Did anybody else feel like

[Northern_Blitz]

So how aggressive ( if any) do you believe the front office will be in the off season to really find a legit QB?

No cap room.

No real QB search this off season. Maybe bring in Winston or someone else off the scrap heap at like $1M to back up Mason and step in if he's as bad as he was last year.

It starts the season after that. Probably after a poor year. In a pretty strong division.

[NorthCoast]

The worst part is that I think Roethlisberger now realizes this short passing game will no longer work and he has nothing left to offer. In this case, the HC has to take it out of the QB's hands, literally. Run the ball or put in QB#2. Watching him continue to flail has to have an effect on his teammates. He certainly won't take himself out of the game. It's a tough thing to watch but remember Manning's last season? Wow, a complete noodle arm. Throwing a one lb football around for 60,000 yds eventually takes it toll I would guess.

To the OP, I didn't get the sense they were trying to prove they could throw down field. It was more like they wanted more attempts to get the sync with the receiver right. I don't know how much Roethlisberger throws long in practice but would guess they try to limit it for his arm's sake.

[papillon]

It's been a great run and I'm happy they I got to see the whole thing live.

Hoping he's got 4 playoff wins left in him.

Manning won a SB when he was bad at the end.

Let's go out on top, right?

Let's go out on top, without a doubt, it appears to be now or never for Ben (and, even the now doesn't look real good)

Pappy

[whisper]

I can't debate the nuances of the game with you, I played one year as a freshman and that was it for me. So, what I know about football comes from watching from afar. But, I will say this, while you may have been taught that its the linemen's fault if a pass is blocked at the LOS, I have a hard time blaming the linemen last night, Ben simply didn't move at all to give himself a clear line of sight, I didn't see one pump fake to move a linemen, just the little things that Ben has done for a long time weren't there. Now some of it could be the linemen, on a quick throw, I would assume as a linemen you're expected to engage the man in front of you to try and limit his ability to get his hands in the air to knock down a pass or cut him or do anything to limit his ability to block a pass.

I hope Ben isn't done but as DeVille mentioned above, Ben just seemed to make poor decisions, the game seemed too fast for him except for a couple drives in the 3rd quarter where he looked like the Ben we all love. Hey, maybe, he can get it turned around against the Colts and Browns, they will be good tests heading into the playoffs.

Pappy

He's done, bro. I think his arm is trashed.

[NJ-STEELER]

Here's what it looked like to me. Let me first say that Ben is probably my favorite Steeler ever, including all the guys from the 70s. He put his heart and soul into the game and provided exciting football for 17 years. That said.

- For the first time I think I see in Ben a bit of realization that he isn't going to get the time he now needs to go downfield. A younger Ben, worked the pocket, shook off tackles and always had his eyes downfield. Now he looks nervous because the line isn't great and he isn't mobile any longer

- When he can set and throw, the ball comes out clean

- The nervousness is causing accuracy issues

- He knows the tackles just aren't getting it done. Chuks was as much a turnstile as AV.

- Ben's immobility in the pocket is leading to multiple batted balls at the LOS every game

- Basically, Ben needs a clean pocket now and he isn't getting one and that isn't changing

I hate it but I think Ben's time is done. I wish him well in the final 2 games and whatever magic he can produce in the playoffs (or not). I'll wait for his HOF induction. Call it a career big guy, 2 SBs, top 10 all-time in nearly every quarterback category, what a career. Steeler fans are about to find out just how good Ben was for 16.5 years. I'd love to be wrong and see him turn this around but the final drive last night put alot into perspective. That was a situation in which Ben more often than not was successful, last night, he threw 4 bad passes and didn't gain a yard.

Pappy

I agree with that and In addition, I think he knows he doesn’t have the long ball anymore.
It’s not as strong or accurate as it was even a couple years ago.

[NJ-STEELER]

I was always taught as a football offensive lineman, that when the QB has tipped passes, its the OL's fault. I think the big guys up front are so confused. They practice this short game blocking, then they change the plan to throw more down field, and the Tackles are all out of whack pass blocking because they have to protect a few seconds longer. Then, to run block, they are just out of sync. Man blocking with the guard pulls seem to work well. I'd like to see Dotson back this week in at LG. He's a beast. Of course, a FB would help to. I think letting Nix go, was a mistake.

