Steelers Today – A Pittsburgh Steelers blog

July 31, 2009
By Donald Starver

This is Part 5 in a series.  If you haven’t read the previous installments, please click below:

Part 1:  Defensive linemen

Part 2:  Linebackers

Part 3:  Safeties

Part 4: Cornerbacks

Now That we’ve finished discussing the defense, it’s time to turn our attenti0n to the offense.  The first position that we are going to preview is quarterback.

Most Steelers fans are aware that the team always carries 3 quarterbacks on the roster.  2009 will be no different.

Let’s look at the quarterbacks who will battle to make the Steelers’ 2009 roster.

Ben Roethlisberger – In his first 5 years in the NFL, Ben Roethlisberger has quarterbacked the Steelers to 2 Super Bowl championships.  That means he has delivered championships 40% of the time.  If he continues at that pace, and has a 10-15 year career, is is guaranteed to be make the NFL Hall of Fame.  Moreover, he will surpass Terry Bradshaw as the greatest Steelers quarterback of all time.

The Steelers acknowledged Big Ben’s potential in 2008 when they signed him to an 8-year extension that will pay him $102 billion (or was that $102 million?  I’m not sure, but I know it was a lot).

Big Ben has now entered the rarefied air previously reserved for Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.  He is an elite franchise quarterback that teams have to game plan for.  Moreover, in 2008 he was the single highest paid player in the NFL.

Big Ben is going to be the Steelers’ starting quarterback for a long time, provided he stays healthy (and his health is not a given, considering how often he gets sacked).  Is there really any question whether Ben will make the roster and be the starter in 2009?  I thought not.

Andrea McNulty is far more likely to knock Ben out of his starting job than Charlie Batch or Dennis Dixon are.

Charlie Batch – The Steelers have enjoyed having the dependable Batch waiting in the wings for a long time now.  Batch is an experienced, dependable veteran who is not likely to lose the game for the team if called upon to play.

Perhaps Batch’s most important characteristic is his apparent comfort with the idea of being a back-up.  This characteristic is what was missing in Byron Leftwich, and is the reason why Leftwich is not with the Steelers today.  Leftwich saw himself as a starter.  He was never going to be comfortable with being relegated to a backup role.  Charlie Batch has no such problem.

Both fans and coaches are extremely comfortable with Charlie Batch.  That is why most fans have already penciled Batch in as the #2 quarterback in 2009.  I am not so quick to anoint Batch to the #2 spot.  While Batch is admittedly competent and dependable, he has a few glaring flaws.

1. Batch will be 35 years old this season.  His best days are clearly behind him.
2. Batch has a career QB rating of only 77.9.  While he probably won’t lose many games for the Steelers, he also can’t be expected to carry the team on his back and win many games either.
3. Batch has a history of injuries.  This was most recently evident in 2008 when he missed most of the season with a shoulder injury.

Rather than hand the #2 quarterback role to Batch, I’d much rather see another player win the spot in training camp.  That player is……..

Dennis Dixon -  Prior to injuring his ACL during his last year in college, Dennis Dixon was leading Oregon to a potential national championship.  Moreover, he was the front-runner for the Heisman trophy.  The kid was a star, and NFL scouts were drooling over him.

I read many of the Steelers websites and forums, and there is a piece of false information that I find repeated over and over again.  Many fans say that “Dennis Dixon is just an athlete who would rather run than throw the ball.  He is just another Michael Vick or Vince Young”.  Sure, all three are black quarterbacks, and all three are athletic, but the comparisons end there.

Dennis Dixon was an accomplished quarterback at Oregon.  He has a powerful arm, and can make all of the throws.  In fact, prior to his injury, he was viewed as a better prospect than last years’ NFL freshmen sensations Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco.

All three quarterbacks came out of college the same year.  That year, Dennis Dixon had a QB rating of 161.19.  Joe Flacco’s QB rating was 144.91, and Matt Ryan’s was 127.04.  Advantage: Dixon.

Dennis Dixon’s pass completion percentage was 67.7%.  Joe Flacco’s was 63.5%, and Matt Ryan’s was 59.3%.  Advantage: Dixon.

