Is it me, or...

[BigBanger]

is the drive Big Ben made at the end of the game (one of the greatest moments I've ever witnessed as a fan and actually lived up to last years game, which I thought was going to be impossible to do) going completely overlooked?

Holmes was great. He played out of his mind, but Big Ben was the MVP of that Super Bowl. That is one of the worst O-Lines in all of football. How many times did they commit crucial holding penalties? The one on the endzone, the one that set them back to a first and 20 to start the drive? Not to mention the interior line couldn't work together and chip properly on Docket who kicked their ass all night long.

Big Ben did something that I honestly don't know how many NFL QBs in the NFL could pull off with that kind of offensive line.

All people seem to be talking about is some other nonsense like Kurt Warner being a HOFer, or the James Harrison plays (The return and penalty), or the officiating.

This should be the official Big Ben Appreciation Thread. The real MVP of Super Bowl 43.

[tjsunstein]

What makes you think that its going overlooked?
Also, its impossible to say how many QBs would have made that drive but just because some QBs have better O-Lines then Ben doesn't mean that they couldn't have done it with Pittsburgh's O-line. Too much specualtion with no factual evidence.

It was a great drive to cap off one of the most exciting Super Bowls in recent memory. What more is there to say? If you're looking for that drive to be shown over and over again for days to come then ESPN is your place.

[Brent]

It's the next day, let's all take a step back before judging the superbowl.

[TimD]

And no I think Holmes was the MVP. Big Ben didn't have that great of a game until that last drive. And even then the receivers were wide open (minus that last play). Holmes was definitely the MVP. He was the game changer for the Steelers just like Fitz was for AZ

[gsorace]

If Eli won it last year then Ben clearly deserved it this year.

[Saints-Tigers]

I thought Big ben was excellent the whole game, he looked really sharp.

[AntoinCD]

Big Ben started off on fire, cooled off then had a great final drive. I think the problem was with the exception of the all-important final drive he couldn't finish the drives off. Stopped on the goal line, then they get a rushing TD, but then the Cards defense was ridiculous on goal line situations including having to repeat their efforts when Adrian Wilson ran over the holder. I would just have had a problem giving Ben the MVP when he was quite significantly out played by Warner. The one person who isn't getting enough credit from yesterday is Lamar Woodley. He constantly pressured Warner had two sacks and a game clinching forced fumble.

[BigBanger]

Originally Posted by TimDris

And no I think Holmes was the MVP. Big Ben didn't have that great of a game until that last drive. And even then the receivers were wide open (minus that last play). Holmes was definitely the MVP. He was the game changer for the Steelers just like Fitz was for AZ

I assume you missed the first QT. He was pretty damn good.

Big Ben did nothing the entire game? What a joke. What a joke. How many drives, how many plays did he extend by running back forth, pump faking three or four times, buying time for Holmes to get wide open? Don't answer that because you weren't paying attention.

Originally Posted by gsorace

If Eli won it last year then Ben clearly deserved it this year.

BTW, Eli winning the MVP last year was ridiculous and I am a Giants fan.

Tuck was the MVP of that game.

You could have given this year's to Big Ben or Holmes and I would not have cared. Both were deserving.

Big Ben just has "it". He is not the most athletic, nor is he the best passer, but when the game is tight, he makes things happen...he did it all year long.

Pittsburgh was +4 in Net Close games (7 pts or less) because Ben made plays.

[tjsunstein]

Originally Posted by BigBanger

I assume you missed the first QT. He was pretty damn good.

Big Ben did nothing the entire game? What a joke. What a joke. How many drives, how many plays did he extend by running back forth, pump faking three or four times, buying time for Holmes to get wide open? Don't answer that because you weren't paying attention.

I remember three times and it wasn't Holmes every time. One was to Ward, then Holmes, then Miller. I didn't think Happy Feet was going to get out of that. Remeber on 2nd and 4 in the 4th when he tried to do it again and he was sacked for a loss of 12?

[tjsunstein]

Originally Posted by tony77

BTW, Eli winning the MVP last year was ridiculous and I am a Giants fan.

Tuck was the MVP of that game.

You could have given this year's to Big Ben or Holmes and I would not have cared. Both were deserving.

Big Ben just has "it". He is not the most athletic, nor is he the best passer, but when the game is tight, he makes things happen...he did it all year long.

Pittsburgh was +4 in Net Close games (7 pts or less) because Ben made plays.

He's not a good quarterback but a good football player. -Rodney Harrison

[BigBanger]

Originally Posted by tjsunstein

What makes you think that its going overlooked?

See the first post.

Also, its impossible to say how many QBs would have made that drive but just because some QBs have better O-Lines then Ben doesn't mean that they couldn't have done it with Pittsburgh's O-line. Too much specualtion with no factual evidence.

