it won't be for lack of trying. Sounds like he works very hard and puts a lot on himself. He has most of the tangibles and pretty much all of the intangibles. I think they need to bring in a special assistant next year. Someone with real big QB coaching chops. He can handle all the drill and skill stuff for all the QB's and Fichtner and Ben can hang and do their stuff. This guy works with Rudolph etc. on the side. It is very likely that Ben could be done or one more health problem from being done. I would prepare Rudolph as a 1b next season with an eye to giving him a legit shot at being the guy by '21-'22.
If Rudolph isn't the guy.......
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I think he's done pretty well and exceeded expectations, considering he's working with a young receiving corps, and doesn't have guys like AB and Bell to work with.
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Rudolf takes over in 2022. Ben will run the team 2020 for sure and possibly 2021 bit a lot can happen to change that. I think we are worried for nothing as we need to see BEN make it back first and then see if he is even able to play at the high standard Needed. Lots of what ifs and that's around.
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What is the point to having a QB's coach & then bring someone else to work with the 2 guys the QB coach is supposed to be working with?
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Mason Rudolph isn't pretty and honestly he doesn't inspire a great deal of confidence.
But his numbers are actually pretty good. You can't argue his numbers. Sure he doesn't throw the ball more than 8 or 9 feet in the air most the time, but he completes a LOT of those dump offs and all you need is 4 or 5 yards a completion and you're moving the chains. He's no Ben, but there are only about 3 or 4 QBs in the league that are in the same zip code as Ben Roehtlisberger.
But his numbers are actually pretty good. You can't argue his numbers. Sure he doesn't throw the ball more than 8 or 9 feet in the air most the time, but he completes a LOT of those dump offs and all you need is 4 or 5 yards a completion and you're moving the chains. He's no Ben, but there are only about 3 or 4 QBs in the league that are in the same zip code as Ben Roehtlisberger.
He is the guy right now and that should be the only focus by the team. Just keep getting him better and play one game at a time. Assess it at the end of the year.
He threw a lot of intermediate throws this week and looked damn good doing it. Eliminate the drops and he would have had 300 yards. Not too many long bombs but that will come assuming they let him air it out. They had been keeping him from throwing over the middle for some dumb *** reason. Just take the training wheels off altogether and see what you have.
Rudolph also said, he used to play from behind so much in college, that is why he aired it out so much. In the pros, he said they don't want him to do that and he has been learning how to be more patient and not throw long bombs on every play. I know he is trying to be humble/modest/politically correct but it sounds like they aren't wanting him to throw deep.
Rudolph also said, he used to play from behind so much in college, that is why he aired it out so much. In the pros, he said they don't want him to do that and he has been learning how to be more patient and not throw long bombs on every play. I know he is trying to be humble/modest/politically correct but it sounds like they aren't wanting him to throw deep.
To expand on your point, he has 3 less TDs (and 7 less INTS) than the passing leader in the NFL. He's completing 65% of his passes at 6.6 YPA (not a great YPA) but he's quietly getting just enough done & without much help w/ his WRs dropping passes left and right.
And he's got a helluva lot better passer rating and stat line than that douchebag in Cleveland who acts like he's the second coming. Completion %? Check. More TDs? Check. Less INTs? Big Check. Passer rating? Check. Baker has him by a whopping .5% YPA, that's it. And that's with a potent running attack and some star WRs.
**** Baker Mayfield and again, **** the Browns.
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This may sound crazy and is probabably irrelevant, but it may help Rudolph to put on a few pounds. He seems so light in the pants, like a high school/college kid out there amongst grown men. That adds to the sense that he's jittery and skittish, walking on eggshells. Maybe it's psychological, maybe it's that we're used to seeing 250-pound Ben out there, but that's my sense with Rudolph. Feed that kid a couple of cheeseburgers.
And make him even more of a statue? That's the one thing I'd like to see them do with him, move him out of the pocket a bit on some designed roll-outs (like on that 4th and 1 play yesterday).
