OT: The Pittsburgher Thread: They Blamed Canada

[T1K]

Kyler is sticking around in AZ

https://x.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1742312735541518386?s=20

 

[Honour Over Glory]

But Trubisky has a big arm and loves to sling it. We were all screaming at him for slinging it on a 3rd and short. I get talking about it with Pickett, who has average arm strength and has been playing conservatively, but Trubisky? Surely if it was just about style, Trubisky would have worked out great?

Obviously there's always more to it than just style. But this idea Trubisky is a running QB... well, you've already posted how he isn't that here. Hell, his numbers aren't dramatic at Chicago either. You compare him a guy like Hurts or Allen - not even super fast guys like Allen - and it's not much.

The thing about Mitch is that he should have worked but even if we want to just blame Matt Canada, which for a portion of the failures is 100% on Canada, there were routine throws that Mitch would just never make and when he did he wouldn’t really scan the field and would throw interceptions and just deflate the team. Kenny has some of those similar issues, he just doesn’t see past the throw, he doesn’t look to see If it’s throwing to a player that has coverage but he’s not seeing it, etc.

Mitch could throw, but he just had the worst Football IQ for when to release and to whom. It’s not like Mason is doing anything amazing, why Mason has succeeded in the last 2 games is because he sees the plays he needs to make and makes them and doesn’t just force a pass when he doesn’t need to - something the other two did far too often, the blame there is on them, not the OC. The plays were shit, but the ones that weren’t, they routinely f***ed up or left you wondering wtf.

Kyler is sticking around in AZ

https://x.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1742312735541518386?s=20

Thats…good? I don’t think he would work here anyway. At his size and the O-Line we have, it’d be a mess.

 

[Peat]

Also just to talk about positive stuff for a moment -

When this team gets space for the RBs to go, Harris and Warren are just a brutal, brutal combo to stop. They forced 17 missed tackles vs the Seahawks. 17. Yeah, that's partly because Seattle can't tackle. But it's partly because they're just a brute squad. They reinforce the OL and finally get that consistent, and I don't see why this team can't be in the conversation for best rushing team in the league.

 

[ChaosAgent]

Speaking of the QBs, NFL Network radio was just coincidentally talking about the Steelers QB situation, specifically regarding the difference in playstyle between Rudolph (vertical down-field passer) and Trubisky/Pickett (running QB). It was mostly in the context of how Rudolph is working really well because he fits the style of QB that this Steelers team needs, but there were also some talks about how they've schemed their offense with Pickett and Trubisky at QB that I agree with. The Steelers don't incorporate many QB runs, play-action passes or option plays in their offense, which kinda defeats the purpose of having those mobile QBs.

Looking back on Trubisky's stats with Chicago, he did put up a decent amount of rushing yards on those Chicago teams (20.7 yards/game and 2 rushing TDs per season essentially). With the Steelers, he only had about a third of that. Pickett is the same way, he's only at 11.6 yards/game rushing with the Steelers. Obviously neither of these guys are going to be Lamar Jackson while running the QB, but not tailoring the offense to be around a mobile QB seems to defeat the purpose of adding a mobile QB.

With all of that being said, I hate the idea of building around a mobile QB unless your QB is like freakishly athletic. Even with Jackson, the offense that Baltimore runs is super unique and it requires him to have the athleticism of a top RB to work. Just go get a pure pocket passer, I don't care if he's literally immobile if he can identify open targets before getting sacked. I think Levis and Pickett are probably roughly equally as talented QBs, but I'd take Levis at this point solely because I want a pocket passer over a scrambler.

I don't think there are any statues any more. I think college has weeded them out basically. Rudolph and like, Mac Jones are the minimum standard of mobility now.

If you have the quick twitch muscle to play quarterback you have the quick twitch muscle to run faster than the average frat bro, unless you are fat or incapacitated.

Maybe in 6 years Mahomes has 2 knee surgeries and puts on 30 pounds and is still slinging it.

