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OT: Stillers: When is it time to start the understudies?

Dan1911

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Jan 17, 2016
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Team looks awful and Ben is immobile and putrid. When do you see what the backups can do?

im okay with leaving Ben in, since I don’t think he will retire unless somebody beats him over the head to tell him he’s done, and he’s definitely getting a hint by staying in and being shown he’s no longer a gunslinger.
 
With all the injuries we’re seeing a lot of backups, especially on defense. How bad does it need to get before some vets need unloaded to recoup draft capital? This team needs players and will have cap space to add guys, too.

But not having a future QB is still the biggest question mark.
 
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Team looks awful and Ben is immobile and putrid. When do you see what the backups can do?

im okay with leaving Ben in, since I don’t think he will retire unless somebody beats him over the head to tell him he’s done, and he’s definitely getting a hint by staying in and being shown he’s no longer a gunslinger.
This isn’t peewee football. They could be 1-10 and Tomlin is gonna run the guys out there that he feels give them the best chance to win the next game. I know fans always wanna see the next guy to “see what we have” or because “it can’t be any worse”. If he sees someone getting better in practice they’ll likely get a shot. But he’s not running guys out there just because.
 
This isn’t peewee football. They could be 1-10 and Tomlin is gonna run the guys out there that he feels give them the best chance to win the next game. I know fans always wanna see the next guy to “see what we have” or because “it can’t be any worse”. If he sees someone getting better in practice they’ll likely get a shot. But he’s not running guys out there just because.
Are all the coaches in college and NFL who start the younger guy and replace the older guy who isn’t getting it done playing peewee football?

You think an immobile Q B with no arm strength gives the Steelers the best chance at winning?

I’m not so sure.
 
Are all the coaches in college and NFL who start the younger guy and replace the older guy who isn’t getting it done playing peewee football?

You think an immobile Q B with no arm strength gives the Steelers the best chance at winning?

I’m not so sure.
Well maybe I misunderstood your OP. I thought you were suggesting throwing guys out and seeing what they can do. I did say in my post that if Tomlin sees someone in practice who’s improving it he might get a shot.

And if it’s close and a guys younger he certainly may get a shot as well. I was just saying he’s not just gonna let a backup play “just because”. And again I may have misinterpreted your OP.

And I did say or agree in another thread it’s quite possible Rudolph would give them a better chance. I don’t think he’s a long term answer - not even close. But Ben is shot.
 
The Steelers are 2-7 in their last 9 games and the offense has managed a paltry 43 points through 3 games so far this season. It’s over and has been for a while now.

Roethlisberger may still have a few moments in some games, but he’s through and does not give this team its best chance to win. I know they want him to be able to go out on his own terms, but enough is enough.
 
Team looks awful and Ben is immobile and putrid. When do you see what the backups can do?

im okay with leaving Ben in, since I don’t think he will retire unless somebody beats him over the head to tell him he’s done, and he’s definitely getting a hint by staying in and being shown he’s no longer a gunslinger.
Other than a few players, all the Steelers have is backups. How do you draft a 3rd and 4th rounder to start as rookies on the OL and a rookie TE that can't block. It's the Steelers, so their plan must be right. Right? If that was the plan, why bring back immobile Ben to get slaughtered? But, what do I know? I'm just a fan. Here's hoping for a really high 1st round pick to draft a quality QB.
 
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Team looks awful and Ben is immobile and putrid. When do you see what the backups can do?
Should have been Last year.

sadly, the Steelers decided to cripple themselves with a Ben extension. Let’s not forget, this is the organization that WANTED to cripple themselves with Lev Bell long term contract. At least he did us a favor and didn’t accept it. Wish Ben would have done the same. Rudolph is better than Ben and would be even better with more starts under his belt.

too bad Delpanther isn’t around. He undoubtedly would have been right about Ben.
 
With all the injuries we’re seeing a lot of backups, especially on defense. How bad does it need to get before some vets need unloaded to recoup draft capital? This team needs players and will have cap space to add guys, too.

But not having a future QB is still the biggest question mark.
They have a future QB. We just don’t know how good he will be. I do think Rudolph is good enough to play a couple years till we develop someone. Like Kenny Pickett.
 
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Give Haskins a long look. He has the physical tools that Ben nor Mason have that’s a MUST behind this Oline.


