Arians crush on Big Ben still continues as he gives Big Ben praise, he says this is the best Ben has ever looked. He says he plans on getting back to steelers football by not running "more" but running it 'better." But BA thinks he can still he can get 4000 yrds passing and two 1000 yrd receivers, really?!?!?
Arians can't remember Roethlisberger being in such good shape or throwing the ball this well so early during any of his previous six camps. Roethlisberger has yet to have a pass intercepted during team drills, and he has gone entire practices without throwing an incompletion.
"He's in the best shape I've ever seen him," Arians said Tuesday. "His arm is live, and he has no interceptions and very few incompletions unless they were dropped. This may be the best I've ever seen him right now."
Instead, Roethlisberger has looked so sharp, Arians is focusing more time on figuring out what the Steelers will do offensively during the suspension.
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The answer: Probably not as much as they could if Roethlisberger played a full season.
Byron Leftwich, who's all but certain to start for the Steelers while Roethlisberger sits out, possesses an intimate knowledge of the offense and throws the deep ball well, but he isn't as mobile.
Dennis Dixon, a third-year pro from Oregon, runs better than any Steelers quarterback since Kordell Stewart but has only started one NFL game. He'll likely begin the season as the starter if Leftwich is hurt.
Arians believes Pittsburgh's offense can be as good as it was last season, even though Roethlisberger can play no more than three-quarters of the season. Roethlisberger threw for a career-high 4,328 yards in 15 games in 2009, and Hines Ward and the now-departed Santonio Holmes each had more than 1,000 receiving yards.
"We want to improve the running game, but we damn sure don't want to step back in the passing game," Arians said. "We want to have another 4,000-yard passer and two 1,000-yard receivers, and I don't care who they are. Now put the running game back to where it belongs, and I think we're pretty potent offensively."