 

[T1K]

I don't think there are any statues any more. I think college has weeded them out basically. Rudolph and like, Mac Jones are the minimum standard of mobility now.

If you have the quick twitch muscle to play quarterback you have the quick twitch muscle to run faster than the average frat bro, unless you are fat or incapacitated.

Maybe in 6 years Mahomes has 2 knee surgeries and puts on 30 pounds and is still slinging it.

Mac Jones is the definition of a statue QB, a bad one at that. Kirk Cousins is a good statue QB.

The thing about Mitch is that he should have worked but even if we want to just blame Matt Canada, which for a portion of the failures is 100% on Canada, there were routine throws that Mitch would just never make and when he did he wouldn’t really scan the field and would throw interceptions and just deflate the team. Kenny has some of those similar issues, he just doesn’t see past the throw, he doesn’t look to see If it’s throwing to a player that has coverage but he’s not seeing it, etc.

Mitch could throw, but he just had the worst Football IQ for when to release and to whom. It’s not like Mason is doing anything amazing, why Mason has succeeded in the last 2 games is because he sees the plays he needs to make and makes them and doesn’t just force a pass when he doesn’t need to - something the other two did far too often, the blame there is on them, not the OC. The plays were shit, but the ones that weren’t, they routinely f***ed up or left you wondering wtf.


Thats…good? I don’t think he would work here anyway. At his size and the O-Line we have, it’d be a mess.

Yeah I didn’t want Murray, but I shared since I’ve seen his name brought up here before.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Mac Jones is the definition of a statue QB, a bad one at that. Kirk Cousins is a good statue QB.


Yeah I didn’t want Murray, but I shared since I’ve seen his name brought up here before.

Eh he purely wore that Crosby jersey to piss off the fans in Philly, I bet it was more James Conner’s idea than it was Kyler’s.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I don't think there are any statues any more. I think college has weeded them out basically. Rudolph and like, Mac Jones are the minimum standard of mobility now.

If you have the quick twitch muscle to play quarterback you have the quick twitch muscle to run faster than the average frat bro, unless you are fat or incapacitated.

Maybe in 6 years Mahomes has 2 knee surgeries and puts on 30 pounds and is still slinging it.

I don’t think Mason is even that slow, for a bloke that is 6’5” and like a horse, he can move when he needs to, but the key is “when” he needs to, if you’re able to spot the play in the pocket and allow some confidence to creep in for a whack O-Line and keep making plays, that’s the ideal situation.

Mitch would just randomly try to scramble because he didn’t even have faith in his own arm to make the pass, Kenny was doing that last year and into this year. We can blame Matt Canada for how the plays were called, but the same QB coach worked on Kenny and Mason and Mitch.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I don’t think Mason is even that slow, for a bloke that is 6’5” and like a horse, he can move when he needs to, but the key is “when” he needs to, if you’re able to spot the play in the pocket and allow some confidence to creep in for a whack O-Line and keep making plays, that’s the ideal situation.

That's what I mean. It's no longer acceptable for the QB to be slower than...like, an athletic lineman.
Cause if you go to a premium program, they're going to demand that you get in shape. And really, you cost yourself millions of $$$ if you run a 5.3 40.

Maybe some of the premium QBs will age/injury themselves into becoming Ben, Brady, Rivers or Matt Ryan mobility-wise. But I'd be shocked if we had a 1st round QB drafted with a >5 40 time any time soon.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

That's what I mean. It's no longer acceptable for the QB to be slower than...like, an athletic lineman.
Cause if you go to a premium program, they're going to demand that you get in shape. And really, you cost yourself millions of $$$ if you run a 5.3 40.

Maybe some of the premium QBs will age/injury themselves into becoming Ben, Brady, Rivers or Matt Ryan mobility-wise. But I'd be shocked if we had a 1st round QB drafted with a >5 40 time any time soon.

A funny story, I was watching some weird story thing on YouTube, I guess everything has to be like Tik tok and instagram or Snapchat nowa days, it was talking about how Tom Brady ran like a 5.28 in his 40.

