From the Jets miraculous near comeback to Caleb Hanie’s brief elevation to hero status in Chicago, there was no shortage of exciting storylines in yesterday’s conference championship games. There was the ascent of Aaron Rodgers into the elite class of NFL quarterbacks, and the Steelers crucial goal line stand with eight minutes to go. However, even with all these headlines and stories, I think one comparison stands out above the rest. It explains why one team won on Sunday and why one team lost, and when it comes down to it, that’s all that really matters. This comparison, of course, is between two quarterbacks; Ben Roethlisberger and Jay Cutler.
In the first half of Sunday’s game against the Packers, Jay Cutler figuratively didn’t show up. He was under throwing guys, overthrowing them, and seemed confused and jittery, like he was constantly worried about getting hit. In the second half, Cutler literally didn’t show up. He failed to play the rest of the game, with a knee injury.
Now I’m not even going to blame him for the injury. Lots of people (even some NFL players) are saying he should have played, but I’m not a doctor, so I won’t judge. Cutler could’ve been very seriously injured, and could have had no say in whether or not he was allowed to come back in the game. The thing that bothered me was that even when he was playing, it didn’t look like he wanted to be in there. It didn’t look like he wanted to be a big game quarterback.
Now let’s compare Cutler to the winning quarterback in the other championship game, Big Ben Roethlisberger. If I had to pick one quarterback to go to war with, it would be Big Ben, with Peyton coming in at a distant second.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love Peyton, but he’s never had to deal with the physical adversity that Ben has. It seems like every game I watch, Big Ben has some sort of minor injury, and the way he plays, it’s really no surprise either. This guy does whatever it takes to win, and he pays the price. Whether it’s diving headfirst for the goal line, standing in the pocket a split second longer to deliver a screen, or breaking out of a sack where most quarterbacks would just lay down, Roethlisberger plays with no fear.
This sometimes gets him into trouble, but as the great Rocky Balboa once said, “No pain, no gain”. Roethlisberger takes chances, both in his play and with his health, but that is what makes him so special. Big Ben would never allow himself to be taken out of any game, let alone a playoff game, and that is why his teammates respect him so much as a player. Roethlisberger also does one thing better than almost every quarterback out there, and this is what makes him the clutch player that he is.
Ben Roethlisberger makes plays.
Whether it’s finding Santonio Holmes in the tiniest spot in the back of the end zone in the Super Bowl, or converting a ridiculous third and 19 against the Ravens last week, Big Ben makes plays. Consistently, he turns nothing into something, and at the most important times. This is what separates Ben from other quarterbacks (Jay Cutler, we’re looking at you); Roethlisberger steps up in the big moment, while others (still looking your way, Cutler) shy away from it.
Whether we want to believe it or not, come playoff time, teams will only go as far as their quarterbacks. You need a quarterback who won’t shy away from the moment, and you need a quarterback who will go out and make plays. On Sunday, Jay Cutler did neither of these things. Since his arrival in the NFL, Roethlisberger has done both of these things. It comes down to simple facts. Cutler will be sitting on his couch come February 6th, while Roethlisberger will be chasing his third Super Bowl.
Who would you rather have on your team?
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