Maddox not a big improvement

For all of you Steelers fans who thought that quarterback Tommy Maddox was the answer – how do… For all of you Steelers fans who thought that quarterback Tommy Maddox was the answer – how do you like your “quarterback of choice” now?

Pittsburgh Steelers fans were so eager to kick Kordell Stewart to the curb after Maddox replaced him last season and led the Steelers to the playoffs. Maddox was the story of the year – the sequel to St. Louis Rams’ quarterback Kurt Warner’s performance in 1999. Well, Stewart is probably looking pretty appetizing right now.

One of Pittsburgh’s major issues was its troubled offensive line. Failing to re-sign offensive tackle Wayne Gandy was a mistake, and when Marvel Smith went down with an injury, the Steelers were in trouble.

This is where Stewart’s mobility is a bonus and the man is not an inadequate quarterback. Head coach Bill Cowher thought that Maddox and the passing offense was going to be the new formula in Pittsburgh, so why was there a need to keep Stewart?

It is very difficult to contain Stewart in the pocket, whereas Maddox is a pocket passer and a sitting duck. Therefore, when the pocket collapses, defenses know where they will find Maddox.

In actuality, Cowher made two errors – he also got away from traditional Steelers football. Pittsburgh is traditionally known as a football team that plays smash-mouth football. Over the years, it has been able to run the ball effectively and play tough defense.

Cowher apparently wanted to change this philosophy when he benched running back Jerome Bettis in favor of Amos Zereoue. In essence, he put his faith in two unproven, back-up players that probably are destined to be career back-ups.

Thinking Zereoue could be a potential feature running back in the National Football League was not a foolish thought, seeing as how Zereoue has shown flashes of being able to accept that responsibility in the past. The mistake was naming him the outright starter when Bettis obviously had more left in his tank.

The foolish decision was thinking that Maddox was ready to lead the Steelers to the Promised Land. He came out of UCLA early and was drafted by the Denver Broncos in 1992. Maddox was supposed to succeed John Elway, but that did not pan out.

He bounced around the league for several years and also was out of football from 1996 through the 2000 season; somewhere during this time period, he was selling insurance. All of the sudden, Maddox figured out how to play quarterback successfully in 2002. Come on, Cowher – did you really think that, after 10 years, the light finally clicked on for Maddox?

Not likely. Maddox has had games where he has looked decent, but for the most part, he has thrown a lot of interceptions and a considerable number of errant passes. Maddox has thrown 14 touchdowns, compared to 13 interceptions, this season while completing a little better than 58 percent of his passes.

He has two talented receivers (makes me sick to my stomach to admit it), but is still having trouble. I guess his cereal, Tommy Gun Flakes, will be coming off the shelves soon. Wait a minute – nobody who I have talked to seems to remember Stewart ever having a cereal, and he had several decent years for the Steelers, but I won’t go into what that’s about.

Hopefully for the sake of Steelers fans, Cowher will be a little bit more intelligent next season in choosing the identity of his team. He does not have the personnel to run the offense that he started with this season, and by the time that he realized that, it was too late.

I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so. Maddox is a one-hit wonder, and I predicted that Stewart’s departure would spell the demise of the Steelers. Now the Cincinnati Bungles – I mean Bengals – have a legitimate shot at winning the AFC North title – I’m having trouble keeping my lunch down again.