As Long as the Steelers Have a Franchise Quarterback, They Should be Able to Endure the Inevitable Roster Changes

by Anthony Defeo on Feb 22, 2012 5:13 PM EST

As many long-time Steelers fans will tell you, one of the biggest mistakes the franchise ever made was passing on Dan Marino in the 1983 draft. Some have said that had the team drafted Marino, they may have won another title or two in the 80's.

I have a hard time believing that. It seems to me that those 80's squads were filled with a lot of mediocre talent, and it's hard to picture guys like Walter Abercrombie and Weegie Thompson being part of a Super Bowl parade, but after watching some of Bill Cowher's playoff teams come up short time and time again, maybe there's something to that.

Cowher's Steelers playoff teams from the 90's and early 00's were loaded with talent, but the one thing that seemed to keep them from winning a championship was the lack of a bona fide franchise quarterback.

When the Steelers finally drafted Ben Roethlisberger in 2004, it ended their 20 year drought in the elite quarterback department , and it soon put them over the top to the tune of three Super Bowl appearances and two World Championships.

It's been a wonderful ride and a new golden era for Steelers fans. Unfortunately, however, the team faces major decisions regarding some legendary players, and there is a fear that the time for Super Bowl championships may be coming to an end.

However, I think the 2011 New England Patriots proved that as long as a team has a franchise quarterback, it can still be a serious Super Bowl contender.

To be honest, I thought the Patriots run as legit contenders was pretty much over. After their 18-1 campaign in 2007, the Pats failed to make the playoffs in 2008 and were one and done the following two years.

By 2011, the Patriots were seven years removed from their last Super Bowl championship, and it's pretty rare for a team to remain in the hunt that many years later. Besides, New England's 2011 roster looked nothing like their '04 team as legends like Mike Vrabel, Tedy Bruschi, Willie Mcginest and Rodney Harrison were long gone.

The one constant, however, was Tom Brady. While the roster may have been younger in a lot of areas--the defense was certainly a work in progress--with Brady under center, the Patriots were able to maintain their championship level and make it to their fifth Super Bowl since 2001.

The Steelers will be forced to make some tough decisions here in the near-future, and there is no doubt that the roster will undergo some serious reconstruction.

Hey, that's life in today's NFL.

With free agency and a salary cap, it's harder today than it was years ago to maintain a championship level--kudos to the Steelers for keeping the team together for as long as it has--but with a franchise quarterback, an organization can still stay in contention as long as the front office and coaching staff do a decent job in overhauling the roster.

As Steelers fans, we'll have to say goodbye to some beloved Super Bowl heroes in the weeks, months and years to come, but with Ben Roethlisberger still in the prime of his career, we may not have to say goodbye to Super Bowl runs any time soon.

Tweet Comment 33 comments | Add comment | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Enjoyed the read.

I agree that Ben is the most important piece of the puzzle, and that’s what makes Todd Haley’s success even more crucial. Pittsburgh has been defined by their defense and while the offense has shown some amazing potential, it hasn’t been the shutdown 30 points a game offense that it could be. If we can keep the crucial pieces on our defense and field and offense that dominates time of possession and puts big numbers on the board, we could be making super bowl runs for a long time.

-You're welcome.

by Jux on Feb 22, 2012 6:07 PM EST reply actions

Now,

Get some dudes that can protect said franchise QB…

by crosby87 on Feb 22, 2012 6:53 PM EST reply actions

Goodell is such an ass....

"you will hardly know who I am or what I mean"-Walt Whitman

by Pittsblitz56 on Feb 22, 2012 8:51 PM EST up reply actions

+1

"Franco made that play because he never quit on the play. He kept running, he kept hustling. Good things happen to people who hustle."

by PCISteeler on Feb 22, 2012 11:06 PM EST via Android app up reply actions

Excellent post! Kudos!

Quick story….. I am a Jacksonville Jaguar season ticket holder. Before one of the games this year (I get there super early), the Jags radio personalities where talking about what it takes to win a Super Bowl in the NFL. They used the Steelers of the 90s and compared them to the Steelers of the last few years. They said, those 90s teams had an outstanding defense, and exceptional OL, talented WRs, every piece was there for them to win multiple titles, they were the class of the AFC, yet nothing. Compare that to recently, the defense is every bit the equal, the OL is not in the same class, the running attack isn’t close, and the WRs were probably a wash. The biggest difference was the QB. A franchise QB can take a team with flaws with Super Bowls, they might even win it. A franchise QB on a good team makes them a great team. If you have a franchise QB you are never out of it, you are always in contention, you always have a chance. That is what Ben gives us, a chance, every game.

by imike29 on Feb 22, 2012 7:08 PM EST reply actions

Suffice it to say, I'm a little disappointed.