5.3 is slower than the standard, there’s not many that run that slow these days even for a QB that’s out of shape. Like since 2000, only 3 have ever run that slow out of 308 QB’s that have been tested for the draft workouts and the 40-yard dash.


Chris Redman did it in 5.37 in 2000, Tom Brady was rounded up to 5.30, and Toby Korrodi at 5.37.

 

[ChaosAgent]

A funny story, I was watching some weird story thing on YouTube, I guess everything has to be like Tik tok and instagram or Snapchat nowa days, it was talking about how Tom Brady ran like a 5.28 in his 40.

5.3 is slower than the standard, there’s not many that run that slow these days even for a QB that’s out of shape. Like since 2000, only 3 have ever run that slow out of 308 QB’s that have been tested for the draft workouts and the 40-yard dash.


Chris Redman did it in 5.37 in 2000, Tom Brady was rounded up to 5.30, and Toby Korrodi at 5.37.

I for sure think late career Ben was the slowest guy in the team though. Would take any OL against him in a footrace.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I for sure think late career Ben was the slowest guy in the team though. Would take any OL against him in a footrace.

I don't buy that he ran that 40 in 4.75, even if he was known as a tank to take down, that fat piece of shit ran that faster than some of the elite QB's in the league right now.

Either some knew they just needed to be faster than 5 seconds and knew it, or Ben was one of those that really needed to try his hardest to prove something vs the others that were like "I know I can dog it and get 4.8 and show I am capable of more."

In Brady's case, he was built like a gamer nerd that refused to leave his mom's basement, like he was hilariously out of shape. He goes to NE and works his ass off on getting stronger and faster and that's what hard work (and cheating) does to someone in the right situation. Ben was just tall and thick so he was harder to take down, at his draft he was 241lbs. He retired at 6'5" 240lbs and that was him "svelte" because he finally wanted to diet and workout more in his last 2 seasons. I can only imagine he was pushing 260 for a few years then.

Mason is 6'5" and 235lbs and he actually takes care of himself but you'd think one was smaller by a lot.

 

[Pens1566]

What kind of "hype" was around him? Even the most optimistic evaluations of him said his upside was more "system QB" type of guy.

Being drafted as a late 1st rounder due to a bad QB class along with a connection to a NFL team doesn't scream "major hype" to me. He was compared to Alex Smith prior to being drafted, not Patrick Mahomes.

I was referring to the never ending talk around here about him, his small hands, how "ready" he was, the (ridiculous )comparisons to Burrow's trajectory.

Again, there would have been like 2 mentions of him in total if he'd been the QB at WSU.

 

[Peat]

I was referring to the never ending talk around here about him, his small hands, how "ready" he was, the (ridiculous )comparisons to Burrow's trajectory.

Again, there would have been like 2 mentions of him in total if he'd been the QB at WSU.

None of this makes sense if you go back and read the national media profiles on him in his draft year. We didn't pluck his name out of thin air because he went to Pitt. He was a consensus first round pick for most of his draft year. His readiness and small hands were both big, big topics.

Expecting people here to not talk about him if he didn't go to Pitt is just flat out revisionist. His stats and national media profile would have attracted attention in any year the team was blatantly looking for a first round QB; we would have talked about him as much as we did Willis or Ridder or Howell, or as much as we talked Paris Johnson and Darnell Wright and Broderick Jones and Skoronski and Anton Harrison last year. Going to Pitt helped, but was absolutely not necessary.

And while the Burrow stuff was ridiculous, ridiculous stuff was said about the possibilities of all the QB prospects because that's what happens, you're hoping for the ridiculously lucky outcome, and pretty much everyone knew it and that the scouting profile comps were guys like Andy Dalton and Derek Carr for a reason.

 

[Pens1566]

None of this makes sense if you go back and read the national media profiles on him in his draft year. We didn't pluck his name out of thin air because he went to Pitt. He was a consensus first round pick for most of his draft year. His readiness and small hands were both big, big topics.

