NFL Buffet, Week 8: So, What Do YOU Think Of Ben Roethlisberger?

And it prompted some confusion with at least a few readers. So let me be clear: there’s a difference between “spectacular” and “good.” For instance, Michael Vick was spectacular for years in Atlanta, but by the end of his time with the Falcons, it was a real question as to whether he was actually good. And conversely, Ben Roethlisberger’s a really good quarterback--good enough to win two Super Bowls, anchor multiple playoff teams, etc. Maybe he’s been the beneficiary of a winning system in Pittsburgh, maybe not. But he’s won enough to render the question moot.

Having said that... He’s not the type of quarterback that will dazzle you for sixty minutes. He’ll make a handful of big plays each week, but otherwise, a lot of Roethlisberger’s throws are downright ugly. And that’s okay, because he’s still successful. But he’s definitely unspectacular, right?

In any case, one Steeler fan got pretty worked up over my Roethlisberger slight.

From an e-mail sent last Friday...

Andrew:

The problem with people like yourself, and by extension most sports writers, is that they are as dull and thick as the split pea soup Linda Blair forcefully expelled from her mouth in the ‘Exorcist’. By calling Ben Roethlisberger “never spectacular”, you’re just showing your inability to compare statistical data and to make a scientific evaluation on a particular player.

Being a Physics teacher, I have the trained ability to use statistical data analysis to come to a rational conclusion on a given topic in which a numerical foundation is provided. Likewise, my first degree was in History, which taught me how to do a thing called ‘research’ using the scientific method.

Now that I have sufficiently laid a proper foundation on which I base my argument, unlike yourself, I would like to draw some comparisons between Ben Roethlisberger and other great quarterbacks of the NFL.

First off, playoff performances often separate the good, from the truly great players, especially at the QB position. The regular season is important, but we all know the postseason is where true legends of the game are made. The historically great QB’s in NFL history have made multiple SB appearances with few exceptions. (See: Montana, Elway, Bradshaw, Staubach, Favre, Kelly, Unitas, Starr, etc...) In an era where the media judges QB play more off of a fantasy football stat sheets than what they do on the field, let’s take a hard-hitting, number crunching analysis of which active QB’s actually get the job done when it counts the most. In the playoffs!

Top performing active playoff QB’s (minimum 5 starts 2009)

1. Kurt Warner 8-3

261 - 403 (64.8%) 3368 yards 26 TD - 13 INT 8.4 YPA 98.9 QB rating

2. Tom Brady 14 wins, 3 losses

372 - 595 (62.5%) 3954 yards 26 TD -12 INT 6.6 YPA 88.0 QB rating

3. Ben Roethlisberger - 8 wins, 2 losses

172 - 278 (61.9%) 2239 yards 15 TD - 12 INT 8.1 YPA 87.2 QB rating

4. Brett Favre 12 wins, 10 losses

438 - 721 (60.7) 5311 yards 39 TD - 28 INT 7.4 YPA 85.2 QB rating

5. Peyton Manning 7 wins, 8 losses

348 - 565 (61.6%) 4207 yards 22 TD - 17 INT 7.4 YPA 84.9 QB rating

6. Jake Delhomme 5-3

130 - 226 (57.5) 1847 yards 12 TD - 10 INT 8.2 YPA 83.3 QB rating

7. Donovan McNabb - 9 wins, 6 losses

322 - 540 (59.6) 3522 yards 23 TD - 16 INT 6.5 YPA 80.8 QB rating

8. Matt Hasslebeck 4-5

189 - 325 (58.2) 2211 yards 11 TD - 8 INT 6.8 YPA 79.9 QB rating

9. Philip Rivers - 3 wins, 3 losses

107 - 189 (56.6) 1522 yards 7 TD - 7 INT 8.1 YPA 79.7 QB rating

10. Eli Manning - 4 wins, 3 losses

113 - 193 (58.5) 1300 yards 8 TD - 7 INT 6.7 YPA 77.6 QB rating

11. Chad Pennington 2-4

132 - 216 (61.1) 1418 yards 8 TD - 8 INT 6.6 YPA 77.3 QB rating

12. Kerry Collins 3-4

141 - 241 (58.5) 1556 yards 12 TD -11 INT 6.5 YPA 75.3 QB rating

13. Jeff Garcia 2-4

126 - 217 (58.1%) 1357 yards 7 TD - 7 INT 6.3 YPA 73.8 QB Rating

[Ed. Note: He spends about 1,000 words analyzing these numbers. Edited for brevity, except to say that apparently, Roethlisberger compares favorably to John Elway, Tom Brady, and Peyton Manning]