Wonder how much Hines Wards plea agreement which dismissed the DUI charges and made them 4 counts of reckless driving, a minimal (to him anyway) fine of $2K and 80 hours of community service along with 1 year probation will do to his chances of the Steelers bending over backwards to keep him. The Steelers don’t need Hines Ward the fans want him.

HERE WE GO STEELERS!
"Our Father, who art in Pittsburgh, Football be thy game. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, at Heinz Field as it is in Heaven. Give us this day, a stellar D and forgive us our bogus fines, as we (sorta) forgive Goodell who trespasses against us. And lead us not into defeat, but deliver us a Victory. For thine is The Steelers, the power and glory of climbing the STAIRWAY TO 7."

"Oh... you're a northerner. What exactly do they call 'you people' from Pittsburgh?" "They just call us LUCKY."

by 1BlkGldFan on Feb 22, 2012 8:47 PM EST reply actions

Well we owe him what 4+ mil

I say we pay him 1/4 of that if not let him go. When he retires we throw him a huge party and retire his number.

by lshaffer_69 on Feb 25, 2012 9:44 AM EST up reply actions

Good Post.

QB driven league, add a pass rush to complement franchise QB and a lot of the recipe is there.

by Hoge Rules on Feb 22, 2012 10:01 PM EST reply actions

I don't think we will be able to fully appreciate Ben until he's gone

I was too young to listen to or understand news reports about Terry, I only recall the wins and SB’s, but my parents have told me the stories about the city turning on him in the early years as he struggled. Of course we now look back and simply admire the resume and forget he finished his career with 2 more TD’s than interceptions, a 51% completion percentage and 71% QB rating. Who cares, he was a gamer and brought us 4 rings in 6 years.

I do remember darn near punching the TV at times watching Stoudt, Malone, Brister, O’Donnell, Tomczak, Stewart and Maddox not live up to Terry’s production. I also remember the way the Nation would decimate those guys, and that was before chat rooms and blogs (heaven help them in today’s world). They weren’t always the problem during those 26 years in between XIV and XL but they certainly never seemed to be the solution. I actually liked O’Donnell, Stewart (yep I admit it) and Tommy, but down deep I knew I was fool for believing in them.

Given all that, it seems to me it almost doesn’t get better than this right now. There are numerous reasons to not like Ben, both on and off the field, but I am not sure there is a fiercer competitor at the position or a tougher summbitch in the league. I can’t think of another QB in this generation (short of Favre) that could have physically survived AND had the same success over 8 years. The fact that we had 3 SB’s in 6 years, made the playoffs 6 of the last 8 and haven’t experienced a sub .500 season since 2003, the year before Ben arrived, is a run that most franchises have never and will never know.

No I’m not Ben’s brother, mother, or a man-hugger (not that there’s anything wrong with that). During the season I am far from a Ben apologist. During the motorcycle accident, I cussed him up and down for being stupid, during the allegations I refused to make excuses for him and didn’t let my kids wear his jersey.

Should we be his hardest critic? Absolutely. Should he still be on a short rope with the FO and the Nation, probably so. But man, I just hope that if/when 7 hangs it up or moves on we at least allow ourselves a few sincere moments to appreciate the significant role he’s played in this run and pray to the football gods (and the Rooneys) that we don’t have to wait another generation to find the next Ben.

"We're in hell right now gentlemen...believe me...and we can stay here and get the (s) kicked out of us or we can fight our way back...into the light, we can climb out of hell, one inch at a time." - Al Pacino, Any Given Sunday

by VA6BurghFan on Feb 22, 2012 11:11 PM EST reply actions 8 recs

Well said

Post of the year so far.

Pittsburgh Steelers fan - nuff said.
Miami Hurricanes fan - nuff said.
Georgetown Hoyas fan - nuff said.
Cleveland Cavaliers fan - um yeah, about that...

by StoneColdSteel on Feb 23, 2012 1:30 AM EST up reply actions

HELL YEAH

I pledge allegiance to the Terrible Towel and the only team in America, and to the franchise for which it stands, one nation under Rooney, indivisible, with the ability to crush you all.