Lolololololol, Ben old still gives us the best chance , the other two are not the answer and NEVER will be here
 
Lolololololol, Ben old still gives us the best chance , the other two are not the answer and NEVER will be here
Just curious as I didn’t watch. Did Ben throw any intermediate passes today? The first two weeks and most of last year the playbook is extremely limited for him. That wouldn’t be the case with Rudolph. So if the answer to my question is no, then Ben is clearly crippling this team.
 
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Lolololololol, Ben old still gives us the best chance , the other two are not the answer and NEVER will be here
Best chance at what...a top 5 pick? Haskins was in a crappy situation in DC - he has tools that you need with this Oline. Ben’s only chance is to just survive and keep cashing those checks.
 
Ben is completely washed up. He is only here because he wanted to pocket another 15 million. In another 5 games he will be completely disinterested in trying to win. Tomlin won’t put in another QB unless Ben is physically unable to play. They look like a 5-12 team.
5-12 might get them a qb of the future. How’s the QB crop this year?
 
Haskins BLOWS btw. I want them to put him in , so it will shut people up quick. Rudolph isn't much better as well. Draft is where out next QB will be.
 
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Ben no longer gives the Steelers the best chance to win every week. The way he's played the last 10-11 games he gives them the best chance at finding his replacement with a top 10 pick. It's sad to watch, but he's one of the worst QBs in the league right now.
 
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Team looks awful and Ben is immobile and putrid. When do you see what the backups can do?

im okay with leaving Ben in, since I don’t think he will retire unless somebody beats him over the head to tell him he’s done, and he’s definitely getting a hint by staying in and being shown he’s no longer a gunslinger.
Not actually answering your question by referencing understudies:

During the Tomlin years, the Steelers have been way too happy to hold onto unproductive reserves with no ceiling.

I guess they do this because they over value familiarity? This eventually gets you Banner and Okafor as starting tackles. It also keeps undeserving players like Wormley, Buggs, Grant, Allen, Layne, Gentry and others on the team.

It prevents uncovering more Mike Hilton’s. Those without some upside needconstantly cycled out.
 
I said after last year do not bring Ben back. Can't win superbowl, time to turn the chapter. Load up on D, and running game until the next franchise qb. Give Rudolph and Haskins their shot, go 500 draft a qb
 
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Team looks awful and Ben is immobile and putrid. When do you see what the backups can do?

im okay with leaving Ben in, since I don’t think he will retire unless somebody beats him over the head to tell him he’s done, and he’s definitely getting a hint by staying in and being shown he’s no longer a gunslinger.
What backups would you like to see?

The problem coming into the season was the o-line. How many NFL teams are starting 2 mid-round rookie O-linemen?

The defense, when healthy should be very good, but problem is they are already beat up.

Look, let's ride the season out, let Ben retire and we move on by hopefully drafting the next QB.
 
Looking around today, what starting Q Bs wouldn’t you take over Ben? And I mean the 2021 Ben, not that guy that doesn’t exist anymore. Maybe 3-4 starting Q Bs?
 
Should have been Last year.

sadly, the Steelers decided to cripple themselves with a Ben extension. Let’s not forget, this is the organization that WANTED to cripple themselves with Lev Bell long term contract. At least he did us a favor and didn’t accept it. Wish Ben would have done the same. Rudolph is better than Ben and would be even better with more starts under his belt.

too bad Delpanther isn’t around. He undoubtedly would have been right about Ben.
They didn't really extend him, they just restructured his remaining contract to save money. Cutting him wasn't saving them anything money wise.

Both backups are no better than backups. Neither is the answer moving forward. They should have traded for Darnold and told Ben to retire. Instead we'll end up with some retread like Bridgewater or Andy Dalton.
 
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Looking around today, what starting Q Bs wouldn’t you take over Ben? And I mean the 2021 Ben, not that guy that doesn’t exist anymore. Maybe 3-4 starting Q Bs?
Without going over it team by team the only guys I’d take him over right now are the first year guys that are struggling, and obviously their teams are looking towards them growing in the future.

Despite the Steelers overall record and his decent stats last year Roethlisberger was one of the lower ranked QB’s in the league. Once teams adjusted to what they were doing it got ugly real fast. It’s been 10-12 games now, it’s only going to get worse.
 
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Best chance at what...a top 5 pick? Haskins was in a crappy situation in DC - he has tools that you need with this Oline. Ben’s only chance is to just survive and keep cashing those checks.
I hoped that he wasn’t cashing checks in exchange for NFL brutality, but that’s the way it looks.
He has to be benched: for his sake and the teams.
He doesn’t have what it takes. Brady is a freak. The NFL is a young man’s game.
 
