Another Jake thread (optimistic, give it a chance)

[Proudiddy]

After much thought, and believe me, I mean MUCH thought. I decided to try and look at the bright side of what may be in 2009. During the game and after the game, I was leading the pack in the "Bench/Release Delhomme" front... But, after having time to take it all in and look at the entire game and the bigger picture, plus the majority of the player's reactions... I thought about something in regards to Jake.

I was watching the PIT/SD game and I was amazed as usual with Big Ben's performance. I started thinking about how the Steelers have been so good for so long and how Mr. Richardson has said that they are who we aim to model ourselves after as a franchise...

Well, that brought me back to the performances of the QB's they've had compared to ours. And I remembered a NOT-SO-HOT year that Big Ben had. That year? 2006. What was significant about that year and why he performed so poorly? Well, that summer was when he had gotten into the motorcycle accident that could've ended his life and/or career. Reports at the time said his injuries were non-life threatening and non-career threatening. Yet, later Ben contradicted this and said he was minutes from dying had paramedics not stopped his bleeding at the accident. He rushed back from surgery and was back in time to play the preseason and throughout the regular season.

I remember watching the games that year, and he just looked OFF. REAL OFF. I particularly remember a horrible game he had against Oakland that year being played repeatedly on highlights for the multiple INTs he threw. I just remember thinking he didn't look the same and hope he bounced back. Pittsburgh finished well below their own standards that year at 8-8.

Well, I say all this because that year, Ben had the worst year of his career to thus point statistically. It was the only year in his career that he threw more INTs than TDs and it was his lowest QB rating of his career at 75.

I'm not saying Jake is Ben Roethlisberger. But I am saying that historically, they are winners. I've presented all this because throughout some of the first game, and then most definitely after the first game, Jake just didn't look the same. There was some flashes of his old play that led us to a Superbowl and an NFCCG. But, ultimately, he looked OFF. He's always had issues with inaccuracy bouts throughout his career, and has always been a bit of a gunslinger and took chances. But, he NEVER took "chances" like he did Saturday night. What I'm saying is... Jake was faced with a possible career ending injury with his elbow. He missed everything but 3 games last year, and hurried back with rehab to come back and play quicker than anyone anticipated.

So... My question is, could it be there is a link between bad play and a QB coming off a career threatening ordeal/injury? Sure, they say they were fully recovered, but Ben and Jake are both guys that aren't gong to come out of a game unless they're taken out on a stretcher. Maybe it's psychological, maybe they're pressing... I don't know. But, I think there is a significant link between a player, specifically a QB, who recently faced the prospect of not playing again (or perhaps that they aren't invincible), and coming back too quickly. Because I had thought all year, we could not truly trust Jake if we were turned into a purely passing team. I had never felt like that any other year he was the starter. He looked confused, out of rhythm, antsy, and nervous in the pocket all year. He made EXTRA bad reads compared to previous years...

I'm not defending anything he's done, but I'm saying that being that Foxy has already said he is the starter next year, Smitty still trusts him, etc., there is a bright side. Ben bounced back big time. Hopefully, Jake will do the same. Thank you for reading my novel.

[John Fox]

Ben had his accident during offseason before 06, and he was young.

Jake got hurt week 3 of 07 and is old.

[CharlotteBeer.com]

You do make some good points, and obviously most players will have their up and down years.

I think the frustration arises from two things:

1. We don't ask a lot of Jake. We have great running backs and receivers. When we ask Jake to make what would be just a handful of passes to most quarterbacks, he should be able to.

2. As you've said, Jake has always had accuracy issues, though some seasons more than others. What concerns Carolina fans is if this is just going to keep rearing its ugly head and costing us the game.

If we could get our defense back to 2003 form, I'd feel a lot better about keeping Jake. After defending Jake for so long, I can't help but think we might have better options--both short and long term--in McCown or Moore.

That being said, with each day after this loss I feel a little less angry about Jake and am slowly starting to realize that he may be our best option right now and for next season.

Live by the sword, die by the sword.

[engine9]

The cardinals have offered us their 1st round draft pick for Jake. Turns out he throws better to Cardinals than even Warner does.

[davos]

Optimism! yeah

My only problem is that Delhomme actually looked good until the first Tampa Bay game. So, in my view, he faded through the year. His injury did not necessarily happen in a "wreck" type situation. He just flat out looked bad this year and not just "off". If you look pre-injury, his normal self was nothing more spectacular than what we saw this year.

[chitownpantherdude]

Also jakes injury was qb specific, bens was not.

[Proudiddy]

I get that, but I'm saying the overlying principle is the same. They were faced with injuries they didn't anticipate that were possible "career enders."

[CharlotteBeer.com]

The thing with Jake, also, is that he's never thrown the prettiest ball. This year was no exception.

But aside from his sloppy throws, it was his decision making that led to most of his mistakes.

[Brandon]

What benefit do we have of sticking with Jake? He's getting up there in age and we can't count on him in the clutch anymore.

[Spike]

Optimism! yeah

My only problem is that Delhomme actually looked good until the first Tampa Bay game. So, in my view, he faded through the year. His injury did not necessarily happen in a "wreck" type situation. He just flat out looked bad this year and not just "off". If you look pre-injury, his normal self was nothing more spectacular than what we saw this year.

Delhomme was awful the first 2 games, until the 4th quarter each time-respectively.

[scpanther22]

why be optimistic tha fans have a lot of say with a good franchise so if we as a whole are fed up with jake we should let it be known to get some change.

[Wolfcop]

I was thinking about this today. Maybe something WAS still wrong with Jake. Maybe he will be back to his old self by September. However, we can't rest our hopes on that. We have a VERY tough schedule next season. We need to have another viable option if Jake can't cut it. At the very minimum we are in need of an upgrade at backup QB.