"He was popping off down there the first time they were about to score. So you run your mouth, expect to get something. Everything's between the lines, so he got what he had coming. He was running his mouth and getting in the way of the train, and the train wasn't coming off the track."
-James Harrison on Kyle Orton

Follow @TVsCHACHI

by TVsCHACHI on Feb 23, 2012 3:32 AM EST up reply actions

First vote for BTSC for best Pittsburgh Sports Blog (find link on main page)...

…Excellent statement. We never truly appreciate what we have, until its gone.

I was around for Terry’s early years, and yea, it got brutal. Every Steeler “fan” wanted Hanratty, and would not be happy until he played; Noll actually liked Gilliam over Hanratty, and gave the kid a chance to supplant Bradshaw, but Gilliam had internal demons of his own, and was a pass-happy QB in a running back League; he didn’t call the plays Noll wanted him to, and so combined with the social stress of the time (still very racial, Pittsburgh in the 70’s) and those demons, Gilliam never really had a chance. I think it was that social stress that finally got the fans to start (quietly) calling for Bradshaw, and to his credit, he stepped up and delivered.

…and Roger Goodell is Such an Ass

United we Stand, melded like Steel
To Roger Goodell, We'll never Yield.

by PaVaSteeler on Feb 23, 2012 7:59 AM EST up reply actions

I think i am missing something

I agree Goodell is such an ass, but what is causing this latest outcry in random places? Haven’t been paying too close attention lately.

by mtsnot on Feb 24, 2012 12:51 PM EST up reply actions

I promised (threatened?) to begin and end each post...

…the way you see above, until the voting in the Sweet 16 for best sports blog was over, in order to spur Steeler Nation into voting.

Much to the annoyance (I’m sure) of all here at BTSC, I kept my promise, and hence, the posts you see from me.

Someone else will have to drive the votes on Monday, for the Elite 8 round (you ready to vote?)

United we Stand, melded like Steel
To Roger Goodell, We'll never Yield.

by PaVaSteeler on Feb 26, 2012 9:05 AM EST up reply actions

+7 and a rec

I love being spoiled by the Steelers success… but sometimes, it’s necessary to remember which side of the bread the butter is on.

"Oh... you're a northerner. What exactly do they call 'you people' from Pittsburgh?" "They just call us LUCKY."

by 1BlkGldFan on Feb 23, 2012 10:44 AM EST up reply actions

Well said

And I’ll admit I liked Kordell as well, he was fun to watch at times and gave us one great season. I don’t remember O’Donnell. The biggest problem with Tommy Maddox was the utter lack of a middle ground with the guy. When he was hot he was an amazing player and could shred a defense. BUT, when he was having an off game it was a REALLY, REALLY off game. He just didn’t have consistency.

by Keith Rice on Feb 23, 2012 12:42 PM EST up reply actions

all the kinds words mean a lot...thanks everyone.

by VA6BurghFan on Feb 23, 2012 9:57 PM EST up reply actions

Great post. I can't believe I missed this all day, and it was already green. Great thoughts!

I liked Bubby, Neil, Slash and Tommy Gun, and they all provided us with some great memories, and people shouldn’t lose sight of that, but Roethlisberger was the difference this latest Super Bowl run. Was he the only reason? No, but he’s at the top of the list, and like Terry Bradshaw said to Dwight White one day in practice, “You can lose with me ,but you’ll never win without me.” That pretty much sums up the importance of a top-flight quarterback.

by Anthony Defeo on Feb 23, 2012 10:26 PM EST up reply actions

thanks anthony...

…and i can just picture 12 strolling over to the D side of the field and searching out Dwight just to say that. and i don’t think ben will say that out loud in the locker room (not that he’s above that necessarily), but i think the team knows as much without him saying a word.

i bet they follow him based on 49% winning record and 51% toughness. nobody will forget the broken nose, shedding suggs just to throw an incompletion, coming back from cleveland pretzeling his ankle, the broken thumb (twice), etc.

by VA6BurghFan on Feb 23, 2012 10:46 PM EST up reply actions

I Loved Me Some Weegie

Because of my age, the last two Super Bowls wins in the 70’s are the only ones I really remember of the dynasty run. Victories and Superbowl were my right from what I knew. Then the new decade came. The 80’s is when in knew I was a really a fan of the Steelers.