Dennis Dixon threw 4 interceptions.  Joe Flacco threw 5, and Matt Ryan threw a whopping 19.  Advantage: Dixon.

Most impressive of all, Dixon averaged 8.4 yards per pass.  Joe Flacco averaged 8.2, and Matt Ryan averaged 6.9.  So not only was Dixon a more accurate passer than Flacco or Ryan, but he also tended to make longer passes than them.   Advantage:  Dixon.

Both Flacco and Ryan did very well in their first year in the NFL.  So why are Steelers fans so concerned that Dixon is only going to be useful as a wildcat quarterback?  Moreover, why have some Steelers fans called for Dixon to be placed in a “slash” role and to only be used for gimmick plays?  I’ve even heard Steelers fans suggest that Dixon be converted to a wide receiver.  Dixon has never played receiver.  Why try to turn him into one?

I don’t want to offend any readers, but many of the comments that I have read about Dixon verge on being racist stereotypes.

Dennis Dixon is NOT an athlete pretending to be a quarterback.  He is an accomplished quarterback who needs to learn the Steelers playbook so he can show fans and coaches just what he is capable of doing.

Dennis Dixon is younger than Charlie Batch, taller than Charlie Batch, faster than Charlie Batch, and he has a stronger arm than Charlie Batch.  If he can master the playbook, I believe he will emerge from Steelers training camp as the #2 quarterback.

Mike Reilly – After redshirting his freshman year at Washington State, Reilly transferred to Central Washington.  He ended his career at Central Washington as the third leading passer in Division II history with 12,448 passing yards.

Reilly impressed scouts with his confidence at the NFL Scouting Combine, but many were turned off by the lack of arm strength that he displayed at the East-West Shrine Game.

Reilly is a gutsy player who has to be commended for making it to an NFL training camp from a Division II school.  However, making the roster of the reigning NFL champions may be too much to ask of him.

If he plays reasonably well in camp, Reilly is likely to be placed on the practice squad.

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This week, Steelers Today was asked to be the guest blogger on the AOL NFL Fanhouse. When that article is posted on their site, you will be able to see it here.

In the meantime, one of their questions got me thinking. They asked me who I’d rather have quarterbacking my team, Ben Roethlisberger or Eli Manning. I answered unequivocally and without hesitation, “Big Ben”. Heck, if Eli’s last name weren’t Manning, I don’t think he would have been drafted as high as he was. But that’s just my opinion.

Based on their question, I decided to expound upon my answer and list my top 10 reasons why Ben Roethlisberger is better than Eli Manning. Enjoy:

#10) “Big Ben” has a cooler nickname. In fact, I don’t think Eli even has a nickname. “Little Peyton” maybe? Advantage: Roethlisberger.

#9) Big Ben is bigger. Eli Manning is 6’4″, and weighs 225 lbs. Big Ben is 6’5″ and 241 lbs. This is his slimmed down size. He used to play at about 255 lbs., but he made the conscious decision to play at a lighter weight. Advantage Roethlisberger.

#8) Big Ben is Stronger. Ben Roethlisberger has one of the strongest arms of any quarterback in the NFL. Apparently some scouts have a test they have quarterbacks do wherein the QB has to throw the ball while on his knees. One NFL scout wrote that he saw Ben Roethlisberger throw the ball farther than he had seen just about any other QB throw the ball while on his knees. Sure, NFL quarterbacks don’t often throw the ball from their knees, but it was an interesting observation nonetheless.

Big Ben’s strength also lets him maintain his balance and complete passes while defenders are draped all over him. Just look at the pass that he completed to Hines Ward this year against the Jacksonville Jaguars. There were two defenders trying to drag Roethlisberger to the ground, but he still completed the pass. Eli Manning just isn’t strong enough to do that. Advantage: Roethlisberger.

#7) Big Ben is faster. Not only is Roethlisberger bigger and stronger than Eli Manning, he’s also faster. Roethlisberger uses his speed to scramble and escape defenders. He can either buy time to find his receivers, or he can take off and gain yardage running.

