Rich Eisen went on his “Rich Eisen Show” podcast recently and posed the question to his panel..
..“Who’s team is being talked about the absolute least in the AFC North?..”Yep, you guessed it, the Pittsburgh Steelers, I myself absolutely could not be happier.
Video courtesy of the Rich Eisen Show
The Baltimore Ravens are in the news due to the Lamar Jackson contract situation. The Cincinnati are in the news because they FINALLY made it to the Super Bowl after a 33 year drought.
Then you have the Cleveland Browns, who are mainly in the news due to their quarterback situation. With Deshuan Watson most likely facing a year long suspension, and Baker Mayfield basically on his way out the door is very news worthy.
As for the Steelers? Well, they drafted quarterback Kenny Pickett out of Pitt in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The first QB picked by Pittsburgh in the first round since Ben Roethlisberger in 2004.
They also hired Omar Khan as their General Manager, made Minkah Fitzpatrick the highest paid safety in the league, and bolstered up their defensive with the addition of DBs..LBs..and DLs..too many to name.
Long story short..I see that as a good thing. It’s better to be out of the publics eye..it takes the pressure off. While the others teams in the AFC North are being praised for last season, or being ridiculed for their quarterback situations the Pittsburgh Steelers are focusing on nothing but the upcoming NFL season. #HereWeGo
I just don’t get it. Some of you Pittsburgh Steelers fans are never satisfied. The good or the bad, you always seem to find the negative point in every topic. Which makes you the worst Steelers fans ever!
CASE IN POINT: Pittsburgh wide receiver, Chase Claypool has been under fire all week due to his “excessive” first down celebration. Something that I was not happy about as well. But what’s done..is done.
Chase Claypool cost the Steelers AT LEAST 5 seconds posing & pointing
that would have given the Steelers 1 more play… 1 more shot to tie it up
Understood by what Warren Sharp, of Sharp Football had to say. But here is my rebuttal..”WHO THE FUCK IS WARREN SHARP?” 😂
No one knows who this dude is, nor do they care. Just another failed (non) athlete who gets off on degrading actual professional athletes. You know, like Colin Cowherd, Skip Bayless and beyond?
The capper is the media are ridiculing Chase Claypool for an overextended first down celebration, but what about linebacker, T.J. Watt’s taunting call versus the Baltimore Ravens? That warranted a $10,300 fine?
Maybe it’s just me..or just the racism that still exists in the NFL Media today. Either way it goes..Claypool is still young, so why rip him for being excited over a big first down play? And not rip Watt for his personal foul?
Case in point..we were all young, dumb and full of that fluid at some point in our lives. So how about taking a look in the mirror before you point tge finger? #HereWeGo
Ok, let’s get it in! I am about to share with you my personal AFC North quarterback rankings. And although a lot of fans from opposing teams may disagree, so what..because it is in fact my opinion. Do with it as you will.
1) “BIG” BEN ROETHLISBERGER: PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Now, you may think that I am just being a “HOMER” since I am a lifelong Steelers fan. But the truth of the matter is he is IN FACT the best quarterback in the division, regardless of what Mike Tannenbaum and Colin Cowherd have to say since they are haters and morons.
Let’s start with the obvious, Ben is the only quarterback in this division to go undefeated during his rookie campaign, only to lose to the New England Patriots (Cheatriots) in the playoffs.
Roethlisberger then went on to be the youngest quarterback in NFL history to win a Super Bowl in his second season. This coming after promising former Steelers running back and Hall of Famer, Jerome Bettis the previous season that he would get The Bus an Lombardi Trophy. That alone should seal the deal.
But what makes Big Ben number one on my list is that after going through Tommy John surgery during the 2019 season, he came back the following year to throw for 3803 yards..33 touchdowns with only 10 interceptions. Imagine if he played week 16 versus the Cleveland Browns. (Speaking of)
Keep in mind that as a Steelers fan, the ranking of Mayfield as the #2 quarterback in the AFC North really makes me want to puke! Mainly because he is a cocky Heisman Trophy winner who has never accomplished anything in the NFL (besides winning a playoff game against my Pittsburgh Steelers). Not to mention Cleveland Browns fans are like Dallas Cowboys fans..only worse.
But this ranking is about facts, and Baker has shown some improvement since being drafted back in the 2018 NFL Draft. The only problem is, he has yet crack that “ELITE” surface, plus his attitude is still a major issue.
Granted, Mayfield may have had his best QBR 95.9 rating last season, he still threw for less yards and less touchdowns than Roethlisberger. Can’t very well place Baker at the top now can we? Hell..in 2019 he threw 22 touchdowns and 21 interceptions with more yards..yet he is improving.
