No quarterback is safe from Fact or Fiction

After the first weekend of fall, football is officially in full swing and nothing else in… After the first weekend of fall, football is officially in full swing and nothing else in sports seems to matter. With that being said, the two Daves go under center to separate fact from fiction in an all-quarterback edition in this week’s “Fact or Fiction.”

1. After two poor performances, the Steelers should bench Ben Roethlisberger.

Dave Siegal: Fiction. You’re talking about the man who has been the centerpiece in the Steelers’ return to prominence. We’re talking an undefeated rookie regular season as the starter and, of course, leading last year’s team from the depths of disappointment to a Lombardi trophy. Sure Charlie Batch has had a few solid moments, but his resume is highlighted as the quarterback of a 2001 Detroit Lions team that was on the verge of a winless season and was the butt of Jay Leno’s jokes. If you deem Big Ben to be the franchise player when times are good, you need to stick with him when times are bad. Roethlisberger stays, but Batch must be ready.

Dave Thomas: Fiction. Although this seems to be an easy cop out for Steelers fans, Roethlisberger needs to be on the field for the Steelers to do what they want to this season. While I thought maybe it was too early for him to grace the field in Jacksonville last Monday night, he needed to shake the rust off. And though he still hasn’t looked like the Ben of old, he looked better against Cincy than he did against the Jags. Another thing to keep in mind is that he played well enough to win. Sure, his interception in the end zone, preventing a touchdown that would have made the game 14-0, hurt big time, but if Ricardo Colclough doesn’t drop that punt, it’s pretty likely the Steelers hang on for a victory and we’re not even talking about benching Ben.

2. Dennis Green is making the right move by replacing Kurt Warner so early in the season and starting Matt Leinart at quarterback for the Cardinals this week.

DS: Fiction. Despite Kurt Warner’s critical turnover that proved he is a shell of his MVP-self, the Cards and Matt Leinart are best sticking with Warner – history proves so. Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick learned the ropes on the bench for much of their rookie years. Warner is still more dependable than a rookie for the Cards to pull off this must-win game on Sunday in Atlanta. However, in the long run, sticking with Warner for now will provide Leinart with the hunger to perform on the gridiron later this season.

DT: Fact. Last week, Warner threw two interceptions in the red zone and has thrown a total of five picks in three games so far as the Cardinals have stumbled to 1-2 out of the gate. If he is going to play like that, why not give the young Leinart a chance to play? It could be a very similar situation that happened here in Pittsburgh when Big Ben took over for the injured Tommy Maddox as a rookie. Roethlisberger had an array of weapons and was just asked to manage the game. While the Cardinals’ defense doesn’t control the game like the Steelers’ did, they have more offensive weapons then the Steelers ever had (newly acquired running back Edgerrin James and a duo of All-Pro wide receivers in Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin). I’m with Green. Give Leinart a chance – why not?

3. On a similar note, Vince Young should be starting for the Tennessee Titans.

DS: Fact. Young is a much more versatile quarterback than Leinart and while he will be less likely to win an NFL game by himself, his time is calling. Kerry Collins has had a nice run, but at 34, he is already looking at a steady decrease in playing time. He’s had more disappointments than highlights in the past four seasons. Plus, the Titans are already looking forward to next season with Indianapolis and Jacksonville in the AFC South. To make a formidable run at third or even second place, Tennessee will have to depend on a proven winner instead of a liability on and off the field like Kerry Collins.

DT: Fact. This has nothing to do with Kerry Collins, but the simple fact that the Titans are not going to contend for a playoff spot and might as well build their team around Vince Young from the start. Here Pittsburghers, relate it to this: the Pirates should let their young guys play and let them learn rather than let Jeromy Burnitz roam the outfield and Joe Randa play every infield position, because it does nothing for their future as a franchise. If you’re going to lose, why not play your young guys and see what they can do?

4. After a 3-0 start, Carson Palmer seems to be fully recovered from his knee injury.

DS: Fiction. Despite the fact that the Bengals, along with the Ravens, have a steady lead on the Steelers, it is too early to deem Palmer fully recovered. He still looked a bit shaky in the first half on Sunday, and it was safe to say he had a bit of fear in facing the Steelers again. But a strong second half gave him the confidence that he is recovering rapidly on the field. If Palmer can hold his team steady despite its continuing off-field issues, we can safely deem his January injury as a distant memory – but not yet.

DT: Fact. While Phil Simms might show you something about how his mechanics are different by circling something on a spit screen with the tele-strator, I simply don’t buy it. Palmer has thrown six touchdowns in three games and has a quarterback rating two points higher than his career average. The only hurdle for Palmer might be a mental one when it comes to being fully recovered, in terms of being able to sit in the pocket and take a hit. Against the Steelers he got more than just a hit; he was sacked six times but still threw four scores. He’s back and that’s not good news if you’re a fan of an AFC team other than Cincy.

5. After two very good games and two mediocre games, Notre Dame’s Brady Quinn should still be considered the quarterback with the best chance to win the Heisman Trophy.

DS: Fact. This is not a season rich in quarterback talent so far. The fact of the matter is, Brady Quinn has won for the most part, and his ignition of the Irish’s comeback win in East Lansing, Mich., proves he is for real. Chris Weinke won the Heisman in 2000 because of Florida State’s record, not necessarily his stats. Quinn knows his judgment day is the season finale at USC. Meanwhile, Chris Leak is Quinn’s top competition, but once again, it’s way too early to legitimately pick a Heisman, or a Davey O’Brien candidate for that matter. But if you want to judge based upon stats, then what about Tyler Palko?

DT: Fiction. Jason White showed everyone, especially people at this university, that when it’s a close vote for the trophy, the Heisman typically goes to the quarterback from the best team in the country. White was the QB from Oklahoma who edged out Larry Fitzgerald from Pitt in 2003, who was clearly the nation’s best player but just couldn’t sway the voters. That being said, the best team right now has got to be the Ohio State Buckeyes. And their quarterback, Troy Smith, is putting up Heisman-type numbers. Through four games, Smith has thrown eight touchdowns and put up more than 800 yards in the air. If he keeps it up and no one in the Big Ten can knock off the Buckeyes, he will be the Heisman winner.