Expecting people here to not talk about him if he didn't go to Pitt is just flat out revisionist. His stats and national media profile would have attracted attention in any year the team was blatantly looking for a first round QB; we would have talked about him as much as we did Willis or Ridder or Howell, or as much as we talked Paris Johnson and Darnell Wright and Broderick Jones and Skoronski and Anton Harrison last year. Going to Pitt helped, but was absolutely not necessary.

And while the Burrow stuff was ridiculous, ridiculous stuff was said about the possibilities of all the QB prospects because that's what happens, you're hoping for the ridiculously lucky outcome, and pretty much everyone knew it and that the scouting profile comps were guys like Andy Dalton and Derek Carr for a reason.

Diving into the weeds a bit here, but he was maybe a 3rd day pick heading into the year and there were plenty of evals that still had him as a 2nd/3rd rounder even after the season. As well as others saying he'd get overdrafted based on the class. They were literally all over the place. There was no consensus.

And yes, exactly, the discussion would have been same as Ridder, etc. if he wasn't "already familiar with the facilities". If you think we would have drafted him in the same spot if he weren't #H2P ...

 

[T1K]

Diving into the weeds a bit here, but he was maybe a 3rd day pick heading into the year and there were plenty of evals that still had him as a 2nd/3rd rounder even after the season. As well as others saying he'd get overdrafted based on the class. They were literally all over the place. There was no consensus.

And yes, exactly, the discussion would have been same as Ridder, etc. if he wasn't "already familiar with the facilities". If you think we would have drafted him in the same spot if he weren't #H2P ...

If Pickett was gone they would’ve taken a different QB from that class in the 1st round. They had a clear goal that year, find Big Ben’s replacement. All of the QBs from that class are garbage except for Purdy, which is ironic because the Steelers were the only team who drafted two QBs that year - Pickett and Oladokun (21 picks before Purdy).

 

[pistolpete11]

Pickett got overrated because he was the best of a terrible QB draft class. Period. Unfortunately, the Steelers were dead set on taking a QB that year.

It's not revisionist history to say that. Many people, including myself, were against taking a QB in the 1st because it was such a bad class and they had major other needs as well.

Pickett had no plus attributes, was older, had 1 good year in college, had a low ceiling, etc. There were a ton of knocks against him and he hasn't really done anything to change anybody's mind on that. I wouldn't say it was a 'wasted' pick because I think he can be a mediocre starting QB with a better offense and OC, but I don't think he's good enough to take them to the next level so what was the point?

 

[JTG]

I really wonder if there are Jets fans who went to BYU that spend a lot of time on message boards complaining about Zach Wilson just hasn't gotten a fair shot and needs a better OC and he'll totally ball out. Or if there are Patriots fans living in Alabama that really just know that once Mac Jones gets freed from the bad coaching in NE and gets a WR he'll be the star they knew he would be. Or maybe there are a bunch of kinds sitting in North Dakota shouting into the void about how Trey Lance just needs coaching and a chance...

No one is doing that here.

Speaking of the QBs, NFL Network radio was just coincidentally talking about the Steelers QB situation, specifically regarding the difference in playstyle between Rudolph (vertical down-field passer) and Trubisky/Pickett (running QB). It was mostly in the context of how Rudolph is working really well because he fits the style of QB that this Steelers team needs, but there were also some talks about how they've schemed their offense with Pickett and Trubisky at QB that I agree with. The Steelers don't incorporate many QB runs, play-action passes or option plays in their offense, which kinda defeats the purpose of having those mobile QBs.

Looking back on Trubisky's stats with Chicago, he did put up a decent amount of rushing yards on those Chicago teams (20.7 yards/game and 2 rushing TDs per season essentially). With the Steelers, he only had about a third of that. Pickett is the same way, he's only at 11.6 yards/game rushing with the Steelers. Obviously neither of these guys are going to be Lamar Jackson while running the QB, but not tailoring the offense to be around a mobile QB seems to defeat the purpose of adding a mobile QB.

