Dixon the best choice?
September 7th 2010 13:19
Once the Roethlisberger situation blew up and the suspension was a foregone conclusion, Steeler fans immediately began asking "who's going to start?" I think that many people were hoping for Dennis Dixon to get the nod over Byron Leftwich and Charlie Batch. Dixon brings youth and excitement, and escapability to the position. With that you exchange "known quantity" items. Have the Steelers made a mistake in starting Dixon over Batch (now that Leftwich is hurt)?
The case for Dixon starts with age. Dixon's youth is one of his best weapons. He has young legs, and can escape in the face of heavy pressure. That could be a prime weapon to neutralize a fearsome pass rush, because from the looks of preseason the Steelers pass protection is going to be iffy again. Having someone back there that can escape and hurt a team with his legs will force a defense to be far more disciplined in their pass rush, which can slow them down just enough.
Dixon was, until a devastating knee injury, in the mix for the Heisman Trophy. As we've seen, winning the Heisman is not a guarantee for anything in the NFL, except that it does highlight an exceptional athlete. Dixon will have to rely on some of that athleticism to help lead this team.
Dixon shows flashes of being a capable passer in the preseason. This, despite his performance in the Denver game in which he showed very little. The Steelers have to have some confidence in him if they gave him the starting nod.
The cons for Dixon are the standards for any young quarterback. Inexperience leads to mental mistakes; mental mistakes lead to physical mistakes; those can kill a team's chances to win the game. Dixon "lost" a game for the Steelers last year when he threw a pick in overtime. Yes, one play, but when two evenly matched teams meet, the difference can be one stupid play. We don't know how good or bad Dixon really is; there's not a body of work out there for him.
Whether you are for or against this decision, and regardless of what Tomlin and Arians may say, the way for the Steelers to play these next four games is to hearken back to the "old school" style of football. Three yards and a cloud of dust football. Smash mouth football. Line up and tell the defense you're coming, and dare them to stop you. Win by dominating the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, and grind the other team into submission. Their schedule is not exactly favorable to the Steelers, so this might be the surest path to winning. It will take patience - by the team and by its fans - but I think that patience can and will be rewarded. Use Dixon wisely, here and there, heavy on the play-action. It can be done - hell, if the Jets can do it (like last year) then so can the Steelers.
Dixon's role here is clear. Keep the team from imploding. Earn the wins. Play smart and within yourself. Do an admirable job of tending to the position until Ben returns. There's not much else we can say, is there?
The case for Dixon starts with age. Dixon's youth is one of his best weapons. He has young legs, and can escape in the face of heavy pressure. That could be a prime weapon to neutralize a fearsome pass rush, because from the looks of preseason the Steelers pass protection is going to be iffy again. Having someone back there that can escape and hurt a team with his legs will force a defense to be far more disciplined in their pass rush, which can slow them down just enough.
Dixon was, until a devastating knee injury, in the mix for the Heisman Trophy. As we've seen, winning the Heisman is not a guarantee for anything in the NFL, except that it does highlight an exceptional athlete. Dixon will have to rely on some of that athleticism to help lead this team.
Dixon shows flashes of being a capable passer in the preseason. This, despite his performance in the Denver game in which he showed very little. The Steelers have to have some confidence in him if they gave him the starting nod.
The cons for Dixon are the standards for any young quarterback. Inexperience leads to mental mistakes; mental mistakes lead to physical mistakes; those can kill a team's chances to win the game. Dixon "lost" a game for the Steelers last year when he threw a pick in overtime. Yes, one play, but when two evenly matched teams meet, the difference can be one stupid play. We don't know how good or bad Dixon really is; there's not a body of work out there for him.
Whether you are for or against this decision, and regardless of what Tomlin and Arians may say, the way for the Steelers to play these next four games is to hearken back to the "old school" style of football. Three yards and a cloud of dust football. Smash mouth football. Line up and tell the defense you're coming, and dare them to stop you. Win by dominating the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, and grind the other team into submission. Their schedule is not exactly favorable to the Steelers, so this might be the surest path to winning. It will take patience - by the team and by its fans - but I think that patience can and will be rewarded. Use Dixon wisely, here and there, heavy on the play-action. It can be done - hell, if the Jets can do it (like last year) then so can the Steelers.
Dixon's role here is clear. Keep the team from imploding. Earn the wins. Play smart and within yourself. Do an admirable job of tending to the position until Ben returns. There's not much else we can say, is there?
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