Madden: Steelers Wasting BIg Ben

[feltdizz]

If Haley's system is so bad for Ben why was his name being mentioned for MVP before he got hurt last year?

our schedule was soft... and Ben had an amazing 3rd down %. That's it though... it's not like we were scoring in bunches and gashing defenses.

Being mentioned for MVP halfway through a season isn't really anything to brag about IMO.

[feltdizz]

You will be proven wrong this season. Watch. Assuming Haleys system is a failure after one season is ignorant.

Not sure anyone called it failure... just wondering if it's the right direction for Ben at this point in his career. Regardless of ball control and short passes Ben is going to get hit...

I also think this offense is going to hold onto the ball but it won't put up points... we are going to see 8 minute drives that get us 3 points.. or maybe 7. Then watch the other team score a TD in 2 minutes. Then we have to hope and pray we can do it again.

[Oviedo]

Arians sucked! Haley now sucks! Curious as to who the perfect OC would ever be?

[Captain QB]

Probably one of the worst articles I have read in some time. First, he is assuming the flavor of the day is the best way to run a football team. But, the Raven and the Steelers known for running games, ball control and D are dominating in SB appearances and wins. New isn't always better...and copying what the Saints or Pats do, will only lead to us doing it less effectively.

Let the Steelers be Steelers, and that is a team who can control another team, imposing its will upon another. It's still a tough man sport. You can still get into pretty boy Brady's head with a strong pass rush. You still can set up the pass with an effective run. Ball control is still an effective means to win games. The Steelers and Ravens have proven that over and over again. It's why the AFC North is the strongest conference in the NFL, and it's why things won't change anytime soon.

Did you even watch the Super Bowl? You honestly believe the Ravens won the super bowl with ball control and defense?????

The Ravens were 30th in time of possession.

How many time did the Ravens go downfield to Boldin and Smith? Ray Rice was an afterthought (and frankly might have fumbling problems in the postseason).

It's not uncommon to hear Steeler fans dismiss the current state of the NFL as the "flavor of the day", but does the NFL really look to be going back to running and defense any time soon? Even if it eventually does, how many mediocre seasons will the Steelers have in between?

You will be proven wrong this season. Watch. Assuming Haleys system is a failure after one season is ignorant.

If they think time of possession is more important than scoring like they did last year, then it won't get better.

[Shawn]

Not sure anyone called it failure... just wondering if it's the right direction for Ben at this point in his career. Regardless of ball control and short passes Ben is going to get hit...

I also think this offense is going to hold onto the ball but it won't put up points... we are going to see 8 minute drives that get us 3 points.. or maybe 7. Then watch the other team score a TD in 2 minutes. Then we have to hope and pray we can do it again.

With the call of many both fans and media to turn Ben into Brady...short dink and dunk is the way to go.

With that said, that isn't going to be what you see this season. Ben wouldn't be excited if he wasn't going to get his chances to hit the deep ball this year. You are going to see more balance, both run and pass effectively out of the same formations. Deep ball set up by ball control passing and running. I suspect it will be quite beautiful to watch. I'm stoked.

[Eddie Spaghetti]

how about one that can consistently put up points with his franchise QB.

seems simple enough

[feltdizz]

Arians sucked! Haley now sucks! Curious as to who the perfect OC would ever be?

As long as they suck us into the playoffs I'm ok with it.

[Ghost]

Can we at least let the season get under way before we drag out the R.I.P headstone for the year? Last year there was big change and it wasn't embraced or dealt with well by most of those involved. Word coming out of camp is that's changed and there's going to be a lot more cohesion this year. Give it a chance. I'm excited. And Madden is dead wrong about no deep threat - rookie or not, Wheaton WILL BE a deep threat. I will say this though - Haley's 52% Red Zone TD pct was not good and no better than Arians. They MUST score TDs and put teams away.