I grew up in the Washington DC area; my father would give me a hard time because the Skins were so great then, but he was proud of me because I stuck by my guys win, lose or draw. He also let me know how bad the Steelers were before the 70’s. Looking at recent Hall of Fame inductees, it has to be noted even those bad teams had great players for Steelers fans to cheer. No matter when they played the Steelers played hard. That is why I loved the 80’s.

Players may play for rings I just want to watch and enjoy a game. Other may not but that is how I roll. The 1984 and 1989 teams are two of my favorite Steelers teams. Bubby to Weegie was cool to say and fun to watch clips of. Those teams had to fight for everything they got. It hurt that this year’s team went out like they did, but they are one I my favorites now too. After reading the injury report after the game and seeing how many got surgery, it was hard to believe they made it past the 2nd quarter. To me the Steelers will endure rooster changes because enduring is what they do; AAA QB or no AAA QB. Many fans seem to be the same too.

Bradshaw calls his own plays, wins four rings and beats Staubach twice in the biggest of big games and many people say it would have been so much better if Terry was as “smart” as Rodger. Ben has 3 SB appearances, 2 SB wins, more playoff wins than only 7 QB’s and a higher Playoff win pct (with a min of 10 starts) than only six QB’s. This year he "walks" off the field with a healing broken foot, a right shoulder sprain, broken right thumb and high left ankle sprain and some people basically say we really need to get someone to make Ben work to be among the greats. The more things change the more they stay the same. I can work with that.

Unlike the 80’s, the Steelers of today draft very very well. It is nice to think "What if" with Marino, but form 1983 to 1999 Marino went to 3 Conference Championships and lost one SB. During that time the Steelers went to 4 Conference Champions ships and lost one SB. Think about it this way, were there any Steelers players that Miami would have like to have had to help get them over the hump? With the cap it is hard to keep the quality players they have, but the franchise will endure because it is what it does.

by Willard Taylor on Feb 23, 2012 3:36 AM EST reply actions

Marino and the Dolphins would have loved to have had the Bus, Woodson, Lloyd, et al from the mid 90s I think.

by WolfpackSteelersFan on Feb 23, 2012 10:42 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

"Ben has 3 SB appearances, 2 SB wins, more playoff wins than only 7 QB’s and a higher Playoff win pct (with a min of 10 starts) than only six QB’s."

by stoco40 on Feb 26, 2012 5:09 AM EST up reply actions

Good read

But I would make the argument that the Pats were handed an easy playoff ride. This might upset some people on here, but Denver sucks. They had no business being in the 2nd round of the playoffs. They also easily should have lost to Baltimore if not for Lee Evans. Just saying. If we get a bye, Tebow @ PIT, and Flacco @ PIT I would expect us to be in the SB this year too.

"Never said I'm first to put the 'Burgh up on the map, I'm more like Mike Tomlin here to bring da 'Burgh back... Khalifa man."

by RoethlisCrosby on Feb 23, 2012 4:25 AM EST via mobile reply actions

True, but they were still a contender regardles of how lucky they got.

by Anthony Defeo on Feb 23, 2012 6:38 AM EST up reply actions

Agreed on NE

But the Steelers had no one left who could play at the end of this year.
Injuries stopped them.

If you buy a foreign made product you give money to a person who will not be buying an American made product that you get paid to make. Think about it next time you're at the store.

by SNW on Feb 23, 2012 3:24 PM EST up reply actions

This is a QB/Pass-Centric League

The article fails to mention how RBs and WRs used to be top draft picks. No more. Teams’ priorities in the draft are QB, OL (to protect their principal asset) and DL and CB to counter the other teams’ priincipal assets. Not coincidentally, the Steelers’ needs are at 3 of those 4 positions. It is not a big surprise that the two teams in the SB had a HOF QB or an elite QB & top DL. And look at the QBs of the teams who have won SBs in recent years (Rodgers, Brees, Ben, Mannings, Brady. You have to go back to the early 2000s when quality QBs were at its nadir to find winning SB teams without an elite QB. These are basic truths. Everything else is window dressing.

by Crashd726 on Feb 23, 2012 12:24 PM EST reply actions

It Is Until It is Not

Teams without an “Elite” QB still want to win. If there are 2 – 5 Elite QB’s in the league at a time, what are the other teams 27 – 30 Teams suposed to do. They want to win too. Defnsive Coordinators find a way. In 2005 the Steelrs had the 7 th rated pass offense by QBR. To get SB #5 in 2005 they had to beat 1, 2, 3 and 8.

