What is up with Ben?

[NW Steeler]

Is it the lawsuit? Is it the repeated head trauma? He just hasn't been the same player most of this year. Remember when he would get the ball late in the game and you just knew he would drive it down the field to tie or win the game? Where has that been this year? I hope that Ben comes back next year, because that is the guy we need. He has been in a funk just like everyone else when it has counted this year. Yeah, his oline and receivers have let him down at times, but he just hasn't looked the same for most of this year. This actually worries me more than some of our other problems.

[JAR]

Re: What is up with Ben?

Do you Ben bashers watch the same games the rest of us do? My gawd.......

[NW Steeler]

Re: What is up with Ben?

I'm not bashing Ben. I like him as our qb. But you can't tell me that he hasn't looked a little off in a lot of games this year. I'm not putting our losses on him either. He put us up in games that our D let us down. But he hasn't looked the same to me. Just my opinion. Not bashing.

[frankthetank1]

Re: What is up with Ben?

ben is the least of my worries. imo ben has had a good year. he is better this season than last. every qb needs good o-line play and wr's and te's to hold onto the ball and get open. when neither of those two things happen ben wont play all that well, neither will any good qb.

[JAR]

Re: What is up with Ben?

I'm not bashing Ben. I like him as our qb. But you can't tell me that he hasn't looked a little off in a lot of games this year. I'm not putting our losses on him either. He put us up in games that our D let us down. But he hasn't looked the same to me. Just my opinion. Not bashing.

12 below zero with high winds and the game plan has 32 passes and 19 runs, yeah, Ben's fault.

[JTP53609]

Re: What is up with Ben?

I dont know, Ben has a 100.7 QB rating ( i know you cant go just by stats) and he has some real good games, sure he has had a few bad games but I dont think we should worry about him....I think he will be back and better than ever next year, I hope he is at least, we had 5 drops last night, a few which were big ones that were potential first downs....

[NWNewell]

Re: What is up with Ben?

Ben had a bad game today.... I can't defend it.

Part of the results are to blame on the O-line, the receivers, and yes maybe even the wind. But he played just as poorly as everyone else. A lot of the sacks were his fault for not getting ride if the ball (but a lot where the lines fault too). He made some bad decisions and passes.

But for the most part this season, he has been pretty solid.

[NW Steeler]

Re: What is up with Ben?

I'm not bashing Ben. I like him as our qb. But you can't tell me that he hasn't looked a little off in a lot of games this year. I'm not putting our losses on him either. He put us up in games that our D let us down. But he hasn't looked the same to me. Just my opinion. Not bashing.

12 below zero with high winds and the game plan has 32 passes and 19 runs, yeah, Ben's fault.

I never said that this loss is his fault. I'm just saying that he has looked "off" a lot this year. That's it. I guess I could understand why given everything he has been going through. It's not like he is off limits as far as blame goes, so lighten up.

[steelblood]

Re: What is up with Ben?

Is it the lawsuit? Is it the repeated head trauma? He just hasn't been the same player most of this year. Remember when he would get the ball late in the game and you just knew he would drive it down the field to tie or win the game? Where has that been this year? I hope that Ben comes back next year, because that is the guy we need. He has been in a funk just like everyone else when it has counted this year. Yeah, his oline and receivers have let him down at times, but he just hasn't looked the same for most of this year. This actually worries me more than some of our other problems.

He drove the team down the field to take the lead twice in the fouth Q last week. I think he needs to improve, but to say that he hasn't been clutch this year isn't right. The problem is more that our D hasn't been clutch.

[Jom112]

Re: What is up with Ben?

Remember when he would get the ball late in the game and you just knew he would drive it down the field to tie or win the game?

You can't keep relying on that. It's great when it happens but no QB should be expected to keep bringing their team back at the last minute, game after game and season after season.

A more consistent running attack would help your team win games like the one last night...

[SteelAbility]

Re: What is up with Ben?

There was only one play last night where I felt Ben's decision making was poor. It was on our final drive on 1st and 10 where no one was open for a long time. He needed to just throw the ball high and out of bounds. Instead a sack and it's 2nd and 19. If not for that poor judgment, the drive at least keeps going. But howling winds and sub-Zero are hard on any QB.

I believe a season-long debacle of dropped passes and poor D have ratcheted up the pressure on Ben. When the D can consistently hold, it takes a lot of pressure off the QB, allows him to relax, think straight and make good decisions and plays. Likewise with the pass-catching. It's as if Ben is feeling like he has to make perfect passes so guys won't drop it. Then he gets into aiming the ball instead of delivering it with confidence which eventually translates into in-stride passes. Aiming it, like basketball, eventually leads to "missed shots" instead of stroking it, which eventually leads to lots of made shots.