Another reason Mayfield ranks above the others at #2 is due to Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, but one season does not prove a HC in Cleveland..or a?QB.
Yeah..yeah..how dare me slap the 2019 MVP as the number three(3) quarterback in the AFC North? Well I will tell you why..”LAMAR JACKSON IS MORE OF A RUNNING BACK THAN A QUARTERBACK!” There..I said it
Look, Jackson is quick..elusive and talented, but he is a lesser Kordell Stewart more than anything. Mainly because Stewart had an arm and make the throws Lamar is unable to. It is a fact..prove me wrong. Not to mention, Kordell was quicker and more talented.
Still..this ranking has to do about quarterbacks, something that Jackson still desperately needs to work on. Throwing for 2757 yards, 26 touchdowns (7 less than Ben and tied with Baker) and 9 interceptions.
The problem with this is Lamar ran for 1005 yards on 159 carries, yet he still lost to Ben Roethlisberger twice last season. What other position should he be in other than third? I mean..at least Mayfield luckily won one against Ben (Baker barely beat Mason Rudolph in week 16).
4) JOE BURROW(Heisman Winner 2019): CINCINNATI BENGALS
It is really tough placing Bengals quarterback, Joe Burrow at the bottom of the AFC North list. The only reason I am doing so is because he is still “fresh meat”..who still has a lot to prove. As of yet he has shown he is the only QB in the division to not take his team to the playoffs last year.
Let’s face it, throwing for 2688 yards and 13 touchdowns obviously aren’t stats to place anyone at the top. The five(5) interceptions however is the lowest in the division. But less INTs and less TDs do not win GAMEs.
Case in point Pittsburgh Steelers fan or not, Roethlisberger’s numbers were better, won the division, and is the ONLY quarterback in the division to win two Super Bowls and “WAS NOT” a Heisman Trophy Winner makes him #1 in my book. Like I said before..prove me otherwise. #HereWeGo
Ok, first I will start with this..”WHO CARES WHAT THE FORMER GENERAL MANAGER OF THE MIAMI DOLPHINS THINKS?” Having said that, let’s get down to business.
For those of you who don’t know, former Dolphins GM, Mike Tannenbaum made a ridiculous prediction yet again. Stating that the Pittsburgh Steelers will finish last in the AFC North because they have..”the worst quarterback in the division.” Laughable.
I say “again” because this moron made the same prediction last season, saying he would choose Joe Burrow and Baker Mayfield over Steelers quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. And that Pittsburgh was going to finish last in the division, yet they won the division.
Check the video below with Ryan Clark and Kimberly Martin last August 2020 on ESPN:
Yeah? And how did that turn out Tannenbaum? In case you or anyone else forgot, let me remind you all. Because if you see, Roethlisberger finished 8th amongst quarterbacks, one(1) spot above Mayfield, three(3) above Lamar Jackson, Burrow much further down the list.
With that being said, Roethlisberger may be the oldest quarterback in the AFC North..but he is definitely not the worst. I mean..he swept the Cincinnati Bengals, swept the Baltimore Ravens, and split with the Cleveland Browns last season. So how does that make him the worst QB?
MEMO TO TANNENBAUM: STFU! You obviously have no idea what you are talking about. Probably why the word “former” appears before GM in your title. #HereWeGo
Former Pittsburgh Steelers left tackle, Alejandro Villanueva did something no veteran athlete..let alone military veteran should ever do. Something as a Marine Corps veteran myself, as well as a Steelers fan is definitely disgusted by.
When asked during a Baltimore Ravens press conference about the Ravens running style, Villanueva took this cheap shot at Pittsburgh wide receiver, JuJu Smith-Schuster.
“I’m assuming it’s not as much fun for the receivers because they’re not getting all of the catches, they’re making the TikToks and and they’re having fun on their social media.”
Let’s keep in mind that JuJu was having fun on his social media..”AFTER THE GAME”..something that a 22 year old kid is allowed to do. But does it take away from Big Al enjoying the fruits of a Smith-Schuster touchdown? The picture below definitely says otherwise.
Alejandro didn’t stop there, he also went on to rip former fellow offensive lineman(guard), David DeCastro.
“I’m sure Kevin Zeitler will be an upgrade,” Villanueva said.
Are you freaking kidding me? Kevin Zeitler? An upgrade from a proverbial Hall of Fame guard, David DeCastro? Big Al really must be smoking some special stuff to make a ridiculous comment like that.
Was it "classless" for Alejandro Villanueva to make the comments he did about his former team/players?
Long story short..rather all in fun or being serious, these things should have never been said about the players and the team that took a chance on Villanueva. Looking forward to moving over to the right tackle position, and taking on a one T.J. Watt twice a year. #HereWeGo
STEELERS WORLD 1 