Roethisberger Addresses Off-Target Throws

[Steeler Nation]

The Pittsburgh Steelers missed several opportunities to capitalize yesterday in Green Bay when they needed it most. And the root cause was their Hall of Fame Quarterback missing passes to wide open receivers. Namely, JuJu Smith-Schuster who had potentially two touchdowns, but one for certain. Had Roethlisberger hit Smith-Schuster in the hands it could have been a very different game. But he didn’t. And here we are ,the Steelers are 1-3, and Smith-Schuster had 2 receptions for 11 yards.

“For me personally, it’s making those throws. I missed a couple of throws tonight,” Roethlisberger said. I was dropping my elbow down. And when you drop your elbow, the ball isn’t as accurate. So that’s just on me to make the better throw. So we had some plays, we had some guys open on the sidelines early.”

WATCH BEN ROETHLISBERGER’S PRESS CONFERENCE HERE


Roethlisberger had similar stats to Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers 26/40 for 232 yards, compared to Rodgers 20/36 248 yards, but the difference was Rodgers ability to make the plays when they needed them. The Packers converted on 9 of 15 third downs to the Steelers 4 of 11. The Steelers were also 0 for 2 on fourth down.

Rodgers threw for two touchdowns, and used his legs to get into the end zone on another.

If its a mechanics thing with Roethlisberger then he can fix it. But he had better hurry up because another loss on Sunday against Denver would likely put the Steelers in a hole they won’t be able to dig themselves out of by seasons end.

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[madinsomniac]

Its absolutely at least partially mechanical but the $1000 question remains is it something that came from the surgery or is it correctable

His arm strength is fine…

 

[Marchetti67]

IMO it's not Ben's arm-shoulder-mental awareness..... it's his legs that affect his throwing accuracy and the ability to extend the play... and at times keeps him from stepping up in the pocket when it is there. Not sure how you can fix his lack of mobility when he's 38 years old. We are used to Ben holding on to the ball....taking hits (more than he should have in his career) to extend the plays....and know it's all catching up with him.

 

[Badcat]

The second over-throw to JuJu was a catchable ball if you freeze frame it. Ben throws it on a rope to JuJu's fingertips, VERY difficult catch for sure. I'd like to think that if that was Hines Ward, he'd have caught that ball with a smile on his face. I don't see much effort from the WR's laying out, fighting to box out DB's, etc.

 

[Steeler Pride]

If JuJu gets any vertical height on his jump that pass is at least a completion. Yes the ball was probably a little too flat, but I think if you want to consider yourself an elite WR, you have to come down with that ball.

 

[SteelBuckeye]

Pass should have been better. Ben has done better in the past.
JuJu? Bruised ribs will make leaping higher, extending farther a lot harder to do.

 

[Stryker]

He's playing hurt. He'll never admit it, but he's nearly been sacked as many times in 4 games as he has all last year. That's saying something for a QB in his last season....

 

[Atlsteelers]

He's playing hurt. He'll never admit it, but he's nearly been sacked as many times in 4 games as he has all last year. That's saying something for a QB in his last season....

I think he is also playing hurt but I also think he's playing scared. A couple times yesterday he could have stayed in the pocket a little whole longer but try to go to his first read which was a quick pass. The main issue is up front.

 

[wig]

Ya, that's the one that I thought JuJu could have had if he timed it just a bit better. I took his "throwing down of the tablet" as a "Damn! I shoulda had that!"

But, Ben could have made that throw a bit easier to catch too. Lotta blame to go around. As I have said several times. I don't mind the missed throws as much as the completely missed reads that could have extended downs. That was concerning to me.

 

[SteelBuckeye]

The whole damn thing evokes a cluster **** of emotions and thoughts for me. Would I like Ben to be performing like the Ben of old? Of course! What Steelers fan wouldn't. Did I expect that he would take time to warm up to playing good ball. Yep. It's been a pattern for a few years now. The lack of preseason game work doesn't help. Do I think he could be injured? It's possible. Do I think he's gun shy behind that line? Oh yeah!
However, if he's injured, he should sit. He's not the Ben of 10 years ago, or even 5, that could "break a toe" and come out the next week and throw for 300 yards, a couple of TDs and lead a game winning drive. And no one should expect him to be at age 39. If he's gun shy, he should sit. Those short, "quick release", not even going to read the field when I do have a pocket, passes are drive killers... Any defense they play against is sitting on that **** and daring him to do more. He either can't or (more likely) won't do so.

 

[wig]

I do agree that he seems to be rushing stuff. Even when he "extends plays" he's clearly got happy feet and he's just waiting to be creamed. He just doesn't seem to have any faith in the line, his receivers or even himself anymore.

I don't believe that Rudolph will do any better, but if it means keeping Ben alive until the offensive line figures out that not every play is a screen pass and they shouldn't just "let the defense through" I'd say let Ben sit until he believes it's not completely pointless to go out there behind that line.

 

[slashsteel]

Juju is coming off a rib injury as well perhaps that hindered his jumping ability. As far as Ben if he can't practice 5 days a week he should sit until he can. As they need the reps to be on the same page.

 

[stillwright]

Pass should have been better. Ben has done better in the past.
JuJu? Bruised ribs will make leaping higher, extending farther a lot harder to do.

So JuJu gets a pass for being banged up bit Ben doesn't? Gotcha

 

[Badcat]

Juju is coming off a rib injury as well perhaps that hindered his jumping ability. As far as Ben if he can't practice 5 days a week he should sit until he can. As they need the reps to be on the same page.

I wrestled at the Keystone State games with a cracked rib...ain't no damn excuses.

 

[Drink IRON City]

The second over-throw to JuJu was a catchable ball if you freeze frame it. Ben throws it on a rope to JuJu's fingertips, VERY difficult catch for sure. I'd like to think that if that was Hines Ward, he'd have caught that ball with a smile on his face. I don't see much effort from the WR's laying out, fighting to box out DB's, etc.

I had seen that also and felt near the same, except I thought in my younger day I could have caught that. Seems like JuJu didn't want to dive (lay out) for it. I'm not condemning him by no means but James Washington (the announcers called him Nate at least twice) probably comes up with that.




Salute the nation

 

[SteelBuckeye]

So JuJu gets a pass for being banged up bit Ben doesn't? Gotcha

So Ben's banged up? Well, that's news to me.
I apologize, I didn't address that. I addressed JuJu's condition. Heck, there's ALWAYS folks ready with an excuse for Ben. He doesn't need me making them for him.

 

[coupon]

At least we didn’t start out 11-0

 

[Roy92040]

If it’s a mechanic thing maybe he could fix it by more practice? Just saying

 

[bermudasteel]

IMO it's not Ben's arm-shoulder-mental awareness..... it's his legs that affect his throwing accuracy and the ability to extend the play... and at times keeps him from stepping up in the pocket when it is there. Not sure how you can fix his lack of mobility when he's 38 years old. We are used to Ben holding on to the ball....taking hits (more than he should have in his career) to extend the plays....and know it's all catching up with him.

I agree. Everything from the waist down ain't working right.

Where's Coryea??? He can check it out for us...

 

[slashsteel]

If it’s a mechanic thing maybe he could fix it by more practice? Just saying

That is my main point with his age- limited mobility he needs to practice 5 days a week. If he can't he should sit until he can. Perhaps that accuracy would quickly improve.