In closing, use your brain for a little more that stating your opinions. You come off as a real idiot, which if I might judge by your picture, you certainly appear to be; but I won’t judge you by your looks, only your words. Maybe you could help yourself by doing something called ‘research’. Don’t be mad because ben beat your team.

Regards,

Anthony

...And I’m all like, “HAHAHA Steelers fans are crazy.”

Naturally, since he called me a thoughtless, lazy, idiot, I had to go for the low-hanging fruit and ask whether any of those other QBs had been accused of sexual assault on two separate occasions. An excerpt from his response:

Right. Because sexual assaults never, ever get swept under the rug.

But while we’re here, let’s talk about Roethlisberger real quick. I don’t think I should feel bad for hating him personally, but that’s a topic for another time. As for Roethlisberger the football player... It’s okay for someone to be really good and really boring at the same time.

It’s an important point for this column going forward. We’re more interested in games that are fun to watch. The Texans, for instance, may not be as good as the Steelers, but their games are generally more exciting. And Roethlisberger’s playoff numbers may be better than Peyton Manning’s or Brett Favre’s, but I’d rather watch a game with those two guys playing. Does that make him less of a great player? WHO. CARES.

Save those debates for Around the Horn or something. Anyone that seriously puts Roethlisberger in the same sentence as Peyton Manning is probably insane, but that’s beside the point. Steelers fans, go have fun worshiping Ben Roethlisberger and his wobbly deep balls to Hines Ward. Unless they’re playing a good team, I’ll be watching something else, and we can agree to disagree.

Oh yeah, and Ben definitely did it. You guys know that, right? Onto the games...

Blogs: Battle Red Blog and Stampede Blue

Line: Colts by 5.5

Deciding Factor: Can Arian Nation rise again in Indiana on Monday Night?

Hard-Hitting Analysis: Seriously, after breaking 230 yards in Week 1 against Indy, Arian Foster has fallen back to earth a little bit. He had just 96 yards combined in his last two games. But if he gets back on track, the Texans have the best offense in football, a legitimate shot at winning what’s sure to be a shootout on Monday Night, and pole position in the AFC South as we hit the halfway mark in 2010. And we all get to make Arian/Aryan jokes again.

Blogs: Daily Norseman and Pats Pulpit

Line: Patriots by 5

Deciding Factor: Tom Brady! Brett Favre Tavaris Jackson! Who ya got?

Hard-Hitting Analysis: It would be the best story of the year if Tavaris Jackson stepped in on Sunday and led Minnesota and Randy Moss to a rout of Moss’ old team, beginning a miracle comeback for the Minnesota Vikings where they run the table and get to the Super Bowl, all without Favre. It won’t happen, but... Wouldn’t that be great?

Blogs: Acme Packing Company and Gang Green Nation

Line: Jets by 6

Deciding Factor: A potential tipping point in the NFC-AFC debate. We know the AFC’s a lot better, but if Green Bay gets blown out by the Jets... Well, that’s the best the NFC has to offer getting killed by one of eight AFC teams with a shot at the title.

Hard-Hitting Analysis: Green Bay won’t get blown out, though. Aaron Rodgers is too good, and Mark Sanchez is still shaky enough to hurt the Jets. The NFC will retain some semblance of dignity. For now.

Blogs: Buffalo Rumblings and Arrowhead Pride

Line: Chiefs by 7.5

Deciding Factor: Gus Johnson announcing, Ryan Fitzpatrick slingin’ it for Buffalo, and the Chiefs, who have quickly become my favorite “random Sunday Ticket team” in the NFL.

