Roethlisberger better stay clear of Rodgers-Cromartie (1 Viewer)

[Captain Spaulding]

This kid is a rookie...since week 11 of the regular season, the 1st round rookie AZ cornerback has 7 picks, one returned for TD. That's 7 picks in 10 games....he's quickly becoming a shutdown corner but not yet being respected by teams as such. Yes, a long TD was scored against him in the Eagles game, but did you see his closing speed on that given play (and he did get a hand on the ball as well). Anyway, I think the Steelers would be wise to respect Dom. R-C as they would Ed Reed or any other vereran pro-bowl secondary player. If they go with "attacking the rookie" mentality, I think it could be a very bad move. Thoughts?

 

[dirtywaters20]

This kid is a rookie...since week 11 of the regular season, the 1st round rookie AZ cornerback has 7 picks, one returned for TD. That's 7 picks in 10 games....he's quickly becoming a shutdown corner but not yet being respected by teams as such. Yes, a long TD was scored against him in the Eagles game, but did you see his closing speed on that given play (and he did get a hand on the ball as well). Anyway, I think the Steelers would be wise to respect Dom. R-C as they would Ed Reed or any other vereran pro-bowl secondary player. If they go with "attacking the rookie" mentality, I think it could be a very bad move. Thoughts?

I think Jackson abused him last week. Did you see the cushion he was giving Jackson? Please; he's a promising corner but I think it's a bit early for him to be dictating what teams should & shouldn't do & to put him in the class of Ed Reed at this point is laughable. You must be fishing.

 

[CrossEyed]

If I were you I'd be more worried about Warner staying away from Polamalu.

 

[Godsbrother]

If I were you I'd be more worried about Warner staying away from Polamalu.

Polamalu has been unbelievable all season. There is not a more talented DB in the entire league.ETA: Roethlisberger has faced Ed Reed three times this season -- some people think he's pretty good.

 

[Mustang Man]

Yeah I doubt Big Ben is having sleepless nights thinking about DRC. He's good, but Big Ben is the man and plays big in big moments. One saving grace for Zona is they have a pretty darn good qb themselves.

 

[CrossEyed]

If I were you I'd be more worried about Warner staying away from Polamalu.

Polamalu has been unbelievable all season. There is not a more talented DB in the entire league.ETA: Roethlisberger has faced Ed Reed three times this season -- some people think he's pretty good.

And he had zero picks.

 

[Chase Stuart]

Yeah I doubt Big Ben is having sleepless nights thinking about DRC. He's good, but Big Ben is the man and plays big in big moments.

Did you watch the last Super Bowl he was in?

 

[Godsbrother]

Yeah I doubt Big Ben is having sleepless nights thinking about DRC. He's good, but Big Ben is the man and plays big in big moments.

Did you watch the last Super Bowl he was in?

Ben didn't have a good Super Bowl but he sure played well in the 3 playoff games leading up to it. He's also played great in the playoffs this season but I guess those don't count as big games.

 

[LHUCKS]

Yeah I doubt Big Ben is having sleepless nights thinking about DRC. He's good, but Big Ben is the man and plays big in big moments.

Did you watch the last Super Bowl he was in?

 

[LHUCKS]

This kid is a rookie...since week 11 of the regular season, the 1st round rookie AZ cornerback has 7 picks, one returned for TD. That's 7 picks in 10 games....he's quickly becoming a shutdown corner but not yet being respected by teams as such. Yes, a long TD was scored against him in the Eagles game, but did you see his closing speed on that given play (and he did get a hand on the ball as well). Anyway, I think the Steelers would be wise to respect Dom. R-C as they would Ed Reed or any other vereran pro-bowl secondary player. If they go with "attacking the rookie" mentality, I think it could be a very bad move. Thoughts?

I think Jackson abused him last week. Did you see the cushion he was giving Jackson? Please; he's a promising corner but I think it's a bit early for him to be dictating what teams should & shouldn't do & to put him in the class of Ed Reed at this point is laughable. You must be fishing.

Uhhhh...I don't think so. And the Cards coaches forced DRC to give him that cushion...D coordinators often dictate that level of detail and Pendergrast did so in this game.DRC handled Jackson just fine...without the tipped ball Jackson was held to under 40 yards.

 

[LHUCKS]

Nice to see everyone jumping on my DRC bandwagon. G:

 

[Chase Stuart]

Yeah I doubt Big Ben is having sleepless nights thinking about DRC. He's good, but Big Ben is the man and plays big in big moments.

Did you watch the last Super Bowl he was in?

Ben didn't have a good Super Bowl but he sure played well in the 3 playoff games leading up to it. He's also played great in the playoffs this season but I guess those don't count as big games.

