Ok, I know that you saw the title. Read it again.
Again.
Got it now? I'm sure you do.
Well, I have a little secret for you...
IT'S NOT TRUE!!
I am sick and tired of defending Ben Roethlisberger. I am so tired of feeling like I am on an island surrounded by schools of Ben hating sharks. It's frustrating, really. Let's look at this methodically.
If I bore you with the statistics, please skip over them if you must, but I warn you, they’re important.
Ben Roethlisberger is a fifth year player and fifth year starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. His career game count is 51-20 in the regular season and 5-2 in the playoffs. That 5-2 includes the Super Bowl ring he won in his second season. His career completion percentage is 62.4 with a TD-INT count of 101-69 and a career passer rating of 89.4. Looking at those numbers, if Ben were a free agent, I would sign him to my team any day of the week.
But for some reason, people don't like Ben Roethlisberger as a quarterback. I'm not here to comment on his motorcycle antics or himself being an immature early 20s adult. He's not Jesus, nor is he perfect. He's human. He makes mistakes. You're not perfect either. But from what I can gather, here is why people don't like Ben Roethlisberger: he gets hurt too often, he gets sacked too often, he holds on to the ball too long, he makes bad decisions and throws INTs. Let me take care of these concerns, two of them legitimate, one of them fair, and the last one just plain preposterous.
Ben gets hurt often. That doesn’t make him a bad quarterback. Many QBs have been injured before him and have led successful careers. I can venture a guess why he gets sacked so often, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a shoddy offensive line. Ben was sacked 47 times last year, and that was with Alan Faneca at guard, the best offensive lineman our line has ever seen. This year the line hasn’t done much better for Ben with 46 sacks. Marvel Smith and Kendall Simmons have been sidelined this year because of injuries. While this may or may not have hurt the line dramatically, I can say that the replacements have not done better than the starters. The sack numbers, however, have not translated into losses. The Steelers finished with a 12 and 4 record in the toughest schedule in the NFL, ranked that way in the pre- and post season. In all the five seasons Ben has been in the league he has been sacked 192 times. I agree, sacks aren’t good, but with our team, it’s not crippling us. Also, Ben has been out for very few games with the injuries he has had. For crying out loud, he played nealy the whole season with a separated shoulder. I hear people calling Ben a wuss for getting injured so much. You can’t call someone a wuss because they get injured, you call someone a wuss when they whine about it. I haven’t heard Ben whine about it. Again, this guy is human, and some QBs get injured more than others.
Ben holds the ball too long. Ok, I can see some merit. I see him holding on to the ball too long and getting sacked. Let’s look at a theory first. There is a prevailing idea that the quarterback is supposed to hold on to the ball anywhere from the snap to 5 seconds after the snap. This is all a well and good idea and that idea works for most quarterbacks. It doesn’t necessarily work for Ben. Ben has the ability to keep the play alive with his mobility. Ben can run with the ball if he wants to, but he would rather stay in the pocket and get the ball to a receiver. Whenever the pocket collapses and he has time, he moves to keep the play alive. We all see this on game day so I don’t need to explain it further. I’ll just go with this; Ben keeps the play alive and makes plays. This is a fact that you cannot deny. The game-winning touchdown in the second Baltimore game was a 9 second play. He pushes the envelope and does it well. Mistakes do happen. I’ll repeat my point; Ben keeps the play alive and makes big plays. All you need to do is watch some highlight reels to see this.
Last concern I hear often is that Ben throws too many INTs. That is simply not true. Ben was doing well this season until he hit a three game slump in which he threw 8 of his 15 INTs this season. Looking at the 15 alone can give you the impression that he makes it a habit of throwing interceptions. It is safe to say that the INTs alone in the Giants and the Colts games were decisive; the other losses of the season cannot be placed solely on those turnovers. When a season is messed up because the quarterback throws too many picks, that is too many interceptions.
Let me tell you about a Hall of Famer who also threw a lot of INTs. His name is Terry Bradshaw. During the ‘74 Super Bowl season, Bradshaw was out for 6 games, at a completion percentage of 45.3 and a QB rating of 55.2 with 7 TDs 8 INTs. Of all the Super Bowl seasons in the ‘70s, the highest QB rating was 88.0 in 1975, and Terry never had a meaningful season with over a 90 QB rating. Back then nobody gave a thought to efficiency, at least in Pittsburgh they didn’t. We looked at our win loss record and our defense. Bradshaw did what he had to do to win games and championships, and he was a great leader on the field. Period.