With all of that being said, I hate the idea of building around a mobile QB unless your QB is like freakishly athletic. Even with Jackson, the offense that Baltimore runs is super unique and it requires him to have the athleticism of a top RB to work. Just go get a pure pocket passer, I don't care if he's literally immobile if he can identify open targets before getting sacked. I think Levis and Pickett are probably roughly equally as talented QBs, but I'd take Levis at this point solely because I want a pocket passer over a scrambler.

Also just to talk about positive stuff for a moment -

When this team gets space for the RBs to go, Harris and Warren are just a brutal, brutal combo to stop. They forced 17 missed tackles vs the Seahawks. 17. Yeah, that's partly because Seattle can't tackle. But it's partly because they're just a brute squad. They reinforce the OL and finally get that consistent, and I don't see why this team can't be in the conversation for best rushing team in the league.

This team should be building around the 2 RBs and utilize play action to break off chunk plays. It's so unbelievably evident that there is no way this staff figures it out. Get rid of these linemen that get blown off the ball, and fill in with ones that are plus run blockers. It would be a different style of offense in today's league and it would fit us perfectly. I don't think we have ran a play action play in 4 years.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Pickett got overrated because he was the best of a terrible QB draft class. Period. Unfortunately, the Steelers were dead set on taking a QB that year.

It's not revisionist history to say that. Many people, including myself, were against taking a QB in the 1st because it was such a bad class and they had major other needs as well.

Pickett had no plus attributes, was older, had 1 good year in college, had a low ceiling, etc. There were a ton of knocks against him and he hasn't really done anything to change anybody's mind on that. I wouldn't say it was a 'wasted' pick because I think he can be a mediocre starting QB with a better offense and OC, but I don't think he's good enough to take them to the next level so what was the point?

Yea at this point KP projects as a career high end backup QB.

He'll be in the same tier as Z Wilson, Mitch T, Jake Browning, etc.

 

[Peat]

Diving into the weeds a bit here, but he was maybe a 3rd day pick heading into the year and there were plenty of evals that still had him as a 2nd/3rd rounder even after the season. As well as others saying he'd get overdrafted based on the class. They were literally all over the place. There was no consensus.

And yes, exactly, the discussion would have been same as Ridder, etc. if he wasn't "already familiar with the facilities". If you think we would have drafted him in the same spot if he weren't #H2P ...

Post those evals then.

I can tell you that Brugler, Jeremiah, and the guy who does the big profile (Zierlein, that's it) on the NFL.com site had him as 1st round. I can tell you that DraftBuzz's little chart of where scouting services had him shows MD DB, ESPN, Draft Net, NFL.com (as noted), Draft Buzz, ProFootballNetwork, CBS and SportsIllustrated as having him 1st round, with only Count Down and PFF disagreeing (but 33rd and 40s). Draftwire projected him as top 20. BleacherReport the first I can find having him as a Round 3 guy. The Athletic Consensus Big Board rankings which takes in 80+ guys had him at 32nd i.e. 1st round.

And if you look for mock drafts from the week before, then Chad Reuter had him at 2nd OA, Maurice Jones/Rhett Lewis at 6th, Sporting News at 15th, ESPN/Albert Breer/PFF/Kiper at 19th, Daniel Jeremiah/Brugler/Peter King at 20th, Charles Davies/Peter Schrager/McShay at 32nd, with only Bucky Brooks/Lance Zierlein/CBS having him outside the 1st.

That isn't 100% agreement, but that is a consensus and I'd be very surprised if you could find enough major voices of disagreement to state otherwise.

Pickett got overrated because he was the best of a terrible QB draft class. Period. Unfortunately, the Steelers were dead set on taking a QB that year.

It's not revisionist history to say that. Many people, including myself, were against taking a QB in the 1st because it was such a bad class and they had major other needs as well.

