The Pittsburg Steelers did not need Big Ben to beat the 49ers last night. They went 3-1 without him last year and with all due respect to Jim Harbaugh’s crew and their inflated record, this is not a team capable of winning playoff games. What the Steelers did need was a QB that can plant his back foot while throwing. I have nothing bad to say about Ben, the man is an absolute superhuman that can and will play through anything. However, a week after praising Mike Tomlin's coaching maturity I feel he made a horrendous mistake. What separates the best baseball managers from the average ones is the ability to tell a star pitcher he’s done for the night. That one minute and often overlooked skill is the difference between Grady Little winning a world series and lining up at the unemployment office. Last night Mike Tomlin showed why he would not be a great baseball manager. I didn’t have the luxury of watching Ben in practice all week as he did, but after his first series it was very clear to me that the Steelers would be better off without him. Let Charlie Batch manage the clock a little bit or let Dennis Dixon make things happen with his legs. Not only would that have provided Ben with a better opportunity to play on Saturday, but it would have also given the Steelers a better chance to win on Monday night. You don’t ask Ben if he can play because the answer is always yes – you tell him he's not ready!
AND THAT’S THE BRUTAL TRUTH!
No comments:
Post a Comment