The Steelers play scared

[Bayz101]

Originally Posted by Edman

Then the debate starts all over again when you realize WHY Ben was lost to Kansas City.

Ben was lost once again because he went sandlot on 3rd and 4.

Ben was IN the pocket (which completely collapsed) when he was injured.

He wasn't running towards the sidelines shedding off tackles and throwing over his body. He wasn't playing "sandlot", he was simply trying to make a play. ALL great QB's try and make things happen in the pocket and try buy as much time as they can. Even the immobile Peyton Manning tried buying time in the pocket in Denver this weekend.

If Ben would have thrown it away half the damn fan base would call him a bitch, so honestly, it doesn't really matter.

[teegre]

Originally Posted by SteelersCanada

Ben going sandlot shouldn't be new to you. Stuff breaks down - look at the Patriots tonight. They had a 3rd-and-5 and Brady was bouncing around in the pocket and eventually threw a pass that was incomplete.

Whatever the play was, it broke down and Ben was trying to improvise. Sure, in a perfect world we would've had the correct playcall in and he wouldn't have had to scramble on such a manageable down, but shit happens.

Wait, wait, wait... are you saying that all of those top-five drafted defensive players and/or All-Pro players (Derrick Johnson) are actually trying to earn their paychecks? Are you saying that defenders can & will actually get into the pocket & sack the QB??? Are you saying that other teams have defenders... and that sometimes a QB just has to make do???

Poppycock!!!

[steelfury02]

way too much marty-ball - when his skill set is playing sandlot - I propose a permanent V formation in front of Ben

[GoFor7]

Originally Posted by SteelersCanada

I don't want to take away from the debate you two are having, but I'll throw my one liner in here.

Prior to Ben's injury, the Steelers were rolling. The defense was starting to click and Ben was indeed playing like a legitimate MVP candidate. Then, we lost him to fucking Kansas City, but I digress.

He was an MVP candidate not because of Haley, but because he was bailing the offense out on 3rd & long all the time. Ben made Haley look good, not the other way around.

These playoffs should be a red flag that the Steelers are way behind the times in regards to offense. It's not about ball control, it's about putting up points. Dink-and-dunk isn't enough, nor does it fit the Steelers offense.

[lloydwoodson]

Originally Posted by GoFor7

He was an MVP candidate not because of Haley, but because he was bailing the offense out on 3rd & long all the time. Ben made Haley look good, not the other way around.

These playoffs should be a red flag that the Steelers are way behind the times in regards to offense. It's not about ball control, it's about putting up points. Dink-and-dunk isn't enough, nor does it fit the Steelers offense.

It is too bad Roethlisberger couldn't make Arians look good... Bruce would still be a Steeler.

These playoff should be a red flag that the Steelers need to run the ball more effectively. Every team that has rushed for the most yards has won (except for Minnesota and their backup qb).

The 49ers ran for 323 yards! It is a running league! Quick sign Vick! Draft Warmack and Lacy! Sign a FA running back! The NEWEST NFL is a running league! Only 1 elite qb is still in the playoffs!!! STEELERS NEED A RUNNING GAME!!!

[steelfury02]

Originally Posted by lloydwoodson

It is too bad Roethlisberger couldn't make Arians look good... Bruce would still be a Steeler.

These playoff should be a red flag that the Steelers need to run the ball more effectively. Every team that has rushed for the most yards has won (except for Minnesota and their backup qb).

The 49ers ran for 323 yards! It is a running league! Quick sign Vick! Draft Warmack and Lacy! Sign a FA running back! The NEWEST NFL is a running league! Only 1 elite qb is still in the playoffs!!! STEELERS NEED A RUNNING GAME!!!

someone else posted an interesting idea, and I believe that is what Haley was getting at before the start of the season. He had no intentions of hand-cuffing Ben, and, Ben was slinging it quite a bit (even if it was on 3rd down - Redman and Dwyer were getting into enough of a groove that teams were starting to respect the run and they didn't know what was going to happen on 3rd down - hence being the best 3rd down conversion team in the NFL at the 5-3/6-3 mark) We can't play scared with Ben, but, delivering it to 10 different receivers while letting Ben improv if it breaks down is not a bad formula. You def need a respectable running game (and O-line) to do this otherwise Ben just can't be Ben - defenses will just tee off not respecting anything other than "We know Ben is going to throw - let's get to him and jump the routes" - and. the more injuries we sustained, the more vanilla and predictable things got

Injuries and no running game is/was a fact. You absolutely can dink and dunk it - the best offense in the league just demolished the vaunted Texans D doing it all day long - and their RB stable contributed in a huge way this season. We had a great O-line coming together before injuries. Anyone else like the way they were lining up their RBs at WR against Texans? - extremely crafty. Before we throw Mendy out the door (which I wouldn't lose sleep over) let's think about those passes in the flat and especially to our FB who was starting to look a like a key contributer until the O was decimated - I'd like to see our RB more involved in passing game as well.

[Killer]

Originally Posted by steelfury02

way too much marty-ball - when his skill set is playing sandlot

I don't think you have a clue what "Marty ball" means...



In simple terms, it means a focus on the running game, with passing used only to further the running game.

[teegre]

Originally Posted by Killer

I don't think you have a clue what "Marty ball" means...



In simple terms, it means a focus on the running game, with passing used only to further the running game.

He's being facetious. (It's a dig at Gofor7.)

[VaDave]

Originally Posted by lloydwoodson

It is too bad Roethlisberger couldn't make Arians look good... Bruce would still be a Steeler.

These playoff should be a red flag that the Steelers need to run the ball more effectively. Every team that has rushed for the most yards has won (except for Minnesota and their backup qb).

The 49ers ran for 323 yards! It is a running league! Quick sign Vick! Draft Warmack and Lacy! Sign a FA running back! The NEWEST NFL is a running league! Only 1 elite qb is still in the playoffs!!! STEELERS NEED A RUNNING GAME!!!

How many of those yards were picked up by the QBs? Some how, I just don't see Ben puting up those kind of numbers.

[tomlin_era]

Originally Posted by teegre

Actually, I think that mentioning Cowher actually points to two huge factors (that are currently missing):

1) No running game. Cowher had The Bus. The Steelers could close out games better than anyone... via killing the clock.

I remember a game against the Browns, where Bam Morris ran the ball like 13 straight times, taking 6 minutes off of the clock... and the Steelers knelt down on the 6 yard line in victory formation.

Likewise, I rememebr a game agains the Titans, where FWP ran the ball 22 straight times in the fourth quarter, to kill the clock.

This O-line was far too injured to accomlish such feats.

2) No pressure. I remember being up 10 points, and when the prevent defense was put into affect, LeBeau would also unleash Greg Lloyd (or Joey Porter)... and the OLB would always (ALWAYS) get a crucial sack (making it third and looong) or get the strip-sack.

Alas, Harrison was not "Harrison" for the first half of the season (i.e. in the Tennessee & Oakland games). And, Woodley is nearly 320 pounds. In turn, no pressure.

Woodley has turned into a fat, lazy sack of shit!