Ben’s superior speed gives him a big advantage versus Eli Manning in gaining rushing yards. In 2007, Ben Roethlisberger rushed for 204 yards. Eli Manning has rushed for 213 total yards during his entire career. Advantage: Roethlisberger.

#6) Roethlisberger has more wins. The ultimate measure of a QB is not how many 300 yard passing performances he has. The true measure of a quarterback is how often he wins. Dan Marino threw for more yards, but Joe Montana has more rings. Dan Fouts threw for more yards, but Terry Bradshaw has more wins. Peyton Manning has thrown for more yards, but Tom Brady has more rings. Which QB in each pair is remembered as being the best? See my point? No matter what era you look at, wins are what matter. When it all comes down to it, winning is the ultimate measure of a QB. It’s like Al Davis once said; “Just win, baby!”

Both Quarterbacks have one super bowl ring in their young careers, so there is no difference in that area. However, when we look at total wins, Ben Roethlisberger has a significant advantage. Ben Roethlisberger has accumulated 45 NFL wins, and a winning percentage of 72.6%. Eli Manning has accumulated 36 NFL wins, and a winning percentage of 57.1%. Advantage: Roethlisberger.

#5) Big Ben dates hotter chicks. Eli Manning recently married his college sweetheart, Abby McGrew.

Roethlisberger is still a bachelor, but he has had very public relationships with golfer Natalie Gulbis and actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler (aka Meadow Soprano).

I commend Manning for his commitment to his long-time girlfriend, but I don’t think there’s much doubt that this round goes to Big Ben. Advantage: Roethlisberger.

#4) Roethlisberger has been to more Pro Bowls. Eli Manning has never been named to a Pro Bowl. Meanwhile, Big Ben made the Pro Bowl last year, and is on his way to making it again this year. Advantage: Roethlisberger.

#3) Roethlisberger has thrown fewer interceptions. Eli Manning has thrown 68 career interceptions. Big Ben has thrown only 57. If not for that terrible 2006 season in which Roethlisberger practically led the league in interceptions with 23, the difference would be far more glaring. Coach Bill Cowher allowed Big Ben to come back much too quickly in 2006 following a motorcycle accident and an emergency appendectomy, and Ben’s performance suffered because of it. Outside of that one terrible season, Roethlisberger has never thrown more than 11 interceptions in a season. Contrarily, Manning has exceeded 15 interceptions on 3 separate occasions. Advantage: Roethlisberger.

#2) Roethlisberger has thrown for more yardage. This statistic is most surprising, since Roethlisberger has always played in a run-oriented offense in which he was often thought of as a mere caretaker. Big Ben has thrown for 12,836 yards versus 12,774 yards for Eli Manning. This disparity is most surprising since Manning has over 400 more pass attempts than Roethlisberger. Advantage: Roethlisberger.

#1) Big Ben has a higher career QB rating. Ben Roethlisberger has a career quarterback rating of 93.0. Eli Manning’s career QB rating is 74.9. The two quarterbacks entered the NFL during the same season, and Big Ben has had a better QB rating in each season except for the aforementioned 2006 season in which Roethlisberger threw more than twice as many interceptions as he has averaged for his career. In that season, their QB ratings were practically identical, though Manning edged Roethlisberger slightly (Manning=77.0 vs. Roethlisberger=75.4). In fact, Roethlisberger’s WORST single season QB rating (75.4) is higher than Manning’s career average (74.9). Last year, Roethlisberger’s QB rating was a full 30 points higher than Eli Manning’s (104.1 versus 73.9). Despite Eli winning the Superbowl, Roethlisberger had a far better season. Advantage: Roethlisberger.

So, as you can see, when we do a head-to-head comparison of Eli Manning versus Ben Roethlisberger, Big Ben wins in a knockout. If Giants fans are honest, I’m sure that they’d admit that the Steelers got the better deal in Roethlisberger. Particularly when you consider that the Giants also traded away a draft pick that ended up being Shawn Merriman in order to get Eli. There is little doubt in my mind that if the Giants could take a mulligan on their 2004 draft, they’d choose Ben Roethlisberger over Eli Manning.

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