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08:05 AM ET 09.07 | Big Josh doesn't have quite the ring to it that Big Ben has, but the former is gaining a suitable reputation. According to Lions defensive end Cliff Avril, Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman is every bit as difficult to tackle as his behemoth counterpart in Pittsburgh, Ben Roethlisberger. Freeman checks in at 6-feet-6 and 248 pounds. Roethlisberger is 6-5, 241. Both are big, mobile, tackle-shedding, playmaking machines. "Shoot," Avril said, "they might be the only two that are real good at just being able to stand in the pocket, have people on them and still be able to complete the play."

Ben Roethlisberger, Getty Images

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September 7, 2011 08:14 AM ET

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And this is news why?

B.R.

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September 7, 2011 08:20 AM ET

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STEELER DAY ...NICCCEEEEEEEEEEEE

bizballer

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September 7, 2011 08:27 AM ET

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Without a doubt he is....

Possibly the hardest to bring down EVER.

Robataille

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September 7, 2011 08:27 AM ET

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QUOTE(#5):

Originally posted 08:27 AM ET 09.07 by Robataille

Without a doubt he is....Possibly the hardest to bring down EVER.

...said the legal teams of several rape victims.

Glenlivet18

Washington, DC

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September 7, 2011 08:28 AM ET

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QUOTE(#5):

Originally posted 08:27 AM ET 09.07 by Robataille

Without a doubt he is....Possibly the hardest to bring down EVER.

not really a distinction you'd like for your QB....means LB's have had way too much access

bizballer

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September 7, 2011 08:29 AM ET

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QUOTE(#6):

Originally posted 08:27 AM ET 09.07 by Glenlivet18

...said the legal teams of several rape victims.

I'll let you worry about what he does at the house.

Robataille

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September 7, 2011 08:30 AM ET

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QUOTE(#7):

Originally posted 08:28 AM ET 09.07 by bizballer

not really a distinction you'd like for your QB....means LB's have had way too much access

I don't think so... With all the glass house QB's over the years, and whining type, it's good to see one take a hit, and still get the ball off. Corner back blitzes are nothing to him.

Robataille

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September 7, 2011 08:33 AM ET

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QUOTE(#9):

Originally posted 08:30 AM ET 09.07 by Robataille

I don't think so... With all the glass house QB's over the years, and whining type, it's good to see one take a hit, and still get the ball off. Corner back blitzes are nothing to him.

i've lost so much hair watching him scramble... looking forward to sunday....

bizballer

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September 7, 2011 08:41 AM ET

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And Vick's name appears no where in this article? Interesting.

B.R.

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September 7, 2011 08:49 AM ET

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QUOTE(#11):

Originally posted 08:41 AM ET 09.07 by B.R.

And Vick's name appears no where in this article? Interesting.

Slippery, yes, but once he's in the grasp Andy Reid puts his hands up and say "I can't look!" like a middle-school girl.

I could argue the same about Tom Brady. Protected by a herd of zebras, he is. And that's from a Pats fan.

Debbie Does

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September 7, 2011 09:03 AM ET

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QUOTE(#10):

Originally posted 08:33 AM ET 09.07 by bizballer

i've lost so much hair watching him scramble... looking forward to sunday....

Hell - I'm looking forward to tomorrow night.

Had opening weekend of high school football two weeks ago (grandson's team is 0-2) had a great weekend of football and now am ready for...

NFofL!!!

Otis B. Driftwood

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September 7, 2011 09:03 AM ET

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QUOTE(#14):

Originally posted 08:59 AM ET 09.07 by JackStraw~

The perception among most Steelers fans is that Roethlisberger gets hit harder and more often than most any other QB. Is that an aberration? Too homer of a view? Or is there any validity to this.

I think it's probably true. His style of play involves moving out of the pocket and throwing on the run, and sometimes pulling it down and running if nothing is there. In the same situation, the prudent thing to do is throw the ball away, but Roethlisberger does try to make something out of plays thed don't develop the way they did on the white board.

Debbie Does

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September 7, 2011 09:05 AM ET

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The hardest QB to tackle is .... Matt Leinart. He's protected by that clipboard, which he uses to never get in the game, making him impossible to tackle.

Debbie Does

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September 7, 2011 09:13 AM ET

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he's only hard to bring down due to the rules for DEs about hitting the QB. If there were so many rules/penalities/fines (eg. cant hit the QB above shoulders, below waste, etc) defenses would drop him easily. Now with the sudo-two hand touch on QB's, DE's dont want to get to physical wrestling the bigger QBs to the ground in fear of being fined/villified.

mulzi

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September 7, 2011 09:14 AM ET

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I guess I'd vote for Big Ben if we are restricted to current active QB's, otherwise, I would go with the King Of Scramble, Fran Tarkenton.

EHam

Saint Paul , MN

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September 7, 2011 09:15 AM ET

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Jay Cutler?

.ChiSoxFan.

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September 7, 2011 09:36 AM ET

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QUOTE(#15):

Originally posted 09:03 AM ET 09.07 by Otis B. Driftwood

Hell - I'm looking forward to tomorrow night. Had opening weekend of high school football two weeks ago (grandson's team is 0-2) had a great weekend of football and now am ready for... NFofL!!!

i'm glad that fall's here... if only this damn hurricane moves out the way