Considering MM was saying that Ben will do well in the Super Bowl because he plays big in big moments, wouldn't you find his past SB performance pretty relevant to that comment? You know, since the next game is the Super Bowl?I wouldn't be surprised to see Roethlisberger throw for 3 TDs and be MVP of the game, because I think all great players play well almost all the time. But when analyzing his career, you can't exactly ignore his terrible performance. And yes, it was terrible.

 

[CrossEyed]

Yeah I doubt Big Ben is having sleepless nights thinking about DRC. He's good, but Big Ben is the man and plays big in big moments.

Did you watch the last Super Bowl he was in?

Ben didn't have a good Super Bowl but he sure played well in the 3 playoff games leading up to it. He's also played great in the playoffs this season but I guess those don't count as big games.

Considering MM was saying that Ben will do well in the Super Bowl because he plays big in big moments, wouldn't you find his past SB performance pretty relevant to that comment? You know, since the next game is the Super Bowl?I wouldn't be surprised to see Roethlisberger throw for 3 TDs and be MVP of the game, because I think all great players play well almost all the time. But when analyzing his career, you can't exactly ignore his terrible performance. And yes, it was terrible.

Yes, and it was also three years ago and in his second season in the league.

 

[The Jerk]

Yeah I doubt Big Ben is having sleepless nights thinking about DRC. He's good, but Big Ben is the man and plays big in big moments.

Did you watch the last Super Bowl he was in?

Ben didn't have a good Super Bowl but he sure played well in the 3 playoff games leading up to it. He's also played great in the playoffs this season but I guess those don't count as big games.

Considering MM was saying that Ben will do well in the Super Bowl because he plays big in big moments, wouldn't you find his past SB performance pretty relevant to that comment? You know, since the next game is the Super Bowl?I wouldn't be surprised to see Roethlisberger throw for 3 TDs and be MVP of the game, because I think all great players play well almost all the time. But when analyzing his career, you can't exactly ignore his terrible performance. And yes, it was terrible.

Ben looked like a rookie in his first AFCC in 2004. While better than in 2004, he looked more nervous in Denver -- especially early -- in the 2005 AFCC than he did in Indy a week earlier. He's shown growth in each of his three AFCCs. I expect to see the same in the Super Bowl. I distinctly recall him telling a sideline reporter how loose he felt ("doth protest too much") before SB XL. Still, it is fair to point out that until he performs well in a Super Bowl, there is still some room for questions.But it also bears mentioning that while Warner is a SB MVP and has thrown for 779 yards in two games (WOW!), in his previous Super Bowl (XXXVI), he threw a pick-6 as well as a second interception, and in fact only engineered three points through three quarters of play before leading two fourth quarter TD drives.

 

[SeniorVBDStudent]

DRC is a great up and coming player.

The notion that Roeth needs to avoid him in the passing game is homerific.

 

[Tanner9919]

Yeah I doubt Big Ben is having sleepless nights thinking about DRC. He's good, but Big Ben is the man and plays big in big moments.

Did you watch the last Super Bowl he was in?

the lowest QB rating for a SB, 22.6..

he's a grinder who can win close games, but its not pretty...

 

[Godsbrother]

Yeah I doubt Big Ben is having sleepless nights thinking about DRC. He's good, but Big Ben is the man and plays big in big moments.

Did you watch the last Super Bowl he was in?

Ben didn't have a good Super Bowl but he sure played well in the 3 playoff games leading up to it. He's also played great in the playoffs this season but I guess those don't count as big games.

Considering MM was saying that Ben will do well in the Super Bowl because he plays big in big moments, wouldn't you find his past SB performance pretty relevant to that comment? You know, since the next game is the Super Bowl?I wouldn't be surprised to see Roethlisberger throw for 3 TDs and be MVP of the game, because I think all great players play well almost all the time. But when analyzing his career, you can't exactly ignore his terrible performance. And yes, it was terrible.

Agreed it was terrible and warrants mentioning but Roethlisberger has played in a lot of big games and has come up big in most of them. I actually agree with the OP that Roethlisberger need to be aware of DRC and account for him but Warner is facing an even better defensive back in Polamalu and a much tougher defense overall.

 

[Bayhawks]

Uhhhh...I don't think so. And the Cards coaches forced DRC to give him that cushion...D coordinators often dictate that level of detail and Pendergrast did so in this game.

And you know this because you are privy to the Cardinals detailed defensive game plan?

 

[Chase Stuart]

Yeah I doubt Big Ben is having sleepless nights thinking about DRC. He's good, but Big Ben is the man and plays big in big moments.

Did you watch the last Super Bowl he was in?

Ben didn't have a good Super Bowl but he sure played well in the 3 playoff games leading up to it. He's also played great in the playoffs this season but I guess those don't count as big games.