You made quite a bit of speculation on my post. I wasn't making some drastic comparison to an average QB like Rodger and playmaker like Big Ben. I was just saying, for a guy who did what he did with that O-Line is something very few NFL QBs can do. That is a fact, my friend. Supported by evidence. That evidence being watching other QBs.

If you're looking for that drive to be shown over and over again for days to come then ESPN is your place.

I have been and they aren't talking about Big Ben at all. Pretty much everything else.

[TimD]

Originally Posted by BigBanger

I assume you missed the first QT. He was pretty damn good.

Big Ben did nothing the entire game? What a joke. What a joke. How many drives, how many plays did he extend by running back forth, pump faking three or four times, buying time for Holmes to get wide open? Don't answer that because you weren't paying attention.

I never said he sucked until the end. He didn't play like an MVP until the last drive. And yeah you caught me. I wasn't watching the super bowl, I'm just trying to seem cool by commenting about it. Everyone has their own opinions douchebag. Like someone said above me, Warner definitely outplayed him, so giving Big Ben the award would have been bs. Both Fitz and Holmes were the difference makers for their respective teams, and Holmes won so he gets it. That's fair enough.

I would give the mvp to Harrison before Ben.

[TimD]

I also think that the reason Ben is forced to run around like a maniac is because he doesn't make reads fast enough to find the open receiver. Then when no one is open he forces his o-line to hold the rushers for a much longer period of time while he waits for his receivers to get open for him. Most other QBs just make their reads and get rid of the ball well under the amount of time Ben does. Sure it looks cool when it works, but it doesn't work a lot too resulting in sacks. I don't think its worth the risk and I wouldn't want my QB doing that.

[AlexDown]

That last drive was clutch. No arguing that.

[Philliez01]

Originally Posted by TimDris

I also think that the reason Ben is forced to run around like a maniac is because he doesn't make reads fast enough to find the open receiver. Then when no one is open he forces his o-line to hold the rushers for a much longer period of time while he waits for his receivers to get open for him. Most other QBs just make their reads and get rid of the ball well under the amount of time Ben does. Sure it looks cool when it works, but it doesn't work a lot too resulting in sacks. I don't think its worth the risk and I wouldn't want my QB doing that.

I agree to a certain extent.

Sometimes Ben does that whole first-time playing Madden where you inexplicably get 14-yard sacks, a lot of the time but the OL isn't exactly a Howard Mudd creation.

From what I've seen over the high amount of broadcasts the Steelers had, was a combo between a slower-reading QB and a shaky OL. Not a good combo. The Eagles loss was the most glaring of the games. Ben didn't even finish his dropback before someone was on him. Usually, since he's a bigger guy, he can outmuscle some smaller pass-rushers but he literally would have no time back there.

Other games though, it is a product of him taking forever to read the play.

But all in all, 100000000x better than XL.

Originally Posted by TimDris

I also think that the reason Ben is forced to run around like a maniac is because he doesn't make reads fast enough to find the open receiver. Then when no one is open he forces his o-line to hold the rushers for a much longer period of time while he waits for his receivers to get open for him. Most other QBs just make their reads and get rid of the ball well under the amount of time Ben does. Sure it looks cool when it works, but it doesn't work a lot too resulting in sacks. I don't think its worth the risk and I wouldn't want my QB doing that.

I think you have the right components in the wrong order. That Steeler O-Line is one of the absolute worst I can remember this team having. Ben constantly runs for his life, because the line is not giving him enough time. So he gets flushed out and has to improvise more, where he is most dangerous.

He is the total opposite of Tony Romo (who fails when it matters but looks great early in games and the regular season).

[Hines]

Does the way Big Ben plays remind people of John Elway?

[critesy]

ive come to realize the steelers oline is not bad, its just ben is never in the pocket ever and so they have to scramble around all the time to make them look bad.

[ShutDwn]

I don't think they are as terrible as people say. They always seemed to hold it together when they needed to.

Like people have said, I'm not really sure about how well Ben can read a defense and I think a lot of his passes come off broken plays rather than in rythm throws, you know five step drop and fire.

I can't think of any time he has resembled Brady or Manning surveying the field.

Since I see we are big on rankings and comparisons around here, where do you guys think Ben is in the pecking order of QBs playing right now?

[critesy]

top 5 definetly..

manning
brees
brady
palmer (still have faith in him)
roethlisberger?

[AlexDown]

Originally Posted by tony77

Since I see we are big on rankings and comparisons around here, where do you guys think Ben is in the pecking order of QBs playing right now?

Que the Rivers vs Manning vs Roethlisberger in 5.......

[Hines]

People won't put Big Ben in the top 5 because of stats, but that's all that people look at now a days. Outside of Brady, he has the most Super Bowl rings that most quarterbacks do in the league. He just wins.

[Gay Ork Wang]

id take Rivers over Roethlisberger over Manning