Wednesday: Ben’s “chat” with the media
From Teresa Varley at Steelers.com:
Having a deep threat, a guy with speed to get open downfield, is something Ben Roethlisberger has been fortunate to have in the offense over the years. In recent history it’s been players like Mike Wallace and Martavis Bryant.
Now it’s Sammie Coates who is his weapon, and Roethlisberger said it’s a combination of speed and playmaking ability that makes them effective.
“Being fast helps,” said Roethlisberger. “Throw it far and let them make the pay. There are some things we work on and we do it every day in practice. Most of it goes on them. I just throw it.”
Some of those passes Roethlisberger threw to Coates last week against the Jets ended up right on target, and while Coates made a few big grabs, including a 72-yard touchdown, he also dropped a few. That doesn’t mean for one second, though, that Roethlisberger has lost confidence in him as his go-to guy down field and he shared that with him on the sidelines during the game.
“This isn’t the first time I have said something to him,” said Roethlisberger. “What was encouraging this week is he almost sought me out to let me know to come back and believe in him. I said you don’t have to tell me that. I believe in you and I am going to come back to you. It was good to see that growth.
“You have seen that the last couple of weeks, the growth, improvement and short term memory. That is what you have to have in this sport, for good or bad, short term memory. Things are going to happen constantly. After every play you have to put it behind you and move on. I think he has continued to do that and will continue. I think if I can show him I have faith and belief and a short term memory in him, he will have it.”
More from Ben…
On if Coates is being used in the slot at times:
“We have before. You have to move guys around. Just like we move Antonio Brownaround, Le’Veon (Bell). Everybody’s got to be able to move around. If you keep somebody stagnant it’s easier to defend them.”
On if the plays downfield early […]
The Ben Roethlisberger Show
“I’ll take a championship over an MVP every time!” — Ben, when asked about never being selected for MVP.
Recap of Ben’s show, courtesy of 93.7 The Fan & CBS Pittsburgh:
Coming off another big performance, Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger joined The Cook and Poni Show for the weekly #1 Cochran Ben Roethlisberger Show in which he talked about the offense continuing its hot streak.
Roethlisberger threw for 380 yards and four touchdowns including a 72-yard touchdown pass to Sammie Coates on their first offensive series, and a large part of his success had to do with the protection he has received from the offensive line.
“We went into the game with the mindset that we were going to get the ball out quick,” Ben said. “As the game went on and as the boys were doing better and better blocking, and when I say ‘better and better’ I mean more time – we were able to take some big drops, some play action, 7-step.”
Ben took us inside the film room as the team reviewed the tape from the victory and said they reached their goal each game, which is to score 30 points.
“Obviously goal number one is to win, we won the game, that’s a great thing. And we scored our 30 point goal, a great thing. But, we do watch the film and say, ‘Boy, coulda-woulda-shoulda’, you know, but you can’t live in the Monday morning film study. We learn from those things, but we move on and see where can we maybe not make those mistakes next time?”.
One of those areas they could have probably had more success was in the dropped pass department. The most guilty player in that department was also the teams most successful receiver on Sunday, Sammie Coates, and Ben talked about the way he played through some pain after receiving stitches in his one hand at half time.
“He won’t make excuses for himself, but to have stitches on his hand and said he couldn’t feel his finger, he still had a great game, and he knows he left a lot out there. He could have had a monster day. He still had a really good day, but could have had a monster day. It’s not easy to go do those things, but we’re not […]
Celebrating a Black & Ghoul Halloween?
Then share it with us!!
If you have a Big Ben (or one of his teammates or coaches) going out for Halloween, or attending a costume party this year, and you’d like to send us their photo(s), we’d love to post it in Ben’s Steelers Halloween Album.
As you can see, grown-up Trick or Treaters & furry Trick or Treaters are welcome to share their photos too!
And we’d love to see those HGTV Halloween decorators who are adding a little Black & Gold in with their scary-themed decor this year!
Just send your photo(s) via email to: bigben7website@gmail.com and we’ll post ’em here on Ben’s website and in his Halloween Album right after Halloween! (remember to give us your name, and the names of those in the photos!)