Considering MM was saying that Ben will do well in the Super Bowl because he plays big in big moments, wouldn't you find his past SB performance pretty relevant to that comment? You know, since the next game is the Super Bowl?I wouldn't be surprised to see Roethlisberger throw for 3 TDs and be MVP of the game, because I think all great players play well almost all the time. But when analyzing his career, you can't exactly ignore his terrible performance. And yes, it was terrible.

Yes, and it was also three years ago and in his second season in the league.

A season in which he played better than he did this year.I'm not saying Ben will stink. But to say Ben will play well BECAUSE he plays well in big games just seems kind of ironic. I agree that it was three years ago and it doesn't mean much, but I also think how he did in previous other big games doesn't mean much.

 

[dirtywaters20]

This kid is a rookie...since week 11 of the regular season, the 1st round rookie AZ cornerback has 7 picks, one returned for TD. That's 7 picks in 10 games....he's quickly becoming a shutdown corner but not yet being respected by teams as such. Yes, a long TD was scored against him in the Eagles game, but did you see his closing speed on that given play (and he did get a hand on the ball as well). Anyway, I think the Steelers would be wise to respect Dom. R-C as they would Ed Reed or any other vereran pro-bowl secondary player. If they go with "attacking the rookie" mentality, I think it could be a very bad move. Thoughts?

I think Jackson abused him last week. Did you see the cushion he was giving Jackson? Please; he's a promising corner but I think it's a bit early for him to be dictating what teams should & shouldn't do & to put him in the class of Ed Reed at this point is laughable. You must be fishing.

Uhhhh...I don't think so. And the Cards coaches forced DRC to give him that cushion...D coordinators often dictate that level of detail and Pendergrast did so in this game.DRC handled Jackson just fine...without the tipped ball Jackson was held to under 40 yards.

Ah the old "if you take the big play out" argument. Why would Pendergrast concede a free release to Jackson if he had confidence that DRC could effectively press him? He only would do that if he was afraid of getting burned for a big play... it happened anyway. Since we're playing what ifs; If McNabb hit some more of the throws that Jackson was wide open on, he'd have more than 40 yards. As terrible as McNabb was in the first half, he still passed for 375 yards...Pittsburgh will gameplan how they normally will.

 

[Sheriff66]

This kid is a rookie...since week 11 of the regular season, the 1st round rookie AZ cornerback has 7 picks, one returned for TD. That's 7 picks in 10 games....he's quickly becoming a shutdown corner but not yet being respected by teams as such. Yes, a long TD was scored against him in the Eagles game, but did you see his closing speed on that given play (and he did get a hand on the ball as well). Anyway, I think the Steelers would be wise to respect Dom. R-C as they would Ed Reed or any other vereran pro-bowl secondary player. If they go with "attacking the rookie" mentality, I think it could be a very bad move. Thoughts?

I think Jackson abused him last week. Did you see the cushion he was giving Jackson? Please; he's a promising corner but I think it's a bit early for him to be dictating what teams should & shouldn't do & to put him in the class of Ed Reed at this point is laughable. You must be fishing.

Uhhhh...I don't think so. And the Cards coaches forced DRC to give him that cushion...D coordinators often dictate that level of detail and Pendergrast did so in this game.DRC handled Jackson just fine...without the tipped ball Jackson was held to under 40 yards.

I've been told tipped balls count in this league

 

[Sheriff66]

Uhhhh...I don't think so. And the Cards coaches forced DRC to give him that cushion...D coordinators often dictate that level of detail and Pendergrast did so in this game.

And you know this because you are privy to the Cardinals detailed defensive game plan?

 

[Sheriff66]

Yeah I doubt Big Ben is having sleepless nights thinking about DRC. He's good, but Big Ben is the man and plays big in big moments.

Did you watch the last Super Bowl he was in?

Ben didn't have a good Super Bowl but he sure played well in the 3 playoff games leading up to it. He's also played great in the playoffs this season but I guess those don't count as big games.

Considering MM was saying that Ben will do well in the Super Bowl because he plays big in big moments, wouldn't you find his past SB performance pretty relevant to that comment? You know, since the next game is the Super Bowl?I wouldn't be surprised to see Roethlisberger throw for 3 TDs and be MVP of the game, because I think all great players play well almost all the time. But when analyzing his career, you can't exactly ignore his terrible performance. And yes, it was terrible.

Yes, and it was also three years ago and in his second season in the league.

A season in which he played better than he did this year.I'm not saying Ben will stink. But to say Ben will play well BECAUSE he plays well in big games just seems kind of ironic. I agree that it was three years ago and it doesn't mean much, but I also think how he did in previous other big games doesn't mean much.

I'm not too worried about Ben in this game, he should have had 3 more TD passes Sunday than he had. He had been banged up all year, the line is coming together a bit at the right time, and he is making much better decisions with the ball.Warner has had some stinkers this year, he could come out an crap the bed and I wouldn't be shocked.

