Atlanta Dan
12-24-2007, 08:31 AM
After picking the Rams to beat them, Peter King has jumped back on the bandwagon with these nuggets of Steelers praise in today's MMQB column::sofunny:
First we praise Ben:
Of all the stupid opinions I had in my King 500 (the top 500 players in football, which I authored for the SI NFL preview), perhaps the biggest was not having Ben Roethlisberger in my top 20 players....
When you look at the difference between the AFC North's top two teams, Pittsburgh and Cleveland, I bring you one word: sacks. It's amazing the teams are sitting a game apart entering the final week with such a huge disparity in how they protect the quarterback.
Last year the Browns allowed 54 sacks, third-most in the league. This year they've allowed 17, second-fewest in the league. In Pittsburgh, Ben Roethlisberger has been dropped almost four times per game in 14 games.
Cleveland's amazing turnaround can be traced to two major factors: the addition of Joe Thomas at left tackle and Eric Steinbach at left guard. The duo has solidified a leaky side of the line that not only has kept Anderson clean, but also helped Jamal Lewis be great again. In addition, free-agent vet Steinbach has been the smart and loose leader this line lacked. For his part, Anderson has gotten rid of the ball on time and in rhythm.
What follows is a chart of the most-sacked and least-sacked quarterbacks -- of the ones starting in Week 16 -- in the NFL this year. The final number in each row is the frequency of sacks. For example, Roethlisberger has been sacked once per each 9.6 dropbacks from center, four times as frequently as Anderson has been sacked.
Most Sacked/Least Sacked QBs in 2007
Most Sacked Pass Attempts Sacks Dropbacks Frequency of sacks
Roethlisberger, PIT 404 47 451 1 per 9.6 dropbacks
Kitna, DET 497 49 546 1 per 11.1 dropbacks
Bulger, STL 353 34 387 1 per 11.4 dropbacks
McNabb, PHI 397 37 434 1 per 11.7 dropbacks
Least Sacked Pass Attempts Sacks Dropbacks Frequency of sacks
Brees, NO 550 12 562 1 per 46.8 dropbacks
*Anderson, CLE 459 12 471 1 per 39.3 dropbacks
Favre, GB 492 14 506 1 per 36.1 dropbacks
Brady, NE 503 17 520 1 per 30.6 dropbacks
*Charlie Frye was sacked five times in the season-opener for Cleveland before Anderson was inserted in the Browns' lineup in the second half of week one.
You know what this chart says to me? That Roethlisberger is having a truly amazing season in the midst of consistent protection breakdowns. To have a 32-11 TD-to-interception differential under that kind of pressure is stunning.
Then we move on to Najeh
Offensive Player of the Week
Pittsburgh RB Najeh Davenport, who just might be Bettis Jr.
Willie Parker goes down on the second play of Thursday night's game with a broken leg, leaving the Steelers without the leading rusher in the league (at that moment). Disaster.
But there's a reason personnel czar Kevin Colbert wanted Davenport so much before the 2006 season. It's because he's capable of having nights like he had at the Edward Jones Dome in the Steelers' 41-24 win over St. Louis, rushing 24 times for 123 yards, a 5.1-yard average, with two touchdowns.
"We didn't change anything when Willie went down,'' said Roethlisberger.
For his six-year career, Davenport has the equivalent of one long season: 372 carries, 1,761 yards, 4.7-yard average. A very good season. Brett Favre went a little too far, perhaps, when he said about Davenport during his Packer days, "The only thing standing between Najeh Davenport and a rushing title is Ahman Green.'' That's how good Davenport could be. The Steelers will need every bit of Davenport's potential to win in the playoffs....
Then King praises the CB play:jawdrop:
I don't know how you can play the position of corner, in tandem, better than DeShea Townsend and Ike Taylor did it the other night in St. Louis. Seven deflected passes and an interception returned for the insurance touchdown in a 41-24 Steelers win. That's what's called four quarters of quarterback torment.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/peter_king/12/23/week16/5.html
It truly is the season of goodwill towards men
Merry Christmas:cheers:
First we praise Ben:
Of all the stupid opinions I had in my King 500 (the top 500 players in football, which I authored for the SI NFL preview), perhaps the biggest was not having Ben Roethlisberger in my top 20 players....