And let's not blame all the woes on coach Haley. The D was a big part of being 8-8. They allowed 4 comeback wins and 5 game-winning drives last year. The Titans loss was an abomination. The lack of pressure and turnovers was putrid. They need to play better as a unit as well.

[Shawn]

Did you even watch the Super Bowl? You honestly believe the Ravens won the super bowl with ball control and defense?????

The Ravens were 30th in time of possession.

How many time did the Ravens go downfield to Boldin and Smith? Ray Rice was an afterthought (and frankly might have fumbling problems in the postseason).

It's not uncommon to hear Steeler fans dismiss the current state of the NFL as the "flavor of the day", but does the NFL really look to be going back to running and defense any time soon? Even if it eventually does, how many mediocre seasons will the Steelers have in between?



If they think time of possession is more important than scoring like they did last year, then it won't get better.

Did you even watch the season???

What was the key to the turn around of both Flacco and the Ravens? Care to venture a guess?

Yep, that's right...the guy they forgot in the first half of the season was Ray Rice. When they got him plugged back in, they began to pull it together. They may have won the SB with the pass, but they got there by setting up Flacco for success by establishing Rice.

[Captain QB]

With the call of many both fans and media to turn Ben into Brady...short dink and dunk is the way to go.

With that said, that isn't going to be what you see this season. Ben wouldn't be excited if he wasn't going to get his chances to hit the deep ball this year. You are going to see more balance, both run and pass effectively out of the same formations. Deep ball set up by ball control passing and running. I suspect it will be quite beautiful to watch. I'm stoked.

Ben isn't the same kind of QB as Brady. Doesn't mean he's not elite caliber, it just means he's different. Just because something works for Brady doesn't mean it'll work for every other elite caliber QB.

[Captain QB]

Did you even watch the season???

What was the key to the turn around of both Flacco and the Ravens? Care to venture a guess?

Yep, that's right...the guy they forgot in the first half of the season was Ray Rice. When they got him plugged back in, they began to pull it together. They may have won the SB with the pass, but they got there by setting up Flacco for success by establishing Rice.

Wow.... you are helplessly stuck in the early 70's, aren't you?

[Shawn]

Can we at least let the season get under way before we drag out the R.I.P headstone for the year? Last year there was big change and it wasn't embraced or dealt with well by most of those involved. Word coming out of camp is that's changed and there's going to be a lot more cohesion this year. Give it a chance. I'm excited. And Madden is dead wrong about no deep threat - rookie or not, Wheaton WILL BE a deep threat. I will say this though - Haley's 52% Red Zone TD pct was not good and no better than Arians. They MUST score TDs and put teams away.

And let's not blame all the woes on coach Haley. The D was a big part of being 8-8. They allowed 4 comeback wins and 5 game-winning drives last year. The Titans loss was an abomination. The lack of pressure and turnovers was putrid. They need to play better as a unit as well.

Sanders will be a deep threat as well.

[Shawn]

how about one that can consistently put up points with his franchise QB.

seems simple enough

Hard to do with your QB hurt, being hit constantly and NO running game.

[feltdizz]

With the call of many both fans and media to turn Ben into Brady...short dink and dunk is the way to go.

With that said, that isn't going to be what you see this season. Ben wouldn't be excited if he wasn't going to get his chances to hit the deep ball this year. You are going to see more balance, both run and pass effectively out of the same formations. Deep ball set up by ball control passing and running. I suspect it will be quite beautiful to watch. I'm stoked.

No one wanted Ben to turn into Brady... I think most just wanted Ben to hit the RB in the flat quicker when under pressure. There were a few times when Ben would take 3 hits before getting the ball to a wide open TE or RB in the flat. Ben likes to force it downfield and a few teams used that against him. Pats and Jags come to mind.

[Captain QB]

Hard to do with your QB hurt, being hit constantly and NO running game.

Also hard to do with calling an offense to only possess the ball rather than score points like the rest of the NFL.