 

[CowboyFan]

I've been told tipped balls count in this league

I'm not too worried about Ben in this game, he should have had 3 more TD passes Sunday than he had. He had been banged up all year, the line is coming together a bit at the right time, and he is making much better decisions with the ball.

Warner has had some stinkers this year, he could come out an crap the bed and I wouldn't be shocked.

I've been told they only count the touchdown passes that are completed

 

[Captain Spaulding]

Anyone saying "Warner better stay away from Troy P." or Ed Reed hasn't picked Roethlisberger in 3 games are missing the point entirely. Its common sense for any team to game plan away from all-world safeties in Troy P and Ed Reed. Warner will always know where Troy is at on the field just like I'm sure Roethlisberger practices all week to game plan around avoiding Reed when they face each time.

My point is DRC in the later part of the season, with 7 picks in 10 games and 1 TD is playing more like a pro-bowl CB than a rookie CB whom normally offensive coordinators and QB's try to exploit with their inexperience. I just think from what I've been seeing that Arians/Tomlin and Roethlisberger would be better served to game plan away from DRC in the Superbowl than to try to attack him as a rookie or backup CB. That is really just where I was going with that.

 

[Godsbrother]

Anyone saying "Warner better stay away from Troy P." or Ed Reed hasn't picked Roethlisberger in 3 games are missing the point entirely. Its common sense for any team to game plan away from all-world safeties in Troy P and Ed Reed. Warner will always know where Troy is at on the field just like I'm sure Roethlisberger practices all week to game plan around avoiding Reed when they face each time.My point is DRC in the later part of the season, with 7 picks in 10 games and 1 TD is playing more like a pro-bowl CB than a rookie CB whom normally offensive coordinators and QB's try to exploit with their inexperience. I just think from what I've been seeing that Arians/Tomlin and Roethlisberger would be better served to game plan away from DRC in the Superbowl than to try to attack him as a rookie or backup CB. That is really just where I was going with that.

Fair enough but I doubt the Steelers are going to be surprised by DRC. They will watch enough film to have a good idea on his strengths and weaknesses and gameplan accordingly (though what they actually end up doing could change dramatically depending on the flow of the game).

 

[treat88]

As a Steeler fan, I am far more concerned about the Arizona front 7 and how they match up with our atrocious OL than I am about DRC and the secondary.

DRC is a nice player, and one of the most promising rookie defenders in the league, but this game will be about the Arizona DL vs. the Pitt OL.

The LaBoy/Smith injuries could be huge.

The winner of that battle will win this game.

 

[Sheriff66]

I've been told tipped balls count in this league

I'm not too worried about Ben in this game, he should have had 3 more TD passes Sunday than he had. He had been banged up all year, the line is coming together a bit at the right time, and he is making much better decisions with the ball.

Warner has had some stinkers this year, he could come out an crap the bed and I wouldn't be shocked.

I've been told they only count the touchdown passes that are completed

My point was he found the open recivers and hit them, that doesn't change because of 3 drops.

 

[Stillers Jr.]

Yeah I doubt Big Ben is having sleepless nights thinking about DRC. He's good, but Big Ben is the man and plays big in big moments.

Did you watch the last Super Bowl he was in?

Ben didn't have a good Super Bowl but he sure played well in the 3 playoff games leading up to it. He's also played great in the playoffs this season but I guess those don't count as big games.

Considering MM was saying that Ben will do well in the Super Bowl because he plays big in big moments, wouldn't you find his past SB performance pretty relevant to that comment? You know, since the next game is the Super Bowl?I wouldn't be surprised to see Roethlisberger throw for 3 TDs and be MVP of the game, because I think all great players play well almost all the time. But when analyzing his career, you can't exactly ignore his terrible performance. And yes, it was terrible.

Yes, and it was also three years ago and in his second season in the league.

A season in which he played better than he did this year.I'm not saying Ben will stink. But to say Ben will play well BECAUSE he plays well in big games just seems kind of ironic. I agree that it was three years ago and it doesn't mean much, but I also think how he did in previous other big games doesn't mean much.

Not going to belabor this b/c there are obvious agendas in play here...butWould you consider this past Sunday's AFC Championship Game a "big" game? I thought he played well against the 2nd best defensive unit in the league and had opportunity to score more. Or is that discounted somehow?

I judge him on his recent play, not what he did 3 years ago. And of late, he is playing very well.

I guess we will see in 2 weeks if he's a gamer or a game manager....again. But I can guarantee, if he throws for 3 TDs and 300 yds and wins the game, it won't be enough for some people. Frankly I wouldn't care if his passer rating is 12, so long as we win #6.