[proudpittsburgher]

Re: What is up with Ben?

Ben had a bad game today.... I can't defend it.

Part of the results are to blame on the O-line, the receivers, and yes maybe even the wind. But he played just as poorly as everyone else. A lot of the sacks were his fault for not getting ride if the ball (but a lot where the lines fault too). He made some bad decisions and passes.

But for the most part this season, he has been pretty solid.

NFL network did a pretty good job of showing the coverage downfield on most of the sacks, and there just wasn't anyone open, so saying Ben held on to it too long, last night anyway, isn;t fair. Hines, I understand, it's tough to break free with a bum hammy, but either the coverage was really, really goo dlast night, or we have some pretty lazy route runners. The only thing Ben could have donw was throw the ball away, and at least three or four of those sacks were on third down, his only chouce is tryign to extend the play.

[feltdizz]

Re: What is up with Ben?

The problem with Ben and the offense is obvious this year. We kept playing like the D would bail us out like last year....

beyond that this team quit. They won a SB last year and decided they didn't want the grind of the playoffs again this year. I feel bad for those who cared on this team though and played hard. Can't really say I know who those players are though...

[isonator07]

Re: What is up with Ben?

Is it the lawsuit? Is it the repeated head trauma? He just hasn't been the same player most of this year. Remember when he would get the ball late in the game and you just knew he would drive it down the field to tie or win the game? Where has that been this year? I hope that Ben comes back next year, because that is the guy we need. He has been in a funk just like everyone else when it has counted this year. Yeah, his oline and receivers have let him down at times, but he just hasn't looked the same for most of this year. This actually worries me more than some of our other problems.

He drove the team down the field to take the lead twice in the fouth Q last week. I think he needs to improve, but to say that he hasn't been clutch this year isn't right. The problem is more that our D hasn't been clutch.

How about if he drives us downfield for a lead in the 2nd quarter? I'm sick of low level teams hanging around and us needing a late drive. Play every drive like its the last drive and maybe we put teams away early.

As for Bens play, I agree he hasn't been himself this season. Look Dennis Dixon went into Baltimore in his first start and took us to OT to lose by a FG. With Ben we lose to Clev Oak and KC.

I agree 100% Arians is a tool. I wouldn't let him call plays for me in a game of Madden vs. a 10 yr old blind kid. But Ben needs to step up his urgency for 60 minutes. I remember in the mid 90's Kevin Greene and Co. always talking about bringing it for 60 minutes. I'd like to see that outta Ben instead of the theory of bringing it for the last 6 minutes of the game. The intensity like he had in Denver a couple years ago in the playoffs. The game he fired the pistols after a TD pass. I want that Ben back under center for 16 reg season games all through the playoffs. Maybe thats asking too much.

[Scarletfire1970]

Re: What is up with Ben?

Is it the lawsuit? Is it the repeated head trauma? He just hasn't been the same player most of this year. Remember when he would get the ball late in the game and you just knew he would drive it down the field to tie or win the game? Where has that been this year? I hope that Ben comes back next year, because that is the guy we need. He has been in a funk just like everyone else when it has counted this year. Yeah, his oline and receivers have let him down at times, but he just hasn't looked the same for most of this year. This actually worries me more than some of our other problems.

He drove the team down the field to take the lead twice in the fouth Q last week. I think he needs to improve, but to say that he hasn't been clutch this year isn't right. The problem is more that our D hasn't been clutch.

How about if he drives us downfield for a lead in the 2nd quarter? I'm sick of low level teams hanging around and us needing a late drive. Play every drive like its the last drive and maybe we put teams away early.

As for Bens play, I agree he hasn't been himself this season. Look Dennis Dixon went into Baltimore in his first start and took us to OT to lose by a FG. With Ben we lose to Clev Oak and KC.

I agree 100% Arians is a tool. I wouldn't let him call plays for me in a game of Madden vs. a 10 yr old blind kid. But Ben needs to step up his urgency for 60 minutes. I remember in the mid 90's Kevin Greene and Co. always talking about bringing it for 60 minutes. I'd like to see that outta Ben instead of the theory of bringing it for the last 6 minutes of the game. The intensity like he had in Denver a couple years ago in the playoffs. The game he fired the pistols after a TD pass. I want that Ben back under center for 16 reg season games all through the playoffs. Maybe thats asking too much.

Baltimore sucks. Just like us. Stop talking about Baltimore like they are an elite team or even a good team. Their defense is as bad as ours this year. Well almost.

And Dixon was pretty bad in that game.