Big Ben Worthlessburger...

[HomerJay]

love when people draft high...get pissed...then drop a guy like this ...so far so good two weeks in a row.

[mariners100]

If he had an O line.. he would be a lot better.. he never has time to throw the ball or look downfield.


That will teach you all to draft a Steelers QB as your #1.. have you heard of Steeler Football, it doesn't mean to throw 50 times a game.

[dgan]

Fantasy value aside, Roburger has got to be one of the most overrated QBs in the league simply because of "his" record and "his" success the first two years of his career. Nevermind the fact that the guy self implodes if he has to throw the ball more than 25 times per game, that he likely leads the league in "coverage sacks" because no one is never open enough for him to actually throw the ball, and that all the punishment he takes is his own fault because the point I just made.

I have nothing against him personally - I like him, and I think he's a damn fine QB. But the way NFL talking heads drool over him like he's an elite QB is ridiculous IMO. He's got good receivers on that team and they throw the ball a lot, yet none of them are good fantasy prospects. Doesn't that tell you something about how efficient and productive he is? I give him credit for making a lot of big plays in key situations, but as good as that defense is, they shouldn't have win games in the 4th quarter as often as they do.

I don't really have any numbers to back up what I just said, but that's the impression I get every time I watch him play. He always seems to make a dozen negative plays and then magically makes one "savior" play in the 4th quarter. If he'd just screw up less often and be more productive in the other 3 quarters, he wouldn't need to be a hero at the end of the game.

[steelerfan513]

Fantasy value aside, Roburger has got to be one of the most overrated QBs in the league simply because of "his" record and "his" success the first two years of his career. Nevermind the fact that the guy self implodes if he has to throw the ball more than 25 times per game, that he likely leads the league in "coverage sacks" because no one is never open enough for him to actually throw the ball, and that all the punishment he takes is his own fault because the point I just made.

Roethlisberger is certainly admired by the media sometimes unfairly, and he has some definite flaws. That being said, many of the common arguments that Roethlisberger is overrated are flawed, most notably that he can't handle throwing the ball a lot. The Steelers definitely have a worse record when Roethlisberger does end up throwing the ball a lot, but the reason for that is the Steelers' offense is based around a successful running game. What else explains the fact that Roethlisberger only has six 300-yd passing games in his career? Sometimes he has great games when the Steelers throw a lot, and sometimes he has clunkers, much like any NFL quarterback. What matters at the end is efficiency, and it's tough to argue against the 7th best rated quarterback in NFL history in that aspect.

I won't dispute that he holds onto the ball for far too long, but the punishment he takes isn't 100% a result of that. It's definitely more attributable to what was once one of the league's best offensive lines quickly deteriorating into one of the league's worst. The sack numbers don't lie:

2004: 30
2005: 23
2006: 46
2007: 47
2008: On pace for 46

Yes, Roethlisberger definitely has started trying to make more plays as his career has progressed, but that can't attribute to his sack totals doubling in one year.

He's got good receivers on that team and they throw the ball a lot, yet none of them are good fantasy prospects. Doesn't that tell you something about how efficient and productive he is? I give him credit for making a lot of big plays in key situations, but as good as that defense is, they shouldn't have win games in the 4th quarter as often as they do.

The productivity of the receivers can be attributed to his tendency to spread the ball around to Ward, Holmes, Miller, Washington, and even a bit of backup TE Matt Spaeth. And the blame for the Steelers not being able to put games away should rest solely on the shoulders of an offensive line that can't open up any holes for the running game. The Steelers rank 23rd in rushing offense this year after finishing in the top five 3 of the past 4 years. The last time they ranked that low was in 2003 when they went 6-10. That they're 8-3 right now can be attributed mostly to a defense that is more dominant than ever thanks to a rejuvenated pass defense but also to a passing game that has started to step it up in terms of yardage. Turnovers have been an issue in many games and ultimately led to the losses to Indianapolis and New York.

Roethlisberger certainly has his flaws, and the media is definitely biased in his favor due to his wildly successful rookie year, but he's an excellent quarterback, and IMO he does deserve to be considered elite even though he certainly hasn't consistently performed at such a level this year, which can be mainly attributed to the offensive line not establishing a good running game and not blocking well enough in pass protection.