 

[Chase Stuart]

Yeah I doubt Big Ben is having sleepless nights thinking about DRC. He's good, but Big Ben is the man and plays big in big moments.

Did you watch the last Super Bowl he was in?

Ben didn't have a good Super Bowl but he sure played well in the 3 playoff games leading up to it. He's also played great in the playoffs this season but I guess those don't count as big games.

Considering MM was saying that Ben will do well in the Super Bowl because he plays big in big moments, wouldn't you find his past SB performance pretty relevant to that comment? You know, since the next game is the Super Bowl?I wouldn't be surprised to see Roethlisberger throw for 3 TDs and be MVP of the game, because I think all great players play well almost all the time. But when analyzing his career, you can't exactly ignore his terrible performance. And yes, it was terrible.

Yes, and it was also three years ago and in his second season in the league.

A season in which he played better than he did this year.I'm not saying Ben will stink. But to say Ben will play well BECAUSE he plays well in big games just seems kind of ironic. I agree that it was three years ago and it doesn't mean much, but I also think how he did in previous other big games doesn't mean much.

Not going to belabor this b/c there are obvious agendas in play here...butWould you consider this past Sunday's AFC Championship Game a "big" game? I thought he played well against the 2nd best defensive unit in the league and had opportunity to score more. Or is that discounted somehow?

I judge him on his recent play, not what he did 3 years ago. And of late, he is playing very well.

I guess we will see in 2 weeks if he's a gamer or a game manager....again. But I can guarantee, if he throws for 3 TDs and 300 yds and wins the game, it won't be enough for some people. Frankly I wouldn't care if his passer rating is 12, so long as we win #6.

I think you're reading much more into my argument than I actually said.While it was three years ago, that's never stopped people from ripping on the playoff performances of Cowher, Manning, Schottenheimer or McNabb.

 

[Sheriff66]

Yeah I doubt Big Ben is having sleepless nights thinking about DRC. He's good, but Big Ben is the man and plays big in big moments.

Did you watch the last Super Bowl he was in?

Ben didn't have a good Super Bowl but he sure played well in the 3 playoff games leading up to it. He's also played great in the playoffs this season but I guess those don't count as big games.

Considering MM was saying that Ben will do well in the Super Bowl because he plays big in big moments, wouldn't you find his past SB performance pretty relevant to that comment? You know, since the next game is the Super Bowl?I wouldn't be surprised to see Roethlisberger throw for 3 TDs and be MVP of the game, because I think all great players play well almost all the time. But when analyzing his career, you can't exactly ignore his terrible performance. And yes, it was terrible.

Yes, and it was also three years ago and in his second season in the league.

A season in which he played better than he did this year.I'm not saying Ben will stink. But to say Ben will play well BECAUSE he plays well in big games just seems kind of ironic. I agree that it was three years ago and it doesn't mean much, but I also think how he did in previous other big games doesn't mean much.

Not going to belabor this b/c there are obvious agendas in play here...butWould you consider this past Sunday's AFC Championship Game a "big" game? I thought he played well against the 2nd best defensive unit in the league and had opportunity to score more. Or is that discounted somehow?

I judge him on his recent play, not what he did 3 years ago. And of late, he is playing very well.

I guess we will see in 2 weeks if he's a gamer or a game manager....again. But I can guarantee, if he throws for 3 TDs and 300 yds and wins the game, it won't be enough for some people. Frankly I wouldn't care if his passer rating is 12, so long as we win #6.

 

[Stillers Jr.]

Yeah I doubt Big Ben is having sleepless nights thinking about DRC. He's good, but Big Ben is the man and plays big in big moments.

Did you watch the last Super Bowl he was in?

Ben didn't have a good Super Bowl but he sure played well in the 3 playoff games leading up to it. He's also played great in the playoffs this season but I guess those don't count as big games.

Considering MM was saying that Ben will do well in the Super Bowl because he plays big in big moments, wouldn't you find his past SB performance pretty relevant to that comment? You know, since the next game is the Super Bowl?I wouldn't be surprised to see Roethlisberger throw for 3 TDs and be MVP of the game, because I think all great players play well almost all the time. But when analyzing his career, you can't exactly ignore his terrible performance. And yes, it was terrible.

Yes, and it was also three years ago and in his second season in the league.

A season in which he played better than he did this year.I'm not saying Ben will stink. But to say Ben will play well BECAUSE he plays well in big games just seems kind of ironic. I agree that it was three years ago and it doesn't mean much, but I also think how he did in previous other big games doesn't mean much.

Not going to belabor this b/c there are obvious agendas in play here...butWould you consider this past Sunday's AFC Championship Game a "big" game? I thought he played well against the 2nd best defensive unit in the league and had opportunity to score more. Or is that discounted somehow?