Hard-Hitting Analysis: As fun as the Ryan Fitzpatrick jokes have been... The Bills look a lot better than they ever would have with Trent Edwards back there. This game will be more fun than you think. And yes, Gus Johnson’s involvement accounts for 90% of my analysis on that front.

Blogs: Behind The Steel Curtain and Canal Street Chronicles

Line: Saints by 1

Deciding Factor: Don’t look now, but if New Orleans loses this game, they’ll be 4-4.

Hard-Hitting Analysis: ...And the Steelers are due for a loss. They’re good on both sides of the ball, but it’s not like these guys are going 15-1. And Brees-Roethlisberger? No contest, right?

[Steelers fan e-mails me 5,000 words comparing their playoff performance]

Would Roethlisberger have won with last year’s Saints team? Riddle me THAT, Pittsburgh.

Blogs: Music City Miracles and Bolts From The Blue

Line: Chargers by 3.5

Deciding Factor: What does Norv Turner have to do to get himself fired?

Hard-Hitting Analysis: The Chargers have made a habit of flirting with disaster the past few years. They always start slow and then pull it together. But one of these years, it’s going to catch up with them, and they’re going to end up at 6-10. Yes, one of these years...

Blogs: The Phinsider and Cincy Jungle

Line: Bengals by 1.5

Blogs: Hogs Haven and Pride Of Detroit

Line: Lions by 3

Deciding Factor: The ‘Skins are worse-than-you-think and Detroit’s better-than-you-think.
Hard-Hitting Analysis: But Washington will win, because life is unfair, and Detroit football fans know that better than any football fanbase in the country. But they keep comin’!

Blogs: Niners Nation and Mile High Report

Line: 49ers by 1

Deciding Factor: Are we trying to make the British hate football?

Hard-Hitting Analysis: So far, we’ve sent them Giants-Dolphins in a year when Miami was winless. Then New Orleans-San Diego when both teams were under .500. Then last year, New England-Tampa Bay when the Bucs were winless. And now... The 49ers and Broncos, two of the least interesting teams in the NFL, with three wins between them. It’s not a criticism, either; if we’re trying to poison football in the United Kingdom, that’s a plan I can get behind. It’s always reassuring when Europeans sneer at football, because it reminds me why they’ll never understand freedom and democracy and guns and fake tits, and it reinforces a longstanding superiority complex that will hopefully exist until the end of time.

Blogs: Big Cat Country and Blogging The Boys

Line: Cowboys by 6.5

Deciding Factor: Kitna! Bouman! Jerry Jones! Jim Nantz! I want to die!

Hard-Hitting Analysis: A chess match between Wade Phillips and Jack Del Rio? Wade would try to eat the pieces, and Del Rio would break the board over his head, sending himself to the hospital. So... Advantage Wade? You gotta think he can digest chess pieces.

Blogs: Field Gulls and Silver and Black Pride

Line: Raiders by 2.5

Deciding Factor: Are the Seahawks good?
Hard-Hitting Analysis: Maybe, right? And Mike Williams’ comeback has been overshadowed by the nobody-watches-the-Seahawks bias, but it’s one of the cooler stories in the NFL.

Blogs: Bucs Nation and Revenge of the Birds

Line: Cardinals by 3

Deciding Factor: Some games were meant to be simulated on Madden...
Hard-Hitting Analysis: But hey, the same way you’d applaud a homeless man claiming to be the Second Coming of Christ, you gotta applaud the confidence from Raheem Morris. He may be crazy, but damnit, he believes those crazy things, and that’s kind of great.

Blogs: Cat Scratch Reader and Turf Show Times

Line: Rams by 3

Deciding Factor: Hey now! Sam Bradford!
Hard-Hitting Analysis: Who knows what’ll happen here, but it should make for an entertaining clash of styles, if you like interceptions and fumbles and field goals and stuff. That said, Sam Bradford has looked pretty great so far, and if St. Louis ever gets an offensive line, skill players, and a defense... Well, once the Rams stop being the Rams, Sam Bradford could do some serious damage. So, GET EXCITED, Rams fans.