You probably don’t care how I feel. I might be the one writing this but we’re all still just fans. But if it is worth anything to you, though I felt that pit in my stomach after seeing Ben Roethlisberger again injured, I didn’t panic nearly as much as before.
Because we’ve been here before. And Landry Jones has provided a sense of comfort for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jones finished 4 of 6 for 79 yards in relief of Roethlisberger yesterday, including hitting Antonio Brown on a 57 yard completion that led to the game-winning field goal.
For all the warts he showed in practices and past training camps, some guys just “get it” in-game. That’s reflected in his demeanor. A serious player, but a happy-go-lucky attitude that provides a calming effect for himself and his teammates.
Something Mike Mitchell told the media after the game stuck out to me most.
“He makes checks with (Brown). You’re not making that check unless you’re feeling pretty confident you’re going to execute it,” he told Will Graves of the Associated Press.
We highlighted one of those checks in his first appearance of the year against the Arizona Cardinals, the back shoulder fade he threw to Brown. I’m sure we’ll find additional examples from his action Sunday versus the Oakland Raiders as we comb through the tape.
Jones was far from perfect in his lone start against the Kansas City Chiefs but the best asset he brings is a calm demeanor and a comfort in this offense that expands the playbook. Against a struggling Cleveland Browns unit, that might be enough.
For the year, Jones is completing 59.6% of his passes for 456 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.