Ben is a great leader on the field as well. He does command respect from the players and the players love him. He displays poise and maturity in the pocket. He does have experience and plays like it. I have agreed with some people that the Steelers’ offensive scheme is so simple anyone can play in it. Then I came to a realization. Any offensive scheme in the NFL is complicated, especially a spread passing attack like the one used by Bruce Arians. So when I said the Steelers’ scheme was simple, I wasn’t thinking. I retract that statement and say that learning any new scheme as a rookie starter is difficult and many fail the first season. Ben did it, and continues to learn. Anybody who argues with that, comment me. I’ll fight that.
Ben is good. Ben is better than good, he’s great. He does the job and does it well. He doesn’t just throw the ball, he takes responsibility, he leads the team, he calls plays, he plays football. I beg to differ with anyone who says otherwise.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Where are my Steelers?
I have a question for you Steelers fans, one and all of you. This also goes to the coaching staff and the players. Where are the Steelers?
I see them sometimes. On the defensive side of the ball I see the Pittsburgh Steelers. I see zone blitzes orchestrated an performed to with such mastery it makes veteran and rookie quarterbacks alike pause and say, “what?” I see quarterbacks after saying “what?’ thrown to the ground like rag dolls. I see running backs held in check consistently, rarely ever exceeding 100 yards a game on the ground. I see hair with a helmet on it swallowing ball carriers and intercepting passes. He is known as the Tasmanian Devil, because of his mobility, ferocity and intelligence. He epitomizes Steelers football. I see two giants on the outside representing the greatest tandem in the NFL. They account for 12.0 and 9.5 sacks respectively, and have proven they can drop into coverage of a tight end or running back, or play zone against a wide receiver. They hit and smash and push and never stop playing until the whistle blows. They epitomize Steelers football. I see the best front three in football today. A semi-truck at left end, a tank in the middle, and a diesel truck at right end. These linemen push and eat blocks, making it possible to get into the backfield. They stuff the run and get to the quarterback. They are the epitome of Steelers football. I see a secondary that never quits, never stops hitting, never stops pursuing. I see rookies and potential Pro Bowlers and tough guys alike making plays. How about Clark making himself personally acquainted with Brandon Jacobs. They epitomize Steelers football. I see two beasts in the middle third that do everything in their power to make the quarterback’s life hell for those sixty minutes of game time. They blitz, spy, fall back into zone, and stuff the run like it is nobody’s business but them. They catch passes and sack quarterbacks. They epitomize Steelers football. First Overall Defense, First Overall Passing Defense, First Overall Running Defense, that is how Steelers football is played.
Steelers football is not pretty. It is not meant to be flashy, it’s meant to bend you, break you, make you say uncle, and then it goes on farther than that. It has worked five super bowl rings well. It has endeared this team to be the most popular in football. It has prompted GQ magazine to call the Steelers “God’s Team” because we Steelers fans never lose faith in our team. We never abandon out team. But the Steelers have changed.
What is this forty-one pass attempts to twenty-seven rushing attempts? That doesn’t sound like a run first mentality to me. That was us, Sunday, at home, against the San Diego Chargers. What is worse is that we couldn’t convert a 4th and goal from the one-yard line, on a running play! The Steelers I knew had no problem converting 4th down and one yard to go on the ground. The ball, ideally, goes up the gut behind the guard and center. Our offense is based on the run. It is supposed to block well and stuff that pigskin down the throat of any opposing defense.
I see glimpses of Steelers football. On the offensive side of the ball I am a bit confused. I see spreads and single back formations. I see a 3rd and 1 being dealt with with a shotgun, four or five wide outs. What is this? Not two years ago I saw on 3rd and 1, an I formation, two tight ends, one wide out. I would watch Jerome Bettis run the ball and get not just one yard, but probably two or more. It is not that I have seen the shotgun more in my life than ever before.
That’s not to say the Steelers have lost their identity totally on the offensive side of the ball. I still see consistent 100-yard games on the ground. I still see between the tackles running from time to time. I see them gain 3 to four yards on average. I still see the good old days in those plays. I see Hines Ward laying down the law on defenders, taking hits and making catches. I still see underrated tight ends make not only one, but two blocks downfield. I still see guards pulling out and sweeping across the line to make a key block. I see that guy who raced pit bulls, our own Willie Parker, break some tackles and juke some defenders into submission. I’ve seen his backup do the same, but he does a better impression of Jerome Bettis.
But the times for the Steelers are changing. Mike Mularkey then Ken Wisenhunt kept it primarily on the ground. Bruce Arians, however, being the architect of the spread offense, has a love affair with the atmosphere. Steelers football was all about balance, one to one ratio of run to pass plays. Why are we passing twice as many times as we run? Why are we changing the franchise formula? Well, I might know the answer.
