Ok so let's lay out what we know...
1. Roethlisberger has 2 Super Bowl rings
2. Roethlisberger has 2 rape accusations
3. Roethlisberger has a $100 million contract
4. Roethlisberger is facing a 6-game suspension to begin 2010 season
5. Suspension will likely be dropped to 4 games
6. Ben likes to party
7. Ben uses questionable tactics to seduce women
8. Women are attracted to fame
9. Women are attracted to fortune
10. Ben has fame and fortune
11. The Steelers will employ the Grambling State quarterback corps for the first 4 games
Right now, Roethlisberger is about as favorable to the city of Pittsburgh as Jazz was to Uncle Phil.
Even with his unpopularity, Roethlisberger WILL be the unquestioned quarterback when he returns from the suspension. I don't care if Byron Leftwich leads the team to a 4-0 start to the season, he simply won't be able to keep Ben from getting on the field.
For the record, I think a QB controversy will never happen because the Steelers will not be above .500 after their Week 4 bye.
The Steelers will have a rough time with the Falcons in Week 1. While Hotlanta's D will struggle, I simply don't see the Steelers being able to move the ball against anyone without Roethlisberger.
More on that later.
Plus the Falcons will employ a high-powered, dual threat offense, consisting of a healthy Burner Turner, 3-year Pro Matt Ryan at the helm, and all-world wideout Roddy White.
The Steelers will have a good defense, but I see them logging a lot of time on the field, and with an offense like the Falcons, it will be tough to hold them down for 4 quarters.
So in Week 2 the Steelers take the show to flood-ravaged Nashville. Obviously the Titans will have full support of their crowd and the rooting interest of anti-FEMA people across the nation. Not only do the Steelers have to deal with the crowd and the Fisher-stache, but Chris Johnson happens to be pretty good.
Tangent thought. Does Chris Johnson really think he can beat Usain Bolt in a race.
That's completely insane.
That's like saying Tori was as hot as Kelly on Saved by the Bell.
Back to football.
I do think the Steelers can win this game if they can keep Vince Young contained. He is the X-factor. If he is allowed to run, the D could be in trouble. Once again the Steelers will be hard pressed for points, but I think this will be a low scoring game that they can eke out.
Tampa normally would be an easy win for the Steelers in Week 3, but once again we will watch a defunct offense. Dennis Dixon might even be in line to start by this game. Tampa should have an equally tough time moving the ball.
They have an extremely hard to grasp RB carossel with Cadalliac Williams, Earnest Graham and Derrick Ward. So you never know who will be running the ball.
Josh Freeman didn't look too terrible at the tail-end of the season, so that is good news for Bucs fans. But he does have an extremely young receiving core, so it will take some time to build the chemistry to beat the Steelers D.
Pittsburgh wins this one, unless the Bucs bust out the creamsicle orange unis, then I may have to change my pick.
Week 4 against the Ravens would have been tough enough with Ben, but without him, this game might be a blowout.
Ray Rice returns to his role as an all-everything midget, who will give the Steelers' defense fits for many years.
Flacco, for the first time, gets an actual #1 receiver in Anquan Boldin. If he is healthy he is elite.
The Ravens D will have most of the same characters that we are familiar with, including Ray Lewis.
Speaking of Lewis, how good of a lawyer is Ed Garland. This guy gets Lewis off of a murder charge and Ben off of a rape charge. It's like Johnny Cochran was reincarnated as a corny white guy.
The Steelers will be lucky to get to the bye week 2-2.
Ok here are the reasons why Ben will be the starter in Week 5
1. The Steelers say they want to get back to a rush first attack. That's great and all. But when you have a quarterback, i.e. Leftwich or Dixon, who can't throw the ball and keep defenses honest, it is going to be mighty tough to beat 9-man fronts.
Even with their so-called dedication to the run, Ben will be allowed to air it out. He's getting paid too much money to just stand around handing the ball off to Mendenhall.
2. Mendenhall. We've seen Rashard's fumbling problem come to light last year. Without a competent passing game, he will be handling the ball more in situations where the defense is ready for the run. His body will take a beating and could re-open his fumbling past.
3. Leftwich is as slow as Charlie Weis' attempt to go on a diet. How many times has Ben been able to allude the rush, break free from a sure sack, get outside the pocket and make a play down field.
Leftwich won't do that.
Leftwich can't do that.
The fastest he has ever moved.
On a side note, would anybody be surprised if Charlie Weis, in his red KC Chiefs gear, busts through a wall and says "Oh Yeah"
4. Without the offense being able to move the ball, and run clock, an exhausted Steelers defense will be exposed. They are a good defense that is a little long in the tooth and certainly could use extended stretches of rest.
Mike Wallace, in an interview concerning Ben's return to practice, said it best, "He's a man and everybody makes mistakes. I just feel like he's the leader of our team. Anytime he comes back we accept him for who he is."
The players understand that they need him, and soon the fans will too.
I don't see why people hate Ben as much as they do. He is a sleaze ball, but he has always been a sleaze ball.
Rumors about how he's treated people have spread around the Pittsburgh region for years.
Even among persistant rumors of his behavior, Steeler Nation still ate Roethlisbergers and Big Ben Beef Jerky, adorned their cars with golden footballs decorated with a #7, and wore his jersey proudly to work and school.
I'm not dissing Steeler Nation, I have been a proud member since 1986, but where are we suddenly getting these moral standards.
I don't want to hear, the Rooney's would never put up with this crap Ben is doing.
Guess what, they are. And there are 100 million reasons why.
We are the best fans in the NFL, loyal and true. We bleed black and gold, but come on guys, we aren't always the most stand up citizens. After a few Iron City's we have been known to be down right ruthless to people that aren't from around here.
Sure Ben's a jerk, who is making too much money, especially with the standard of living a lot of his fans are suffering through, but he did win us a few games over the years, and given this city memories that we will remember our entire lives.
Yeah, he will be a the punch line of a lot of jokes over the years, but that will be because he is still relevant to our football lives.
But all this will be forgotten after he rights the offense and leads the Steelers to another memorable season.
The team has the talent.
The team has an elite QB.
It will just take a few extra weeks for us to see him toss his balls...
...to Hines Ward and Mike Wallace...
...not some coed in a Georgia bathroom.
well said
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