It's not gonna be fun for us fans but since this season is pretty much over(unless miracles happen) you gotta start hoping the Steelers truly have a disastrous season and get a top 5 pick. You obv use it to draft the top offensive lineman out there. Ben will be gone and they use Mason for next season in "transition". I guess you could also call it an audition as well. If he performs well then maybe just maybe he is our next quarterback for a few years to come. If not well we'll probably be drafting high again the following year and that's when they hopefully find their next franchise QB.

Look it's gonna suck as I am a diehard Steelers fan but I think we all need to probably now realize that the offense needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. It's awful. So unfortunately I see lots of losses piling up for the Steelers for the next few seasons. And I'm hoping Tomlin gets the axe as well. I think it's time for a new regime and imo that would work well with Ben gone after this season.
 
It's not gonna be fun for us fans but since this season is pretty much over(unless miracles happen) you gotta start hoping the Steelers truly have a disastrous season and get a top 5 pick. You obv use it to draft the top offensive lineman out there. Ben will be gone and they use Mason for next season in "transition". I guess you could also call it an audition as well. If he performs well then maybe just maybe he is our next quarterback for a few years to come. If not well we'll probably be drafting high again the following year and that's when they hopefully find their next franchise QB.

Look it's gonna suck as I am a diehard Steelers fan but I think we all need to probably now realize that the offense needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. It's awful. So unfortunately I see lots of losses piling up for the Steelers for the next few seasons. And I'm hoping Tomlin gets the axe as well. I think it's time for a new regime and imo that would work well with Ben gone after this season.
I could see a scenario where Tomlin might wanna go. I’m not sure exactly how it would come about, perhaps a trade, but all coaches know their success is tied to a QB. If they don’t get someone and quickly he may want to go elsewhere. Word always was on Cowher that the only way he’d come back is if there was a stud QB in place and it’s understandable. Why leave a cush job for constant losing/rebuilds (other than the obvious - money).

As I said in another thread I’m just a dude in a couch so I know zero. But I don’t think that’s a crazy thought. YMMV.
 
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I could see a scenario where Tomlin might wanna go. I’m not sure exactly how it would come about, perhaps a trade, but all coaches know their success is tied to a QB. If they don’t get someone and quickly he may want to go elsewhere. Word always was on Cowher that the only way he’d come back is if there was a stud QB in place and it’s understandable. Why leave a cush job for constant losing/rebuilds (other than the obvious - money).

As I said in another thread I’m just a dude in a couch so I know zero. But I don’t think that’s a crazy thought. YMMV.
I think if Tomlin ends up leaving, it’ll be on his terms (retirement). I’m actually interested to see what he can do with a quarterback other than the one he inherited. I have to think the Rooneys will give him that chance.
 
They didn't really extend him, they just restructured his remaining contract to save money. Cutting him wasn't saving them anything money wise.

Both backups are no better than backups. Neither is the answer moving forward. They should have traded for Darnold and told Ben to retire. Instead we'll end up with some retread like Bridgewater or Andy Dalton.
There were a lot of QBs available this past off-season it was the ideal time to find the next guy. Good draft class. guys like Wentz,darnold,Stafford,tribitsky etc were available. They weren't drafting that high and it would have been the perfect time for them to give a try out to one of the young guys while deciding what to do moving forward
 
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I think if Tomlin ends up leaving, it’ll be on his terms (retirement). I’m actually interested to see what he can do with a quarterback other than the one he inherited. I have to think the Rooneys will give him that chance.
Oh I have no doubt the Rooneys will give him that chance. And while I was rambling I did think that Tomlin may want to do that. But like I said I can also see why he wouldn’t.

I don’t see him retiring. Since he’d be under contract he couldn’t go anywhere and I just don’t see him being ready for that. I know there are all kinds of Stiller fans who’ve come to not like him, but he’d be in high demand. Teams would back door negotiations and fire their coach to get him.
 
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Oh I have no doubt the Rooneys will give him that chance. And while I was rambling I did think that Tomlin may want to do that. But like I said I can also see why he wouldn’t.

I don’t see him retiring. Since he’d be under contract he couldn’t go anywhere and I just don’t see him being ready for that. I know there are all kinds of Stiller fans who’ve come to not like him, but he’d be in high demand. Teams would back door negotiations and fire their coach to get him.
Agreed. Personally, I love him. He’s a great coach that’s likely under-appreciated because of the guys that came before him.
 
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