I judge him on his recent play, not what he did 3 years ago. And of late, he is playing very well.

I guess we will see in 2 weeks if he's a gamer or a game manager....again. But I can guarantee, if he throws for 3 TDs and 300 yds and wins the game, it won't be enough for some people. Frankly I wouldn't care if his passer rating is 12, so long as we win #6.

I think you're reading much more into my argument than I actually said.While it was three years ago, that's never stopped people from ripping on the playoff performances of Cowher, Manning, Schottenheimer or McNabb.

i guess the thing that was curious to me a little was the

But to say Ben will play well BECAUSE he plays well in big games just seems kind of ironic.

comment.I think he has more 4th qtr comebacks than a lot of QBs, no? Or at the very least, he's not known for imploding when the chips are down, right? That's when the game is on the proverbial "line" no?

Anyway, like I said...there are people, not necessarily you, that wouldn't give Ben credit for anything. It's the way of the world...

 

[Evilgrin 72]

We'll see how much of a factor Cromartie is after Miller catches a pass on the opening drive and Cromartie leaves his man to help make the tackle and gets knocked into row L by Hines Ward.



As for Roethlisberger, I said it at the time (before the game) and I'll say it again - his poor throwing in that game was largely caused by the fact that the balls used had a huge glossy emblem right where his grip centered. He was having a terrible time throwing the ball in all the warmups leading up to the game, and eventually went to a glove (which he wasn't used to wearing and affected his grip) in order to try to offset it. Anyone who watched that game can attest that his throws looked nothing like they did vs. Denver, Indy, or Cincinnati.

Now, we'll see what happens this time around, but I know Ben is way more comfortable with the glove than he was then. Once he gets the balls they'll use in the game and starts slinging, we'll know if the ball will have any effect on his passing. Yet, he still managed to make enough plays with his feet, his blocking, and his improvisational skills to win XL, so I don't consider it a BAD performance. Statistically, sure - in reality - if you hoist the trophy as a QB, you played well enough, and that's all that matters.

 

[Day Drinker]

This kid is a rookie...since week 11 of the regular season, the 1st round rookie AZ cornerback has 7 picks, one returned for TD. That's 7 picks in 10 games....he's quickly becoming a shutdown corner but not yet being respected by teams as such. Yes, a long TD was scored against him in the Eagles game, but did you see his closing speed on that given play (and he did get a hand on the ball as well). Anyway, I think the Steelers would be wise to respect Dom. R-C as they would Ed Reed or any other vereran pro-bowl secondary player. If they go with "attacking the rookie" mentality, I think it could be a very bad move. Thoughts?

I think Jackson abused him last week. Did you see the cushion he was giving Jackson? Please; he's a promising corner but I think it's a bit early for him to be dictating what teams should & shouldn't do & to put him in the class of Ed Reed at this point is laughable. You must be fishing.

Funny, if Jackson was so abusive, where was he on the last 4 plays of the game when all they needed was a 10 yard completion to keep the drive going? But that is water under the bridge, no need to bring up old poop, sorry.And why are so many people comparing DRC to Troy P. and Ed Reed? They play completely different positions. While DRC is still young and unpolished, I do LOVE his speed and ability. Makes me feel better putting him on a fast mo-fo like Santonio Holmes who has the ability for the big play. DRC will NEED to handle him for the Cards to win.

 

[Franknbeans]

Yeah I doubt Big Ben is having sleepless nights thinking about DRC. He's good, but Big Ben is the man and plays big in big moments.

Did you watch the last Super Bowl he was in?

Ben didn't have a good Super Bowl but he sure played well in the 3 playoff games leading up to it. He's also played great in the playoffs this season but I guess those don't count as big games.

Considering MM was saying that Ben will do well in the Super Bowl because he plays big in big moments, wouldn't you find his past SB performance pretty relevant to that comment? You know, since the next game is the Super Bowl?I wouldn't be surprised to see Roethlisberger throw for 3 TDs and be MVP of the game, because I think all great players play well almost all the time. But when analyzing his career, you can't exactly ignore his terrible performance. And yes, it was terrible.

Yes, and it was also three years ago and in his second season in the league.

A season in which he played better than he did this year.I'm not saying Ben will stink. But to say Ben will play well BECAUSE he plays well in big games just seems kind of ironic. I agree that it was three years ago and it doesn't mean much, but I also think how he did in previous other big games doesn't mean much.

He will play well because despite winning the Superbowl last time, it took him a few weeks after that to get over his horrible perfromance. This will be a bounce back Superbowl for Ben. He won't be in awe as he was the first time around.

 

[Steeler]

How about Nate Washington against Hood? Could be some big plays for the Steelers in this game (this is at least partially wishful thinking, but he didn't seem to play well against PHI).