Pickett had no plus attributes, was older, had 1 good year in college, had a low ceiling, etc. There were a ton of knocks against him and he hasn't really done anything to change anybody's mind on that. I wouldn't say it was a 'wasted' pick because I think he can be a mediocre starting QB with a better offense and OC, but I don't think he's good enough to take them to the next level so what was the point?

If he was overrated, then it was a very widespread overrating, which is my point.

Personally I think it's more likely that the analysts were right - which is not to say that he was going to be amazing, but that he had a good shot at being a good NFL starter - and that the Steelers have done an atrocious job developing him,

And I was very lukewarm about the idea of taking him based on the draft profiles and how the NFL seems to work.

 

[OnMyOwn]

If KP had a top OL and a good OC, we’d be seeing way different results from him and probably very pleased.

Fact is, he had neither these first 2 seasons and he’s not good enough to overcome it. Rudolph stays in the pocket and chucks the ball downfield, which is what the Steelers need right now.

 

[JTG]

Post those evals then.

I can tell you that Brugler, Jeremiah, and the guy who does the big profile (Zierlein, that's it) on the NFL.com site had him as 1st round. I can tell you that DraftBuzz's little chart of where scouting services had him shows MD DB, ESPN, Draft Net, NFL.com (as noted), Draft Buzz, ProFootballNetwork, CBS and SportsIllustrated as having him 1st round, with only Count Down and PFF disagreeing (but 33rd and 40s). Draftwire projected him as top 20. BleacherReport the first I can find having him as a Round 3 guy. The Athletic Consensus Big Board rankings which takes in 80+ guys had him at 32nd i.e. 1st round.

And if you look for mock drafts from the week before, then Chad Reuter had him at 2nd OA, Maurice Jones/Rhett Lewis at 6th, Sporting News at 15th, ESPN/Albert Breer/PFF/Kiper at 19th, Daniel Jeremiah/Brugler/Peter King at 20th, Charles Davies/Peter Schrager/McShay at 32nd, with only Bucky Brooks/Lance Zierlein/CBS having him outside the 1st.

That isn't 100% agreement, but that is a consensus and I'd be very surprised if you could find enough major voices of disagreement to state otherwise.



If he was overrated, then it was a very widespread overrating, which is my point.

Personally I think it's more likely that the analysts were right - which is not to say that he was going to be amazing, but that he had a good shot at being a good NFL starter - and that the Steelers have done an atrocious job developing him,

And I was very lukewarm about the idea of taking him based on the draft profiles and how the NFL seems to work.

I totally agree with you, but what I will say, in a normal draft where the QB class is decent, Kenny probably is a 2nd round pick. That's what he should have been. That being said, what's the real difference between a late first and 2nd round pick? Not typically a whole lot.

Kenny could have used some sideline seasoning. Throwing him into this absolute mess did no favors.

If KP had a top OL and a good OC, we’d be seeing way different results from him and probably very pleased.

Fact is, he had neither these first 2 seasons and he’s not good enough to overcome it. Rudolph stays in the pocket and chucks the ball downfield, which is what the Steelers need right now.

Mason Cole had another 3 snaps at Rudolph's feet last week.

He is the weak spot of the line. You can watch the line collapse from the inside out consistently.

 

[T1K]

If KP had a top OL and a good OC, we’d be seeing way different results from him and probably very pleased.

Fact is, he had neither these first 2 seasons and he’s not good enough to overcome it. Rudolph stays in the pocket and chucks the ball downfield, which is what the Steelers need right now.

Pickett needs to learn to stand in the pocket. He bails on plays way too early with that spin move. Not only does it kill drives, but it has gotten him injured.

 

[Pens1566]

Post those evals then.

