First of all, I have to say that from my first two regular season viewings on John Beck, I truly hope the Dolphins trade down in the 2008 draft and avoid getting a QB at all costs. Beck didn’t have a terrible game against Philly, and he was able to improve immensely in the week leading up to the Pittsburgh game.

Knowing nothing about the two QBs playing in Miami-Pittsburgh game, I’m taking John Beck. Big Ben had field position all night, made lots of mistakes that could’ve lead to more than his one turnover, and has Hines Ward (’nuff said). Beck was starting deep in Miami territory all night, made no detrimental mistakes, and has no wide receivers.

I was absolutely shocked by how poised Beck was in such awful field conditions and against a solid Pittsburgh defense. On more than one occasion, you’d see him step back, slip on the mud, regain posture and stick the ball in there to an unopen man. For a rookie, this is incredible. You have guys like Eli Manning in the league who would’ve shat a brick after his slippage and ended up like a pretzel on the ground. Another play that sticks out in my mind was (you’ll have to forgive me for not remembering the exact scenario) when Beck checked off on three guys, pulled the ball in and ran up the middle for the first down. Your typical rookie doesn’t have the ability to check off from the first receiver, and even if he does somehow manage to, he will try to force a ball in somewhere and throw a pick. It also didn’t help Beck’s cause that he had multiple dropped passes once again, especially on third and longs that would’ve given Miami first downs by Booker and Ginn. After a game in which not one other person on offense tried making a play to win a game, I can say that I am extremely happy with Beck’s play.

Oh, and wouldn’t it be great if all teams in the NFL were Joey Porter’s ex-teams, so that he could show up motivated like he was on Monday night all the time?