When you look at the difference between the AFC North's top two teams, Pittsburgh and Cleveland, I bring you one word: sacks. It's amazing the teams are sitting a game apart entering the final week with such a huge disparity in how they protect the quarterback.
Last year the Browns allowed 54 sacks, third-most in the league. This year they've allowed 17, second-fewest in the league. In Pittsburgh, Ben Roethlisberger has been dropped almost four times per game in 14 games.
Cleveland's amazing turnaround can be traced to two major factors: the addition of Joe Thomas at left tackle and Eric Steinbach at left guard. The duo has solidified a leaky side of the line that not only has kept Anderson clean, but also helped Jamal Lewis be great again. In addition, free-agent vet Steinbach has been the smart and loose leader this line lacked. For his part, Anderson has gotten rid of the ball on time and in rhythm.
What follows is a chart of the most-sacked and least-sacked quarterbacks -- of the ones starting in Week 16 -- in the NFL this year. The final number in each row is the frequency of sacks. For example, Roethlisberger has been sacked once per each 9.6 dropbacks from center, four times as frequently as Anderson has been sacked.
Most Sacked/Least Sacked QBs in 2007
Most Sacked Pass Attempts Sacks Dropbacks Frequency of sacks
Roethlisberger, PIT 404 47 451 1 per 9.6 dropbacks
Kitna, DET 497 49 546 1 per 11.1 dropbacks
Bulger, STL 353 34 387 1 per 11.4 dropbacks
McNabb, PHI 397 37 434 1 per 11.7 dropbacks
Least Sacked Pass Attempts Sacks Dropbacks Frequency of sacks
Brees, NO 550 12 562 1 per 46.8 dropbacks
*Anderson, CLE 459 12 471 1 per 39.3 dropbacks
Favre, GB 492 14 506 1 per 36.1 dropbacks
Brady, NE 503 17 520 1 per 30.6 dropbacks
*Charlie Frye was sacked five times in the season-opener for Cleveland before Anderson was inserted in the Browns' lineup in the second half of week one.
You know what this chart says to me? That Roethlisberger is having a truly amazing season in the midst of consistent protection breakdowns. To have a 32-11 TD-to-interception differential under that kind of pressure is stunning.
Then we move on to Najeh
Offensive Player of the Week
Pittsburgh RB Najeh Davenport, who just might be Bettis Jr.
Willie Parker goes down on the second play of Thursday night's game with a broken leg, leaving the Steelers without the leading rusher in the league (at that moment). Disaster.
But there's a reason personnel czar Kevin Colbert wanted Davenport so much before the 2006 season. It's because he's capable of having nights like he had at the Edward Jones Dome in the Steelers' 41-24 win over St. Louis, rushing 24 times for 123 yards, a 5.1-yard average, with two touchdowns.
"We didn't change anything when Willie went down,'' said Roethlisberger.
For his six-year career, Davenport has the equivalent of one long season: 372 carries, 1,761 yards, 4.7-yard average. A very good season. Brett Favre went a little too far, perhaps, when he said about Davenport during his Packer days, "The only thing standing between Najeh Davenport and a rushing title is Ahman Green.'' That's how good Davenport could be. The Steelers will need every bit of Davenport's potential to win in the playoffs....
Then King praises the CB play:jawdrop:
I don't know how you can play the position of corner, in tandem, better than DeShea Townsend and Ike Taylor did it the other night in St. Louis. Seven deflected passes and an interception returned for the insurance touchdown in a 41-24 Steelers win. That's what's called four quarters of quarterback torment.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/peter_king/12/23/week16/5.html
It truly is the season of goodwill towards men
Merry Christmas:cheers: