Has Ben Regressed, and Is It Time To Draft A QB...

[Steel Vanguard]

This is not an accusation so much as an assessment. Ben did not play well in our final two playoff games, and had some shoddy work during the regular season. He has been maddeningly inconsistent at times. I'm in the pro-Ben camp, but I'm not exactly sure what's wrong. He has a line. He has at least some receiving talent. But he routinely forces balls, misses open dudes, and most frustratingly seems to look for the home run ball when a check down will move the sticks. He seems to be getting worse.

If I'm wrong, by all means set me straight. But it seems like his best days could be behind him.

 

[GRBman]

I don't think Ben has regressed... but the coaching staff certainly has. This team is amazingly inconsistent...Ben's play just reflects that.

All of that said, the Steelers DO need to draft a QB...if they think there is one worthy of a draft pick. I'm not sure there's a QB I really like in this draft outside of Watson

 

[TDX27]

There is no doubt Ben did not play as well after his injury this year. He could have been dealing with a nagging injury is one probably answer. Another problem is the O went to a run first scheme and took the ball out of Ben's hands. I think that played a significant part in it. You DO NOT take the ball out of your franchise QB's hands. Sure, you run the ball but you throw the ball from beginning to end.

Also, the play calling was too conservative. Early in the year, Ben was throwing the long ball and connecting. Sure, we didn't have Coates in the 2nd half of the year but we still went way too conservative. Very little no huddle and piss poor play calling at times.

Sure, Ben could have lost a step but I think the more probably issues are he was never fully healthy and the offense went too conservative and tried to run way too much.

 

[TDX27]

The only QB they will be drafting this year is for a backup role. They are not going to be trying to draft Ben's replacement unless they get lucky like Dallas did.

 

[slashsteel]

The lack of a true number two and a often injured TE(no Heath) probably shares the majority of the blame.

 

[Steel Vanguard]

The only QB they will be drafting this year is for a backup role. They are not going to be trying to draft Ben's replacement unless they get lucky like Dallas did.

Outside of the first few guys, I don't know how deep this class is. Watson's career will be over before it starts because he's going to Cleveland. By hook or by crook, he'll end up in Orange again. I'm totally not sold on Kizer because I saw him play at ND and he was really inconsistent. Brad Kaaya could fall to us in the second round, but again he's one of those guys like Kizer who has the arm and triangle numbers but not the production or film to back it up. I don't know a damn thing about Mitch Truebiscuits. I'm always skeptical of prospects who shoot up the draft boards at the last minute.

The lack of a true number two and a often injured TE(no Heath) probably shares the majority of the blame.

I would counter with Aaron Rogers. His team fell apart around him and he kept making plays until the bitter end. It can't just be about surrounding talent, Ben's decision making and accuracy have fallen off.

 

[steelerscotty]

He had a pretty decent year. Not as good as his last few, though i would not label it as a "regression". He did play way better at home vs the road. I don't believe its time to draft his replacement, unless we think a guy has brady-like potential in round 5-7.

 

[warriors42]

Lets see, no Bryant, no Wheaton, no Heath, No Green, No Bell for four game and AFCCG. AB being a ******* distraction, I'm sure theres some more **** we could pile on but fot the **** he had to deal with this year I think he played his *** off. Oh ya lets not forget the in injury's Ben had to work thru.

 

[jitter77]

I do not think Ben played up to his standards for a lot of reasons. The lack of a #2 receiver did not help, but that is an excuse. Several times like someone said he did not take wide open check downs. That is simply stubbornness, lack of preparation, and coaching. Also play calling was horrendous at times. Not sure how many 3rd and 1s or 2s where we went shotgun and no one in the backfield then launched a pass 30 yards downfield. That is downright idiotic. If Ben cant listen to the coaches and take the easy yards then he needs to sit.

 

[MTC]

*See GRBman and Slashsteel's post

 

[diver]

I think they need to reevaluate what they are doing on offense to some degree. It seems over the last couple years they have gotten enamored with the long ball. Hell, why not, the way it was working with Bryant and even Coates earlier this year. But is it just me, or have you noticed the 15-20 yard throw over the middle is almost totally absent from their offense anymore. Sideline stuff, short stuff and the long throw, yea, but the intermediate middle stuff seems to be gone. That has to make it easier to defend. That's just one of a number of things.

 

[SteelerFan448]

Ben needs to play better on the road, but I don't think he has regressed. However, the Steelers need to do much better than an injured Sammie Coates, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Eli Rogers, Cobi Hamilton, Jesse James and Demarcus Ayers. It was AB and a bunch of players with little to no pedigree and it showed.

 

[Roy92040]

I don't think it's regression. I think it's time to look for the future.

 

[Litos]

apparently the QB's depth in this draft is terrible so better not waste a pick there

 

[steelpastor]

.

DO NOT draft a QB. We do not need to spend a draft pick on a backup QB... at least right now. If Landry goes elsewhere? Then pick someone else off of the pile.

Reasons for problems? Bryant... OUT! Wheaton... OUT! Green... OUT! Coates... mediocre. James... I like him, but not as a number one. Your number two receiver is your number one RB?

To start a game (not fill out a roster)... after AB, you have Rogers, Hamilton, Heyward-Bey or Ayers?

Getting to the AFCCG with that list of receivers is a Herculean effort.

If we spend a third or fourth round pick on a QB? It better be because some stud fell to round five!

.

 

[Litos]

.

DO NOT draft a QB. We do not need to spend a draft pick on a backup QB... at least right now. If Landry goes elsewhere? Then pick someone else off of the pile.

Reasons for problems? Bryant... OUT! Wheaton... OUT! Green... OUT! Coates... mediocre. James... I like him, but not as a number one. Your number two receiver is your number one RB?

To start a game (not fill out a roster)... after AB, you have Rogers, Hamilton, Heyward-Bey or Ayers?

Getting to the AFCCG with that list of receivers is a Herculean effort.

If we spend a third or fourth round pick on a QB? It better be because some stud fell to round five!

.

yeap, rather get a WR or TE in the 4th round, then get a RB in the 5th

 

[CoolieMan]

Coates dropped what easily could have been a long TD, plus other shorter passes....Brown was not sharp and Ayers was in sweats on the sideline plus Bell was injured again.....

Ben was not the problem....his receivers and lack of a running game was the problem

 

[Coryea]

4tds dropped or called back at NE, he missed 9 passes at KC, two throw aways and 3 drops, one INT that was ripped up. His QB rating this season was higher than his career rating. People always bring up Rodgers, Brady, Brees, etc. I've said this 100 times, if you Ben to be like those guys, then they have to give him full control of the O, and that will never happen.

 

[Drink IRON City]

3 year window.......................................possible replacement next year.




Salute the nation

 

[Steelr4evr]

Would the defense still be playing 10 yard cushions if they got a new qb? Will they still use the worthless 15 year old battle plan vs fraudboro follies when it matters most? They need healthy offensive weapons and guys to not get suspended for stupid ****. With the ****** rules of defensive engagement there's no reason this team shouldn't be able to score 5 tds a game on offense next year with Ben,Bell,Brown and Bryant.

 

[jitter77]

The coaches and ben need a wake up call. If they take what the defense gives the offense would be great. A lot point to Wheaton being out, but he is not that great. JJ is under used and under rated. Rodgers was good at slants but they seemed not run them. Also ayers > Hamilton but yet he sat on the bench. I do not care what bens numbers were he needs to check the ego and move the chains. Sure we had a few drops, but most of those were low percentage plays and there was probably an easier option out there.

 

[slashsteel]

The coaches and ben need a wake up call. If they take what the defense gives the offense would be great. A lot point to Wheaton being out, but he is not that great. JJ is under used and under rated. Rodgers was good at slants but they seemed not run them. Also ayers > Hamilton but yet he sat on the bench. I do not care what bens numbers were he needs to check the ego and move the chains. Sure we had a few drops, but most of those were low percentage plays and there was probably an easier option out there.

Steelers were 5th on passing O, in the entire league. That was in spite of Ben being without a TE for the majority of the season and without his 2 and 3 WR for the majority of the season.



Yeah Ben is regressing

needs to check his ego

needs to move the ball


I am not sure what the **** some of you are watching, but again Ben isn't the problem.

 

[stillwright]

I don't know...I think Ben's deep ball pass has improved drastically. He just needs someone on the other end to hold onto it. Everyone talks about Rogers blah blah blah....if he had his receivers on the other end dropping all those nice throws how great would he be?

 

[CharlesDavenport]

Don't know about regressing, but he's talking about retiring, so yeah, pretty soon.

 

[Omar10213245]

Steelers were 5th on passing O, in the entire league. That was in spite of Ben being without a TE for the majority of the season and without his 2 and 3 WR for the majority of the season.



Yeah Ben is regressing

needs to check his ego

needs to move the ball


I am not sure what the **** some of you are watching, but again Ben isn't the problem.

I agree with you, and yeah that's all well and good, but this franchise absolutely needs to start putting a plan in action for when ben is gone. dude has been in the league since 2004, and has taken a beating over that time worse than probably any other qb of all his contemporaries save for maybe david carr. I think it's pretty obvious that he's gone within the next 2-3 seasons, 3 if we're lucky.