We, as a football team, we have some problems. Our offensive line is young and inexperienced. It doesn’t block as well for running or passing as previous lines do, but it does the best job it can. Ben has been sacked an inordinate amount of times. Big Ben needs protection. Our O-line doesn’t block like it used to. Case in point, 4th and goal at Heinz field the last two games.
How about we don’t have a big running back? The Bus ran linebackers over, and Brandon Jacobs copies it! We have a speed demon under center that can break it for a long one, but he cannot break tackles like Jerome Bettis. Don’t get me wrong, Willie Parker is great! I love him as a running back, but I do not see him as fitting the typical Steelers mold. He’s not the best at the straight-line game.
But that’s not the core of the personality disorder. I see the biggest reason for change. Bruce Arians is our offensive coordinator, and that means a drastic change in play calling. Congratulations on designing a new offense, but it’s not the Steelers, Mr. Arians. Passing is not our bread and butter by any means. All the flashy four wide-out sets and single back or empty backfields looks more like the Cardinals, Saints, or probably most accurately, the Bengals.
So that’s what I see with the Steelers. I still love them. They are my boys! I will support them to the ed. My only question posed here is this, Where have my Steelers gone?
I see them sometimes. On the defensive side of the ball I see the Pittsburgh Steelers. I see zone blitzes orchestrated an performed to with such mastery it makes veteran and rookie quarterbacks alike pause and say, “what?” I see quarterbacks after saying “what?’ thrown to the ground like rag dolls. I see running backs held in check consistently, rarely ever exceeding 100 yards a game on the ground. I see hair with a helmet on it swallowing ball carriers and intercepting passes. He is known as the Tasmanian Devil, because of his mobility, ferocity and intelligence. He epitomizes Steelers football. I see two giants on the outside representing the greatest tandem in the NFL. They account for 12.0 and 9.5 sacks respectively, and have proven they can drop into coverage of a tight end or running back, or play zone against a wide receiver. They hit and smash and push and never stop playing until the whistle blows. They epitomize Steelers football. I see the best front three in football today. A semi-truck at left end, a tank in the middle, and a diesel truck at right end. These linemen push and eat blocks, making it possible to get into the backfield. They stuff the run and get to the quarterback. They are the epitome of Steelers football. I see a secondary that never quits, never stops hitting, never stops pursuing. I see rookies and potential Pro Bowlers and tough guys alike making plays. How about Clark making himself personally acquainted with Brandon Jacobs. They epitomize Steelers football. I see two beasts in the middle third that do everything in their power to make the quarterback’s life hell for those sixty minutes of game time. They blitz, spy, fall back into zone, and stuff the run like it is nobody’s business but them. They catch passes and sack quarterbacks. They epitomize Steelers football. First Overall Defense, First Overall Passing Defense, First Overall Running Defense, that is how Steelers football is played.
Steelers football is not pretty. It is not meant to be flashy, it’s meant to bend you, break you, make you say uncle, and then it goes on farther than that. It has worked five super bowl rings well. It has endeared this team to be the most popular in football. It has prompted GQ magazine to call the Steelers “God’s Team” because we Steelers fans never lose faith in our team. We never abandon out team. But the Steelers have changed.
What is this forty-one pass attempts to twenty-seven rushing attempts? That doesn’t sound like a run first mentality to me. That was us, Sunday, at home, against the San Diego Chargers. What is worse is that we couldn’t convert a 4th and goal from the one-yard line, on a running play! The Steelers I knew had no problem converting 4th down and one yard to go on the ground. The ball, ideally, goes up the gut behind the guard and center. Our offense is based on the run. It is supposed to block well and stuff that pigskin down the throat of any opposing defense.
I see glimpses of Steelers football. On the offensive side of the ball I am a bit confused. I see spreads and single back formations. I see a 3rd and 1 being dealt with with a shotgun, four or five wide outs. What is this? Not two years ago I saw on 3rd and 1, an I formation, two tight ends, one wide out. I would watch Jerome Bettis run the ball and get not just one yard, but probably two or more. It is not that I have seen the shotgun more in my life than ever before.
That’s not to say the Steelers have lost their identity totally on the offensive side of the ball. I still see consistent 100-yard games on the ground. I still see between the tackles running from time to time. I see them gain 3 to four yards on average. I still see the good old days in those plays. I see Hines Ward laying down the law on defenders, taking hits and making catches. I still see underrated tight ends make not only one, but two blocks downfield. I still see guards pulling out and sweeping across the line to make a key block. I see that guy who raced pit bulls, our own Willie Parker, break some tackles and juke some defenders into submission. I’ve seen his backup do the same, but he does a better impression of Jerome Bettis.
But the times for the Steelers are changing. Mike Mularkey then Ken Wisenhunt kept it primarily on the ground. Bruce Arians, however, being the architect of the spread offense, has a love affair with the atmosphere. Steelers football was all about balance, one to one ratio of run to pass plays. Why are we passing twice as many times as we run? Why are we changing the franchise formula? Well, I might know the answer.