 

[GoodLloydHaveMercy]

Yeah I doubt Big Ben is having sleepless nights thinking about DRC. He's good, but Big Ben is the man and plays big in big moments.

Did you watch the last Super Bowl he was in?

Ben didn't have a good Super Bowl but he sure played well in the 3 playoff games leading up to it. He's also played great in the playoffs this season but I guess those don't count as big games.

Considering MM was saying that Ben will do well in the Super Bowl because he plays big in big moments, wouldn't you find his past SB performance pretty relevant to that comment? You know, since the next game is the Super Bowl?I wouldn't be surprised to see Roethlisberger throw for 3 TDs and be MVP of the game, because I think all great players play well almost all the time. But when analyzing his career, you can't exactly ignore his terrible performance. And yes, it was terrible.

Ben looked like a rookie in his first AFCC in 2004. While better than in 2004, he looked more nervous in Denver -- especially early -- in the 2005 AFCC than he did in Indy a week earlier. He's shown growth in each of his three AFCCs. I expect to see the same in the Super Bowl. I distinctly recall him telling a sideline reporter how loose he felt ("doth protest too much") before SB XL. Still, it is fair to point out that until he performs well in a Super Bowl, there is still some room for questions.But it also bears mentioning that while Warner is a SB MVP and has thrown for 779 yards in two games (WOW!), in his previous Super Bowl (XXXVI), he threw a pick-6 as well as a second interception, and in fact only engineered three points through three quarters of play before leading two fourth quarter TD drives.

If I am correct... that pick 6 fell into the category of the 'scripted' plays that the Rams ran to start the game... the 'same' scripted plays that the Patriots 'allegedly' taped the Rams practicing just days before... I'm not sayin'... I'm just sayin'Sigh... I love being able to throw that into the face of ANY Pats fan PERIOD. There is questions and the fact that Walsh couldn't 'produce' the tape doesn't mean that he didn't have it at one time.

 

[LHUCKS]

How about Nate Washington against Hood? Could be some big plays for the Steelers in this game (this is at least partially wishful thinking, but he didn't seem to play well against PHI).

Rod Hood sucks...whoever he defends will have a career day.

 

[Stillers Jr.]

How about Nate Washington against Hood? Could be some big plays for the Steelers in this game (this is at least partially wishful thinking, but he didn't seem to play well against PHI).

Rod Hood sucks...whoever he defends will have a career day.

he's an Ex-Iggle I believe...NO??

 

[Sheriff66]

How about Nate Washington against Hood? Could be some big plays for the Steelers in this game (this is at least partially wishful thinking, but he didn't seem to play well against PHI).

Rod Hood sucks...whoever he defends will have a career day.

he's an Ex-Iggle I believe...NO??

He is

 

[kremenull]

DRC has quickly emerged as a top-flight CB in the NFL. I would rank him right up there with Samuel, C-Wood, and everybody else who are a notch below Nnamdi. Going up against Boldin and Fitz on a daily basis has sped up his development, but the kid has mad skills. His ability to close on a ball and his remarkable athleticism allow him to make plays on the ball quite often in single coverage. Even though he was beaten on that play by D-Jax in the NFC Championship, the fact that he closed so fast and actually got a piece of that ball was still a very nice play on his part and an illustration of the kid's recovery ability.

I believe that DRC will draw Santonio Holmes and Holmes could be in for a very tough outing. If he's held seriously in check by DRC, I believe this couldl go a long way towards helping AZ pull off an upset....which I believe they will.

 

[Eminence]

This thread has been done.

 

[Stillers Jr.]

looks like he is laughing now

 

[PahtyTom]

This thread has been done.

And he is not elite right now. Hood is still their best CB.

 

[travdogg]

I'm becoming convinced that DRC is one of the most overrated players in the NFL.

Yes, he's good, and he's having a great rookie year, but he's not a top-3 CB yet, even top-10 is probably too high.

He looks like he'll get there soon, but let's not over hype him like he's a stud yet(even if he will be soon enough) he's a playmaker, but he gets beat a pretty fair amount of plays and is nowhere near being a guy to avoid at all costs.

Seriously, top-3 CB? He's not even among the top-3 defensive players on the Cardinals.

Can he contain Holmes? Possibly, though he had a tough time with Jackson, and Holmes is a similar type of WR.

I do feel comfortable saying if he's on Holmes, than Ward could have a big game if his knee permits it.

 

[Day Drinker]

Possibly, though he had a tough time with Jackson, and Holmes is a similar type of WR.

I thought he played great against Jackson. He gave up one big play, that he actually made a fabulous recovery on. You put any other CB in the league in single coverage with no safety help over the middle against Jackson on an inside post route, and there would be 3 yards of seperation. He rocovered, closed, and went up for the pick instead of knocking it down. Got a hand on it and D Jax made a great play to haul it in...hats off to him.The two previous games he shut down Steve Smith and Roddy White. I think the hype is deserved, although I agree he is just a rookie and still makes some mistakes out there. He will NEED to shut down Holmes to allow our D to get a little crazy on Big Ben.

