If the biggest problem a team seems to have is that the backup quarterback isn't very good, that team is a pretty good team.
And that is why Landry Jones throwing four interceptions in the first half Thursday night is not really all that relevant.
I know there are some people who seem to be all up in arms, saying the Steelers need to get a better backup quarterback because Jones hasn't been very good for most of his time here. He was especially bad Thursday night, and maybe the Steelers could look around for another veteran to add since it seems like Bruce Gradkowski won't be healthy any time soon.
But c'mon, man, the big picture is this: If Ben Roethlisberger is healthy, the backup quarterback isn't relevant, even a little bit. And if Roethlisberger isn't healthy, the Steelers are a borderline playoff team, anyway.
And frankly, how much better of a quarterback are the Steelers likely to find, especially this late in camp?
Jones knows the offense, he knows the Steelers personnel and he is as good as anyone else at doing his primary job _ holding a clipboard and relaying plays to Roethlisberger. I know we are supposed to overreact to everything that happens in preseason games but I'm sorry, I can't muster a lot of emotion one way or the other about Jones and the Steelers' backup situation.
Again, it wouldn't hurt to go find another veteran who has played and won games in the NFL and bring him in to add to the competition. But if the Steelers decide to stand pat and go into the season with Jones as the primary backup, I'm OK with it.
The good news is, since backup quarterback is the position that most people seemed to be angry about after Thursday's game, it means that the Steelers were pretty good in other key areas.
The defense gave up only 10 points, which is saying something considering the Steelers did cough it up for times. The secondary gave up some chunk plays and some third downs, but I thought for the most part that unit played well.
Sammie Coates had a nice bounce back game and made some plays, though at least one of Jones' interceptions was Coates' fault, according to Mike Tomlin and Coates himself.
In other words, if the worst thing you can say about the Steelers is that their backup quarterback isn't good enough, my response to you is let's get the season started now because this team is ready to roll.
I mean, think about it _ in many years there have been offensive line issues, a shortage of quality defensive linemen or bad secondary play. Those are issues that should raise concerns because they often are the difference between being a playoff team and being 8-8 or worse.
This, the backup quarterback, is not.
If Roethlisberger is hurt and out for a couple of weeks, Jones has already proven he can help the Steelers win games.
And if Roethlisberger is hurt and out for a long stretch or the season, whether it is Jones, Mike Vick, Jimmy Garoppolo, Gradkowski or any other journeyman taking snaps and finishing the season, it doesn't make a difference. The Steelers aren't going anywhere, even if they sneak in the playoffs.
In short, what we have learned in these last two weeks is that the Steelers have a Hall of Fame quarterback, and when he plays they are a Super Bowl contender _ and when he doesn't, they are a lot less fun to watch.
But we already knew that, so it doesn't matter who the backup quarterback is because the Steelers will only go as far as Roethlisberger can take them.
