Ben takes blame for collapse

[NorthCoast]

Not playing for overtime at the end of the 4th quarter at home vs Cincinnati was foolish, IMO, and a coaching error. No doubt in my perspective that Ben was significantly impaired by his serious injuries after he returned.

Boomer is a bitter, jealous, egotistical ex-QB with an axe to grind about the Steelers. His schadenfreude directed at Ben lacks both objectivity and grace.

In fact, it was not a coaching error. Ben had Redman wide open underneath for an easy 1st down, and as others repeatedly have pointed out, Ben ignored him and looked for the pass down field. Obviously a QB error.

[lloydroid]

You expected him to do what against the best 4-3 DT in the league? You apparently don't know much about Geno Atkins. This guy is a pure monster.

DD was playing in his second PRO game after coming off a season long knee injury.

You don't think you expectations were a little off? That's a little delusional.

-Atkins is a beast, I don't care when he was drafted. He is a monster.

[lloydroid]

In fact, it was not a coaching error. Ben had Redman wide open underneath for an easy 1st down, and as others repeatedly have pointed out, Ben ignored him and looked for the pass down field. Obviously a QB error.

Bone head Ben makes moronic decisions all the time. I am sick of it

[BATMAN]

I don't like Boomer, he's a jealous guy, a guy that believes he's more than he was. One thing I would like to say is this, Ben seems like his own worse enemy at times and a headcase. He has lost something I'd say.

[MCHammer]

Boomer is just like all the other tv pundits. Whether they played the game or not, something about this role turns these guys into power worshippers and bandwagoners. Think he would be saying these things if Steelers had won the division on the strength of Ben's arm? Boomer's remarks say more about Boomer than they do about Ben.

[Mister Pittsburgh]

There are at least 3 or 4 times a game Ben pump fakes to a wide open receiver to try and look downfield instead of taking what is there. He threw it pre injury, and that is why he was having a career year. The guy has too much wanna be hero in him and not enough smart team player and field general in him at times.

[lloydroid]

There are at least 3 or 4 times a game Ben pump fakes to a wide open receiver to try and look downfield instead of taking what is there. He threw it pre injury, and that is why he was having a career year. The guy has too much wanna be hero in him and not enough smart team player and field general in him at times.

Which is why he earned the moniker, "Bone Head Ben." He is far too careless; it's as if the games aren't important enough to pull in idiotic decisions. He gambles while his poor decisions hurt the team and gives us losses that should not occur. Yea, the upside is he makes big plays, but that upside is NOT balanced out over the damage of his dumb throws - always wanting to go big. You HAVE TO GIVE WHAT THE D gives you, and he has yet to understand this. He is still just a kid with his reckless play. So you see Tom Brady making such bad decisions? Hell no. And before anyone even tries, Ben will NEVER be as good of a QB as Brady is, NEVER. Brady is smart. Bone Head Ben is not.

[SidSmythe]

Which is why he earned the moniker, "Bone Head Ben." He is far too careless; it's as if the games aren't important enough to pull in idiotic decisions. He gambles while his poor decisions hurt the team and gives us losses that should not occur. Yea, the upside is he makes big plays, but that upside is NOT balanced out over the damage of his dumb throws - always wanting to go big. You HAVE TO GIVE WHAT THE D gives you, and he has yet to understand this. He is still just a kid with his reckless play. So you see Tom Brady making such bad decisions? Hell no. And before anyone even tries, Ben will NEVER be as good of a QB as Brady is, NEVER. Brady is smart. Bone Head Ben is not.

I wish we never drafted Ben!! What a dumb pick!!!

[lloydroid]

I wish we never drafted Ben!! What a dumb pick!!!

Don't go to a straw man argument. No one ever said we should have never drafted him, but the two are not mutually exclusive and you know it: It is true drafting him was a great move for the team, but, at the same time, his carelessness with the ball cost us a trip to the play offs. Losing the Dallas and Cinci games was all on Bonehead Ben.

[Mister Pittsburgh]

Obviously it's great we drafted Ben, but you want to see the athlete grow and progress and he too often reverts back to back yard football. It's impossible to develop a 'system' with him.

[SS Laser]

Obviously it's great we drafted Ben, but you want to see the athlete grow and progress and he too often reverts back to back yard football. It's impossible to develop a 'system' with him.

I disagree here. Ben played very well in Haleys system before he got hurt. Haleys system did not work with back up/rookie hurt o-line and not much of any running game. Which caused the system to be tweaked some and did not work either. Also the other teams defense had some good game plans for Haleys system. So Ben went with what he knows. Some times that works, other times he forces it to much. But what I have noticed is when a play does break down Ben needs a playmaker open or it never seems to work.

[Ghost]

Is Madden correct about the fans not "forgiving" Ben? Is that the consensus and feelings in Pittsburgh? I don't see it but I'm down south. My mom (who's in Pgh) and her friends love Big Ben. As does my sister. Most of the folks I know don't believe for a second Ben committed a crime. I don't think it was ever even close to criminal.

[skyhawk]

We are again reminded how much Ben means to this team. When he doesn't play well, Steelers lose. It's not always the good steelers D putting the Steelers in the super bowl 3 times recently. If it weren't for Ben, no way this team goes anywhere. Ben single handedly saved Bill Cowher's career in the 2005 playoffs.

This team had a great playmaker in Ben, a good D, lack of injuries, a little luck with the schedule in the playoffs to make it to those last 3 SBs. This team has never been a dominant one - except maybe on D in 2008. In 2005 and 2008 everyone knew the Steelers won the SB but most would agree they weren't the best team in the league either year (or in 2010 for that matter). This team goes as Ben goes. And to think otherwise is delusion and unreasonable hatred towards the guy.