Quote:
Originally Posted by Schneed10
Roethlisberger was available for our pick at 5, he went to Pitt at #11. But look at the difference between Roethlisberger with a surrounding cast like the 2005 Steelers and a terrible supporting cast like the 2006 Steelers. He may have won a SB, but I'm not buying that he's anything special at QB. So even to this day, I can still see the logic in the Brunell move, though maybe lowering the price tag woulda made sense.
|
I think Roethlisberger is right on track to become one of the best QBs in the league.
I think what you saw his first two years is a guy who had a very simple role in his offense. An offense that only throws 35-40% of the time, and allows for some primo passing lanes off play action. I don't think Roethlisberger was doing anything that any other veteran QB (possible exception to Tommy Maddox) couldn't have done with ease, although it IS impressive that he did it at such a young age.
What happened this year was simple, and it had nothing to do with the motorcycle accident. He simply regressed to his expected 3rd year line after playing well above it for two seasons. The explination regression was two-fold in nature.
1) It was inevitable. Roethlisberger had been well outplaying his age and experience level even for one of the greatest QBs in NFL history (of which he will never be). He was going to come back to earth sometime, and I'm just shocked that he kept it going for the better part of two years.
2) He didn't have the security blanket around him that he did the prior two years. No longer could he just complete a few 3rd down passes and throw TDs off play action and be one of the best QBs in the league. He had to make more throws, and more throws always will create a better indication of how good a guy really is.
Roethlisberger will continue to improve now as a player, but its obvious that those people who were ready to put him into Canton over the first two years of his career should think a lot longer before they react.