I can tell you that Brugler, Jeremiah, and the guy who does the big profile (Zierlein, that's it) on the NFL.com site had him as 1st round. I can tell you that DraftBuzz's little chart of where scouting services had him shows MD DB, ESPN, Draft Net, NFL.com (as noted), Draft Buzz, ProFootballNetwork, CBS and SportsIllustrated as having him 1st round, with only Count Down and PFF disagreeing (but 33rd and 40s). Draftwire projected him as top 20. BleacherReport the first I can find having him as a Round 3 guy. The Athletic Consensus Big Board rankings which takes in 80+ guys had him at 32nd i.e. 1st round.

And if you look for mock drafts from the week before, then Chad Reuter had him at 2nd OA, Maurice Jones/Rhett Lewis at 6th, Sporting News at 15th, ESPN/Albert Breer/PFF/Kiper at 19th, Daniel Jeremiah/Brugler/Peter King at 20th, Charles Davies/Peter Schrager/McShay at 32nd, with only Bucky Brooks/Lance Zierlein/CBS having him outside the 1st.

That isn't 100% agreement, but that is a consensus and I'd be very surprised if you could find enough major voices of disagreement to state otherwise.



If he was overrated, then it was a very widespread overrating, which is my point.

Personally I think it's more likely that the analysts were right - which is not to say that he was going to be amazing, but that he had a good shot at being a good NFL starter - and that the Steelers have done an atrocious job developing him,

And I was very lukewarm about the idea of taking him based on the draft profiles and how the NFL seems to work.

You already mentioned them.

When you look up "kenny pickett draft profile" the top 2 results are NFL with the 1st rd grade and Bleacher report with the 3rd rd grade. And the NFL report even goes so far to include a quote from an AFC scout that some team will really overdraft him.

As for mocks, not sure how much weight those should really get considering all the ones that put him to us at #20 skew the results quite a bit. Kind of a self fulfilling prophecy going on there.

The bottom line is that he was the valedictorian of summer school, and we got enamored with him based on his outlier season where he beat up on a seriously down ACC combined with some sort of psychological issue of not letting the possible next Dan Marino get by us in the draft. A lot of people (even some around here) could see it coming a mile away.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I don't buy that he ran that 40 in 4.75, even if he was known as a tank to take down, that fat piece of shit ran that faster than some of the elite QB's in the league right now.

Either some knew they just needed to be faster than 5 seconds and knew it, or Ben was one of those that really needed to try his hardest to prove something vs the others that were like "I know I can dog it and get 4.8 and show I am capable of more."

In Brady's case, he was built like a gamer nerd that refused to leave his mom's basement, like he was hilariously out of shape. He goes to NE and works his ass off on getting stronger and faster and that's what hard work (and cheating) does to someone in the right situation. Ben was just tall and thick so he was harder to take down, at his draft he was 241lbs. He retired at 6'5" 240lbs and that was him "svelte" because he finally wanted to diet and workout more in his last 2 seasons. I can only imagine he was pushing 260 for a few years then.

Mason is 6'5" and 235lbs and he actually takes care of himself but you'd think one was smaller by a lot.

No way Ben ended at 240. Maybe 255.
Ben was fat.

 

[JTG]

Pickett needs to learn to stand in the pocket. He bails on plays way too early with that spin move. Not only does it kill drives, but it has gotten him injured.

This is my main complaint with him. Here is the thing though, anyone who watched him at Pitt has seen this before, and I think that is why many Pitt fans who watched him for 5 years are backing him still - not because he's from Pitt, but because this is EXACTLY how his Pitt career had gone.

Kenny isn't a great talent. He was always going to be a guy who got by more on smarts and guts than arm talent. His first couple of years at Pitt he had an atrocious line. What happened behind that line was a guy who had happy feet and would spin out into rushers. As he gets more comfortable, his feet settle down and he stays put. Once Pitt got him a line, he calmed down and turned into a really good college QB.

I'm by no means saying that would happen here. I think the jury is very much still out on his talent level for the NFL and if this staff will work to his strengths. People want to talk about how people stand up for Pickett, but what is even more disingenuous are those who pile on Kenny without recognizing how insanely bad of a situation he was thrown into, and only really got out of for 6 quarters of his NFL career.