The goal is to do your best with what you have. The “best” team does not always win. The team playing the best when they have to does. That is why this year the 9-7 team is the champ and the 15 – 1 team was one and done.

by Willard Taylor on Feb 23, 2012 1:42 PM EST up reply actions

Of course, QB is a top priority becuase you can still win as long as you have that piece of the puzzle, as long as it's a good piece.

by Anthony Defeo on Feb 23, 2012 10:29 PM EST up reply actions

agree-- kinda

1. Indeed, best QBs in NFL last bunch of years: Brady, P. Manning, Brees, Rodgers, plus Roethlisberger, and probably E.Manning?, Rivers?, Warner?, Shaub? Favre for a few of those? - Well, yep, that group got all the Super Bowls titles.
2. Yep, QB most important/game-changing position.
3. The league is growing more pass-oriented.
4. Mostly ggree w/Crashd726 above.

BUT:
A. The Pats have had much of the same very good OL for years, especially good at pass protection. And oh yeah Wes Welker has been about the best slot receiver & most catches for what, about 6 of past 8 years? And now last 2 yrs Gronkowski breaking records for TEs & Hernandez another big matchup problem doesn’t hurt. Plus about every year they benefit in trades & get draft picks from subpar GMs or sign Randy Moss for next to nothing.
-————————————
B. The Ravens won with great defense & good running game & freaking Trent Dilfer.
-————————————-
C. The Bears team with very good defense & special teams & bad offense had a legit chance to stop P. Manning from getting his only title.
-————————————-
D. Steelers had a legit shot even w/ O’Donnell, who was decent. Yes Cowboys had better QB but prob more importantly an overall better team.
-———————————-
E. Steelers had a legit shot even w/ rookie QB Roethlisberger who wasn’t asked to throw much & was not yet good at moving through progressions or hitting checkdowns or calling audibles.
-———————————-
F. Dan Marino - And those Dolphins teams were not in contention every year.
-———————————-
G. Steelers without Polamalu & James Harrison & Lamarr Woodley & Ike Taylor & Keisel (and previously Aaron Smith & Casey Hampton & James Farrior), but still with Roethlisberger, would not be good, would not be in contention.
-———————————-
H. The Texans have been only mediocre every year ’til last because in spite of good offense, pass defense has been terrible.

But yeah, once you have a top QB, then you can build around that & contend.

by steagle34 on Feb 23, 2012 1:02 PM EST reply actions

Agree that it all starts with a top-notch QB.

Which is why I’m puzzled you don’t agree that, had the Steelers drafted Dan Marino, we would have won at least 1 or 2 more SBs. Marino is one of the greatest QBs in NFL history and the QB position was definitely the main weakness on the Steelers team during the 1980s.

If the QB truly is the key, then how could we have ever found a better one than Marino? I still consider this to be the greatest blunder of Chuck Noll’s otherwise stellar career and at least equal on the stupidity scale with the Steelers letting Unitas escape to Baltimore.

by Billy52 on Feb 25, 2012 12:58 AM EST reply actions

Hindsight is 20/20

Every team has passed on a few players and made some mistakes.

For example I think drafting Mendenhall instead of Chris Johnson was a bad call. Limas Sweed looked brilliant and then flopped.

Shit happens, the draft is harder to predict than the weather.

Still, we’ve been blessed as a franchise to enjoy two periods of epic quarterbackdom.

by Mechem on Feb 25, 2012 7:44 AM EST up reply actions

I'm just going by the talent of the overall roster back then. Pittsburgh did not have very talented teams in the 80s

But like you said, and like I alluded to, maybe a franchise quarterback would have been enough.

by Anthony Defeo on Feb 25, 2012 8:25 AM EST up reply actions

I love me some Large Benjamin

I give him a lot of slack for the off the field stuff. Bottom line is he’s a winner and a gamer and get’s the job done most of the time. Even when he’s walking like a peg-legged pirate he manages to play. To me it’s incredible and most of the other players in the league (due to the Pussification of America) wouldn’t last a down behind Ben’s O-line.

I already am grateful to The Ben for his contributions to the Stillers. Hopefully there will be more.

by Mechem on Feb 25, 2012 7:46 AM EST reply actions