 

[LHUCKS]

Possibly, though he had a tough time with Jackson, and Holmes is a similar type of WR.

I thought he played great against Jackson. He gave up one big play, that he actually made a fabulous recovery on. You put any other CB in the league in single coverage with no safety help over the middle against Jackson on an inside post route, and there would be 3 yards of seperation. He rocovered, closed, and went up for the pick instead of knocking it down. Got a hand on it and D Jax made a great play to haul it in...hats off to him.The two previous games he shut down Steve Smith and Roddy White. I think the hype is deserved, although I agree he is just a rookie and still makes some mistakes out there. He will NEED to shut down Holmes to allow our D to get a little crazy on Big Ben.

 

[dirtywaters20]

This kid is a rookie...since week 11 of the regular season, the 1st round rookie AZ cornerback has 7 picks, one returned for TD. That's 7 picks in 10 games....he's quickly becoming a shutdown corner but not yet being respected by teams as such. Yes, a long TD was scored against him in the Eagles game, but did you see his closing speed on that given play (and he did get a hand on the ball as well). Anyway, I think the Steelers would be wise to respect Dom. R-C as they would Ed Reed or any other vereran pro-bowl secondary player. If they go with "attacking the rookie" mentality, I think it could be a very bad move. Thoughts?

I think Jackson abused him last week. Did you see the cushion he was giving Jackson? Please; he's a promising corner but I think it's a bit early for him to be dictating what teams should & shouldn't do & to put him in the class of Ed Reed at this point is laughable. You must be fishing.

Funny, if Jackson was so abusive, where was he on the last 4 plays of the game when all they needed was a 10 yard completion to keep the drive going

? But that is water under the bridge, no need to bring up old poop, sorry.And why are so many people comparing DRC to Troy P. and Ed Reed? They play completely different positions. While DRC is still young and unpolished, I do LOVE his speed and ability. Makes me feel better putting him on a fast mo-fo like Santonio Holmes who has the ability for the big play. DRC will NEED to handle him for the Cards to win.

Go check your DVR. He was wide open only to have a pass sail clear over his head. You're right, he's a promising player, but to think he's going to dictate how an offensive gameplan is called @ this point is a tad premature.

 

[Frenchy Fuqua]

Possibly, though he had a tough time with Jackson, and Holmes is a similar type of WR.

I thought he played great against Jackson. He gave up one big play, that he actually made a fabulous recovery on. You put any other CB in the league in single coverage with no safety help over the middle against Jackson on an inside post route, and there would be 3 yards of seperation. He rocovered, closed, and went up for the pick instead of knocking it down. Got a hand on it and D Jax made a great play to haul it in...hats off to him.The two previous games he shut down Steve Smith and Roddy White. I think the hype is deserved, although I agree he is just a rookie and still makes some mistakes out there. He will NEED to shut down Holmes to allow our D to get a little crazy on Big Ben.

Roddy White had 11 catches and a TD. If Santonio Holmes catches anywhere near 11 passes he's the MVP of Super Bowl XLIII.

 

[travdogg]

Possibly, though he had a tough time with Jackson, and Holmes is a similar type of WR.

I thought he played great against Jackson. He gave up one big play, that he actually made a fabulous recovery on. You put any other CB in the league in single coverage with no safety help over the middle against Jackson on an inside post route, and there would be 3 yards of seperation. He rocovered, closed, and went up for the pick instead of knocking it down. Got a hand on it and D Jax made a great play to haul it in...hats off to him.The two previous games he shut down Steve Smith and Roddy White. I think the hype is deserved, although I agree he is just a rookie and still makes some mistakes out there. He will NEED to shut down Holmes to allow our D to get a little crazy on Big Ben.

Roddy White had 11 catches and a TD. If Santonio Holmes catches anywhere near 11 passes he'll the MVP of Super Bowl XLIII.

That was my thought too. Allowing 11 catches isn't really shutting someone down, sure he probably wasn't on him for all 11, but claiming White was shut down is just wrong.I'd also argue that Delhomme did a lot more to shut Smith down than anything DRC did.

The Jackson play still happened, yeah, it was impressive that DRC recovered but he's also the guy who got behind in the 1st place and it's not like that was Jackson's only catch. Also, its DeSean Jackson(a fellow rookie) not like he was covering some All-Pro talent(you know, like the guy who had 11 catches)

I'm not knocking DRC and I wouldn't be surprised if he was able to shut down Holmes, but the idea that Roethlisberger should be "staying clear" of him is silly.