We, as a football team, we have some problems. Our offensive line is young and inexperienced. It doesn’t block as well for running or passing as previous lines do, but it does the best job it can. Ben has been sacked an inordinate amount of times. Big Ben needs protection. Our O-line doesn’t block like it used to. Case in point, 4th and goal at Heinz field the last two games.
How about we don’t have a big running back? The Bus ran linebackers over, and Brandon Jacobs copies it! We have a speed demon under center that can break it for a long one, but he cannot break tackles like Jerome Bettis. Don’t get me wrong, Willie Parker is great! I love him as a running back, but I do not see him as fitting the typical Steelers mold. He’s not the best at the straight-line game.
But that’s not the core of the personality disorder. I see the biggest reason for change. Bruce Arians is our offensive coordinator, and that means a drastic change in play calling. Congratulations on designing a new offense, but it’s not the Steelers, Mr. Arians. Passing is not our bread and butter by any means. All the flashy four wide-out sets and single back or empty backfields looks more like the Cardinals, Saints, or probably most accurately, the Bengals.
So that’s what I see with the Steelers. I still love them. They are my boys! I will support them to the ed. My only question posed here is this, Where have my Steelers gone?
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Get Excited
So I'm going through my regular Friday routine, which consists of just one class and going to the cigar shop on Kiester road by Slippery Rock University.....wait...I'm getting ahead of myself.
You all should know me if you are reading this blog, but if you stumbled across me, this is my title. My title is Ian Heilman, student, cinephile, bibliophile, and brainiac extraordinaire. The last part might be a slight exaggeration. But I am smart in my own mind. You might get to know me through this blog.
But anyways, I'm at the shop talking to Joe, and this guy walks in, about 60 years old saying he's lived in the area for years but never found the place. His name is Tim, don't know his last name. I can tell you that he looked like a kid in a candy store standing in Joe's walk in humidor. He asked me to walk in with him and give him my top 5 cigars. It took me a while to even start to rank them, but I must say, this man was very adamant about cigars. He's saying this and that about this cigar and that wrapper and on and on. So i had to as him why, i asked him "Why are you so excited about cigars?" This is what he said.
"You've got to be excited about things in life. I tell me students you've got to go out there and do things and enjoy life. When you are six feet under, that's just too late to start."
Forget the story I just told you and focus on that statement. I'll wait for you.............did you read it? I bet you did, but read it again and when i say read, I really do mean READ it. Let it sink in.
Live your life. In college there are so many things to do, classes, parties, girls, or if you are a woman, guys, r gay...well you know what i mean. THere are clubs and frats and papers and road trips and late night poker games and what not. But what you have to do in the end is this. Find something that you love and do it. Get excited about something. I never fully understood what i was going to do with my life, and i still don't, but my major is something that i love. I love my cigars, I love my family, I love college.
For those of you who think i'm just nuts by posting this, you guys....come on, really?
Anyways, that's what i learned Friday, and i will never forget where and when it was taught to me.
You all should know me if you are reading this blog, but if you stumbled across me, this is my title. My title is Ian Heilman, student, cinephile, bibliophile, and brainiac extraordinaire. The last part might be a slight exaggeration. But I am smart in my own mind. You might get to know me through this blog.
But anyways, I'm at the shop talking to Joe, and this guy walks in, about 60 years old saying he's lived in the area for years but never found the place. His name is Tim, don't know his last name. I can tell you that he looked like a kid in a candy store standing in Joe's walk in humidor. He asked me to walk in with him and give him my top 5 cigars. It took me a while to even start to rank them, but I must say, this man was very adamant about cigars. He's saying this and that about this cigar and that wrapper and on and on. So i had to as him why, i asked him "Why are you so excited about cigars?" This is what he said.
"You've got to be excited about things in life. I tell me students you've got to go out there and do things and enjoy life. When you are six feet under, that's just too late to start."
Forget the story I just told you and focus on that statement. I'll wait for you.............did you read it? I bet you did, but read it again and when i say read, I really do mean READ it. Let it sink in.
Live your life. In college there are so many things to do, classes, parties, girls, or if you are a woman, guys, r gay...well you know what i mean. THere are clubs and frats and papers and road trips and late night poker games and what not. But what you have to do in the end is this. Find something that you love and do it. Get excited about something. I never fully understood what i was going to do with my life, and i still don't, but my major is something that i love. I love my cigars, I love my family, I love college.
For those of you who think i'm just nuts by posting this, you guys....come on, really?
Anyways, that's what i learned Friday, and i will never forget where and when it was taught to me.
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