdale Golf & Country Club in Gibsonia, Pa. when Arians told his quarterback, "I want you to know something. This is not my offense. From now on this is your offense."

Arians reportedly at that time let Roethlisberger edit the playbook that he had used under his first offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt and allowed him to throw out some plays and rename others. In addition, Roethlisberger was allowed to change the verbiage and terminology of the offense so that it was easier for him to transmit in the huddle. Roethlisberger also implemented his own acronyms and word associations during that change over according to the story. When Whisenhunt was at the helm, Roethlisberger would normally receive the game plan when he arrived at the team facility on Wednesday morning with no say-so in it whatsoever. When Arians took over, the Steelers quarterback helped formulate the game plan at the beginning of the week and there is no reason to think that any of that has changed since then.

One of the biggest criticisms of Arians over the years is that he was too buddy-buddy with Roethlisberger and that he did not incorporate enough change in the offense over the years since he took over that it became too predictable in some instances. Throughout that span of time Roethlisberger became known as a quarterback that held the ball too long in addition. Even as elusive as he would be behind an often piecemealed offensive line, he still was sacked 215 times over the course of 73 regular season games. This led to several nagging injuries over the years and it all came to a head last season with his severe ankle injury that he suffered against the Cleveland Browns in week 14.

Should the Steelers somehow have went on to win the Super Bowl last year, it was clear that Rooney II had enough and a change of coordinators likely would have taken place regardless. A banged up franchise quarterback and an inexcusable loss to the Denver Broncos, even though it was not fully the fault of the offense, gave Rooney II the perfect opportunity to change things up and he did. Although Tomlin said it was his decision, it was one that was made with his arm twisted behind his back more than likely.

The hiring of Haley, which Tomlin also claimed to be his call, was one that had the fingerprints of Rooney II all over it as well because of the Steelers coaching tree association that Haley has along with his militant coaching style. Rooney II basically had seen that his quarterback had too much say in what was going on thus the change needed to be made in his eyes.

Roethlisberger has used the word "change" quite a bit this off-season in regard to the new offense and coordinator, but it is not the first time he has used it with the media though. Back in 2007, after learning that he would have a bigger say in the offense, he was quoted as saying, "It is definitely a change," Roethlisberger said. "It gives you a lot more confidence to know that your coach believes in you."

Roethlisberger now is in the midst of change in the other direction and he most likely feels that the confidence that was bestowed on him several years ago is no more. He most likely feels like a rookie once again with Haley now in charge and his multiple jabs that he takes through the media are a defense mechanism of his that he just isn't channeling properly.

Back in that 2007 story I keep referencing, Roethlisberger was quoted as saying, "I like being the underdog." That underdog mentality is the best defense mechanism that he will need the most for him to lead the Steelers to their 7th Super Bowl championship in 2012 as the jabs through the media are falling on deaf ears of the organization and only being heard by the fan base, many of who think he is acting like a little baby.

[URL]http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/roethlisberger_needs_his_underdog_mentallity_to_ge t_through_feelings_of_lack_of_confidence_in_him/10937666[/URL]

[SteelAddicted]

Like I said, if they want to turn him into Trent Dilfer? Trade him.

I don't think utilizing short to medium routes and a running game equates to Trent Dilfer. I also don't think throwing the ball 40 times a game equates to a superbowl (on a regular basis) The idea is to keep teams on their toes when it comes to play calling and game planning.

When you have one of, if not the best defense in the league. You want to eat a lot of clock, keep the defense rested and control the game. A nice balanced attack is the way to strengthen what the Steeler do as an organization.

I still think we'll see a decent amount of passing, just now we'll see it when it makes sense.

[Eich]

Roethlisberger Needs His Underdog Mentallity To Get Through Feelings Of Lack Of Confidence In Him

Monday, June 4th, 2012 by Dave Bryan

Back in that 2007 story I keep referencing, Roethlisberger was quoted as saying, "I like being the underdog." That underdog mentality is the best defense mechanism that he will need the most for him to lead the Steelers to their 7th Super Bowl championship in 2012 as the jabs through the media are falling on deaf ears of the organization and only being heard by the fan base, many of who think he is acting like a little baby.

[URL]http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/roethlisberger_needs_his_underdog_mentallity_to_ge t_through_feelings_of_lack_of_confidence_in_him/10937666[/URL]

Yep - I said it in another thread, Ben is a lot like Hines Ward in this respect. They both play with a large chip on their shoulder. It's what motivates how they play and it ends up motivating what they say. How they say it has been different but the reason is the same.

[Slapstick]

It's a valid question. Like I told you before, if you want close to 50% TOTAL, then there is no way you'd pay a QB $15 mil a year to hand off all day.

It's not worth the cost. You'd be short-changing your own team.

In your opinion...I happen to disagree with that opinion...

Also, a balanced offense does not equal "handing the ball off all day" or "game manager"...

Straw man argument...

[grotonsteel]

I hope someone would teach Ben how not to brodcast his handoffs. I've never seen or can't remember seeing any QB stiff arm a handoff like he's raising a flag as Ben does. It's almost like he wants the defense to zone in on the runningback.

Well he learnt the handoff from Peyton Manning. I guess thats why Colts running game sucks too.

[grotonsteel]

[URL]http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/rapid-reports/post/19255312[/URL]

After seven seasons under the Ken Whisenhunt/Bruce Arians regimes, TE [URL="http://www.planetsteelers.com/nfl/players/playerpage/416861/heath-miller"]Heath Miller[/URL] is learning anew with Todd Haley's revised offensive plan. "Anytime you do something for going on eight years and you've got to change the way you think about things, it's not easy,” Miller said. “But we're out here working, we're studying, changing our mindset. We should be rolling by (training) camp."


Heath how dare you say its not easy. I just wish heath would STFU and spend spend more time learning playbook. </sarcasm>

I guess people who said Ben should STFU will be doing the same to Heath i guess.

[Crash]

In your opinion...I happen to disagree with that opinion...

Also, a balanced offense does not equal "handing the ball off all day" or "game manager"...

Straw man argument...

If you think 56% total passing is too high? Then you want a game manager behind center.

If the Steelers are hell bent on 50-50 TOTAL? Makes no sense to pay Ben what you pay him.

That's wasting his talent.

[feltdizz]

I don't care if its 60-40 pass or 55-45 run... balance to me is doing both well and leaning on whatever works to win.

[fezziwig]

I don't care about the percentages as much as I want the offense being able to do as they please against a defense. When it was time to muscle up with running the ball we were not a threat.