First Call: What? ESPN writer says Ben Roethlisberger ‘hasn’t been hugely important for the Steelers’
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Tuesday’s “First Call” got me a little fired up. I have issues with ESPN’s midseason NFL awards, as some Steelers were snubbed.
We look at eyebrow-raising numbers about the quarterback the Steelers are facing this weekend. And equally impressive gambling notes for the upcoming game.
Also, some props for the Duquesne women’s basketball team.
I beg to differ
ESPN.com’s Bill Barnwell came out with some midseason NFL awards.
I won’t give away too many spoilers, but I will comment on a few Steelers mentions I thought were off the mark.
He’s got T.J. Watt out of the top three for defensive player of the year behind Marlon Humphrey (CB/Balt), Aaron Donald (DT/LAR), and winner Myles Garrett (DE/Clev).
Donald? OK. Humphrey and Garrett are both top five. No doubt.
But if you look at Garrett’s numbers a little closer, seven of his nine sacks are against rotten teams in Cincinnati, Washington and Dallas.
No sacks against the Las Vegas Raiders or Baltimore Ravens. One sack against the Steelers and one versus the Indianapolis Colts. Playoff-worthy teams and quarterbacks.
And I have no idea how one could watch Watt and Garrett in the head-to-head matchup this season and walk away thinking Garrett was more impactful.
Barnwell’s explanation was, “T.J. Watt narrowly slipped out when he allowed a touchdown pass as the primary defender in coverage against Garrett Gilbert (Dallas) on Sunday, although it’s also probably telling that the Steelers actually trust him in the flat against CeeDee Lamb on third down. He could easily win this award with a hot second half.”
Really? A linebacker on a first-round draft choice wide receiver is your determining factor? Yeah. Go with your instincts in the second half of that paragraph, Bill.
The other one that got my dander up was rating Ben Roethlisberger third in NFL comeback player of the year balloting behind Jason Verrett and winner Alex Smith.
If you want to go with Smith for sentimental reasons because of his inspiring return from a severely broken leg, I get it. But that’s not about football impact. That’s about a storyline.
Football-wise, there is no other correct answer for this category besides Roethlisberger. Why else have the Steelers gone from 8-8 to 8-0 so far this year?
The defense is more banged up. The offensive line is reconfigured. Chase Claypool and Eric Ebron have been good additions. But we don’t honestly think they are the reasons for the swing, do we?
Yet Barnwell cites Verrett’s passer rating against as a reason why he should be considered in front of “Big Ben.” Then he rattled off a bunch of numbers to diminish the statistical impact of Roethlisberger’s return.
No, Roethlisberger’s stats don’t flash. As Barnwell states, his metrics on deep throws aren’t good at all. However, he went so far as to write, “Roethlisberger just hasn’t been hugely important for the Steelers.”
Uh, I’m sorry. What?! One number that matters above all else is plus-8 in the win column. The last unbeaten team in football.
What else changed besides the quarterback returning?
And Verrett? Spare me! A valiant return to be sure. Kudos to him. But you’re pointing out his passer rating against versus what the Steelers offense looks like now versus what it might look like with Devlin Hodges or Mason Rudolph under center.
What matters more?
Roethlisberger has gained more yards pre-snap with his eyes in eight games than those two quarterbacks did with their arms — combined — in 16 games last year.
Consider that before you write “not hugely important.” I like a lot of what Barnwell posts, but these are two swings and misses.
Win big versus the Bengals?
The Steelers are opening up the week as big favorites yet again.
But not as big as last week. And not as big as they would’ve been had they handled the Dallas Cowboys in more decisive fashion.
Via Odds Shark, the 8-0 Steelers are 9.5-point favorites over the 2-5-1 Bengals. They were 13.5-point favorites on the road in Dallas last week when the Cowboys entered the game at 2-6.
The Cowboys covered, losing by five. The only other game the Steelers lost against the spread was the Denver Broncos game when they were favored by 6.5 and won by only five.
Odds Shark has the Steelers as 6-2 versus the spread at home over their last eight games. And the team is 14-5-2 against the line versus Cincinnati in its last 21 games in the rivalry.
The over/under for the game is 49.
Joltin’ Joe
Bengals rookie quarterback Joe Burrow has been impressive in his first year.
He’s eighth in the NFL in passing yards at 2,272 and third in completions at 221.
Granted, some of those numbers are a result of Burrow needing to throw a lot because the Bengals have been behind in games so often.
Not only that, but in the short to intermediate passing game, Burrow has been excellent. Not just among passers this year. But all-time.
Joe Burrow on intermediate throws of 10-19 yds (ranks among all QBs thru Wk 8 since 2006)
92.1 Passing Grade (2nd)
53 completions (1st)
837 Yards (1st) pic.twitter.com/O8EYG6XoNh— PFF (@PFF) November 5, 2020
Also, you have to credit the LSU product for throwing 330 times (third in the league), behind an offensive line that has allowed him to be sacked 28 times (second-most in the NFL behind Carson Wentz).
Lovin’ Libby
Duquesne Dukes guard Libby Bazelak was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference First Team in preseason voting.
Bazelak was also named to the preseason All-Defensive Team.
The Kettering, Ohio native was a 2019-20 Atlantic 10 All-Conference Second Team honoree. She led Duquesne in points (13.2), rebounds (6.5) and assists (3.9) per game a season ago, becoming the first Duke since Korie Hlede to lead the Dukes in all three categories.
? PRESEASON FIRST TEAM ?
A starter for @DuqWBB in all 31 games last year, she led the Dukes in scoring (13.2 ppg), rebounds (6.5 rpg), assists (3.9 apg), steals (1.3 spg), 3-point FG% (.444) and FT % (.758) ?
A senior guard from Kettering, Ohio – Libby Bazelak! pic.twitter.com/Gp7QTz6tAU
— A-10 Women's Hoops (@A10WBB) November 9, 2020
Laia Solé was named to the second team. Solé was Duquesne’s second-leading scorer with 11.8 points per game a season ago. She led the Dukes in field goal percentage (.471), which ranked seventh-best in the Atlantic 10 a season ago. The forward posted four 20-point performances during her redshirt junior season.