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The "dumb" reason is that he'd been late with his throws. Late throws over the middle get picked off. It's a common issue with young qbs. In college, a lot of the games are mismatches, and the receivers are running open. This is not the case in the NFL. You can't wait for guys to break open, you have to anticipate, and throw to where you think he will be. Throw late, and the ball is going the other way. He's figuring it out.
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His arm is better than people give him credit for. He's smart and well prepared. He takes what the opposing D is offering and doesn't make too many mistakes.
WTF else can we ask for at this point.
WTF else can we ask for at this point.
Sure but we won't know unless he tries some. Most teams use those short, quick throws over the middle to get their new QB settled. I guess that's not good enough for the Steelers to try.
It seems, Ben Roethlisberger 2.0
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I guess there are a lot of young folks here that didn't suffer through the 25 year drought between TB12 (lol) and Big Ben. Mason is far better than most of the journeyman stiffs we employed during that horrific stretch but Big Ben 2.0 he ain't.
The point is this. I really don't think there is a solid teacher on this coaching staff. Not in the way that Munchack could teach raw talent and get the best out of him. So if Fichtner doesn't want to give up the title then him and Ben can continue their working relationship. You get one guy to work on the technique and skills and the other guy works the film and the mental part. And while Fichtner prepares 1A for the game the other guy prepares 1B or 2 or whatever the **** you want to call him.
Baker has the same **** leadership as manziel and why he wont be a good qb, they need a real coach to teach him what to not say and how to be a leader guy doesn't try using odell
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When the Steelers continue to call these short no gain passes and run two out of three downs how do you make a honest evaluation of Mason. Lets get these two actually new receivers on the same page in Washington and Johnson before to much judgement. Lets see a TE actually catch instead of drop balls and a line that gives him some time to throw. Let him go and throw down the middle or is it Tomlin is worried about his own skin in trying not to lose a game instead of going out and be aggressive to win. Yes we are 5-4 but playoffs seems to be a stretch as right now. He is involved and you see it on the sidelines and his interviews is honest which is refreshing. Get a QB coach that can deal with him only not being the OC. May not be pretty but he Steelers seem to look like a team not individuals.
Just because people aren't calling him the next franchise QB, that doesn't mean they are saying he sucks. Saying he isn't Ben, that's not saying he sucks either. He's not Ben 2.0, he's more Neil Odonnell.
I dont think we can call him anyone but Mason Rudolph at this point. It's a question of whether he can be the guy moving forward. A guy that can win you games or a guy you win in spite of. I would just like them to bring in someone who can mold the clay. With every win this season it is more and more certain that Tomlin is going nowhere. I just dont think there is someone on the coaching staff to mold the clay.
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The very best thing that can happen to Rudolph is a healthy Conner/Snell and establishing the run game. That does wonders for a first-year QB. The rest will come with in-game experience & coaching. Fichtner happened to be Ben's QB coach for almost a decade. It's not new to him to work with a QB. I know he's the OC now, and he's got a lot on his plate, but it's not like he doesn't know what a QB coach needs to do. Having said that, moving forward, it does make sense to bring someone in who can focus solely on that role.
Better accuracy. I honestly think he is still a little bit skittish from that nap that Earl Thomas gave him. I loved the way he was playing prior to being knocked out. Since he's been back, he does not seem as confident, his throws are off (behind the WR, too high, at their feet), his pocket awareness is not as good, and he just seems like he's playing scared. My 2 cents.
Ben was a 6 year pro when Randy became the qb coach. I think he is a good relationship coach which is a hugely important thing. I see nothing in his bio that would lead me to believe he is great at developing young QBs. They have had a slew of them in the time he has been QB coach. None of them developed.
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The crazy thing is that his numbers would be even better if his WR's would stop dropping catchable balls. There has to be at least a dozen dropped passes that were absolutely not his fault, 2 of them directly leading to half of his 4 INT's thrown. And he's still putting up decent numbers with a bunch of young buck WRs, none of which are a clear #1 type.
By no means is he a finished product. Quicker decision making should come with more experience. I'd say he's done about as well as you could have hoped for a first year starter with 0 NFL experience and not being a first round pick.