Game 5: Jets 13, Steelers 31
“I’m so used to Ben just responding like that because it’s just Ben to me now. I don’t look at it like, ‘Oh wow, that’s amazing,’ because I am just so used to seeing it but he is just a special player. I wouldn’t want to play with any other quarterback. He is a guy who is always composed in the pocket. I will watch him, even when I am running my routes, and sometimes when he doesn’t throw me the ball I am just watching him throw it to somebody else and he just never seems rattled. I don’t know how you get that, playing in the pocket, when you have got big guys, 300 pounds, trying to take your head off, but he is so composed and always keeps his cool, and you got to respect him for that, and I am glad I play with him.” — Le’Veon Bell.
From Jeremy Fowler, ESPN.com:
These are the games championship-caliber teams usually win. Shrug off a few sluggish moments to put a bad team away.
And these are the games recent Pittsburgh Steelers teams might have randomly lost — just like two years ago, against this same New York Jets squad in MetLife Stadium.
At least through five games, the 2016 Steelers seem to have a resolve emblematic of the franchise’s history. Fresh off a 31-13 win against the Jets, that renewed attitude will only strengthen their case for a second AFC North title since 2011.
How the Steelers (4-1) responded late in the third quarter illustrates that point. After three flat drives, they came back with a nine-play, 80-yard affair that ended in a classic touchdown moment between Antonio Brown and Ben Roethlisberger. From the 5-yard line, Brown runs a crossing route, sees traffic, then fades to an open spot in the middle of the field for Big Ben, who waits for his guy to find daylight.
Sunday wasn’t always a smooth ride. The Jets were desperate at 1-3. Their defense closed the door on deep plays after Sammie Coates’ dazzling 72-yard touchdown grab on the opening drive. Coates’ beautiful/painful experience continues with two touchdowns and three drops, including one in the end zone so head-scratching that coach Mike Tomlin calmed down his receiver from the sideline after the play.
With New York shutting […]
The 2016 Rock Steelers Style Fashion Show
Backstage….
And ON STAGE!!
You can see larger versions of these photos here.
You can see all the photos from last night here.
And check out these fun, candid shots from our favorite family doctor & photographer, Dr. Ronald Cypher:
“A quarterback and his center”
From Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
There is a relationship between a quarterback and his star receiver. There is a relationship between a quarterback and his top running back. Then, there’s a relationship between a quarterback and his offensive linemen, especially his center.
“I wouldn’t want to play with anyone else,” Ben Roethlisberger was saying of Maurkice Pouncey after Steelers practice Wednesday. “I feel so blessed to have him in my life, not just as a football player, but as a friend.”
“He’s my brother,” Pouncey said of Roethlisberger. “When he walks away from football, I’m walking away, too.”
Roethlisberger said he and Pouncey hit it off from day one after Pouncey joined the Steelers as their No. 1 draft pick in 2010. But he had no explanation for how they became so close.
“Sometimes in life, there are just people who are so special to you,” Roethlisberger said. “Heath Miller. … How about Jerricho Cotchery? He wasn’t here that long, yet we had something special between us. It’s the same way with Maurkice. We’ve never clashed. We’ve never butted heads. Even when we’ve had a disagreement — and they’ve been few and far between — it’s over in an instant.”
What Pouncey, a two-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler, brings to Roethlisberger’s offense on the field is obvious. “Comfort” is the word Roethlisberger used.
“I don’t even think about the snap. As a quarterback, you have to think about so much. His snaps are always right there. They’re never off …
“His work ethic is like very few I’ve ever seen. He’s constantly going hard, to the point he drives young linemen crazy. When they’re doing O-line warm-ups, he’s not warming up. He’s full-go right from the get-go. It drives guys crazy. But they know that’s what makes him special.”
And one more thing…
“His mental football is unparalleled to anyone else,” Roethlisberger said. “It’s unbelievable. Awesome.”
Roethlisberger brought up — unsolicited — a play from the 43-14 win Sunday night against the Kansas City Chiefs.
“How awesome was it watching Pouncey on Le’Veon Bell’s long run? He was 40 yards down the field ahead of Le’Veon, throwing a block. That just shows the selflessness of Maurkice Pouncey. He got up and was more excited and more fired up than Le’Veon was. Going out and playing for his brothers is what […]