Steelers: great QB vs. great receivers

Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Does this mean that the receiver is only as good as his quarterback? Partially. I would say that a receiver’s production is contingent on the proficiency of his quarterback. This was evident in the cases of Holmes and Wallace. The conclusion can also be drawn from Sanders’ situation. Antonio Brown also exhibited the relationship earlier this year.

Brown will likely go down as one of the greatest draft picks in Steelers’ history. He is already rewriting the Steelers’ receiving record books and remains in the prime of his career. Should Brown’s dominance continue and perhaps be accompanied by a championship, his legacy will be cemented.

However, Brown’s prolific nature hit a speed bump earlier this year. When Roethlisberger was out with a knee injury for the month of October, Brown’s production took a serious hit.

The receiver’s ludicrous streak of games with five or more receptions (by far the best in history) came to a screeching halt, and he was all but an after thought in the offense. He could run great routes and get open, but the production just wasn’t there.

Brown did have some success when Landry Jones came into the lineup to replace the injured Michael Vick, but still not the same as with Roethlisberger. In the two games since Roethlisberger’s return, Brown exploded and leapfrogged several receivers on the receptions, yards, and scoring leader boards after weeks of poor production.

Next: It's a balance