Personally, I don't think we should count Ben out. In fact, because of that salary cap, we should be prepared that he'll be back next year.

Its happening more and more across the league. DL are being coached to jump if they are not going to get to the QB.
and I believe they’re positioning themselves into the passing lanes more to accomplish that.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many balls knocked down/ tipped by the defense as I have this year

collinsworth has commented on it a few times this year

[whisper]

The worst part is that I think Roethlisberger now realizes this short passing game will no longer work and he has nothing left to offer. In this case, the HC has to take it out of the QB's hands, literally. Run the ball or put in QB#2. Watching him continue to flail has to have an effect on his teammates. He certainly won't take himself out of the game. It's a tough thing to watch but remember Manning's last season? Wow, a complete noodle arm. Throwing a one lb football around for 60,000 yds eventually takes it toll I would guess.

To the OP, I didn't get the sense they were trying to prove they could throw down field. It was more like they wanted more attempts to get the sync with the receiver right. I don't know how much Roethlisberger throws long in practice but would guess they try to limit it for his arm's sake.

If we're being realistic, we know Ben's arm is jacked.

[Steel Maniac]

Let's go out on top, without a doubt, it appears to be now or never for Ben (and, even the now doesn't look real good)

Pappy

I’d like to have an ear in this week’s practices.

[Captain Lemming]

Here's what I felt when watching the 1st half.

The offense came out trying to prove they can go downfield. I'm not sure if it was due to media response, or if it was due to defenses playing so close to the LOS. But, they literally came out and chucked a ball downfield on the first play. After seeing Ben, time and time again, try and MISS on passes longer than 10-15 yards, which led to multiple 3 and outs to begin the game it got frustrating.

I'm still not sure if it's injury or father time, but he simply missed over and over and worse yet, he misread a number of passes.

Having said that, it did seem that in the second half the defense loosened up, allowing running lanes for Snell (would have been the same with Conner). BUT, as we started moving the ball, it was because of the short passing game again.

On the game:
Diontae, 8-59, with a long of 23. His other 7 went for 36 yards (i.e., about 5 yards per catch).
JuJu, 3-15, with a long of 21. His other 2 catches went for negative 6.
Claypool, 3-54, even his 37 yard catch was @ the LOS.

Again, what i saw was a team trying to prove it could go downfield. What they proved last night was that they cannot.

What Finchtner should be tasked with for the remainder of the season is coming up with an offense that allows Ben to throw it as far as he can accurately (if that's a 12-yard dig route, so be it). But, that'll loosen up the defense, create a few running lanes. Then, I'd also stick primarily with the short passing game because it's where we got our 17 points, and is also where we got to 11-0. Finally, I'd focus on establishing the run so play-action is effective in sucking up the linebackers.

That was the point of my "have they figured Ben out like they did Lamar" thread.

Early success was based on teams respect for Bens deep ball reputation. The Ravens figured out the short passing was because the deep pass was done.

Just like teams changed how they played Lamar, they are exposing Bens weakness.

At least Lamar has legs.

Sad truth...Lamar throws a better deep ball than Ben...everyone does.

[Sly]

I was always taught as a football offensive lineman, that when the QB has tipped passes, its the OL's fault. I think the big guys up front are so confused. They practice this short game blocking, then they change the plan to throw more down field, and the Tackles are all out of whack pass blocking because they have to protect a few seconds longer. Then, to run block, they are just out of sync. Man blocking with the guard pulls seem to work well. I'd like to see Dotson back this week in at LG. He's a beast. Of course, a FB would help to. I think letting Nix go, was a mistake.

Personally, I don't think we should count Ben out. In fact, because of that salary cap, we should be prepared that he'll be back next year.

Not saying that you are wrong, but what's the rationale for blaming the OL for a tipped ball? I was a running back so I have little idea what they told you guys. It seems to me that when you have a QB who is going to pass the ball so quickly, your chances of a sack are slim to none. So the best option for the defensive line would seem to be to get a big push and then get your arms up. So it would be up to the QB to look for throwing lanes.

[NorthCoast]

I didn't think the numbers were this bad;

In the last five weeks, in the first half, with 3 yds or less to go, the Steelers avg yds/pass att = 2.5; avg yds/rush = 1.3

That, my friends, is the definition of 'starting slow' on offense.