May 5, 2018 5 min read

The Penguins should have started Game 5 on the power play.

T.J. Oshie of the Washington Capitals took a run at Penguins defenseman Kris Letang in the last minute of Game 4 Thursday night. He went airborne a few feet before making contact with Letang and was every bit as guilty of a penalty and an intent to injure as Capitals forward Tom Wilson, who was suspended for three games for an illegal hit to the head of Zach Aston-Reese in Game 3.

Letang and Oshie each got five minutes for fighting at 19:02 of the third period. All that did was prevent the penalty box attendant from getting out early and beating the traffic.

If the NHL really wanted to cut down on this stupidity and reduce injuries – which everybody knows it doesn’t – it would introduce a rule for the playoffs that would carry over from one game to the next.

Suppose, in a lopsided playoff game, the referee had the authority to inform both benches that he was declaring the carry over rule was now in effect. From that moment, any action he determined was an intent to injure – also known in hockey as “sending a message” – would result in a penalty that would be served at the beginning of the next game.

Oshie would have been called for charging and served a five minute major to start Game 5. If the rule had been in effect, there is no way Oshie would have risked giving the Penguins a five minute power play to start the next game.

Let’s say Tom Wilson comes back for a Game 7 and a big lead for the Capitals, with a few minutes left, puts him in the mood to take another head shot. He gets a major penalty that he would have to serve at the beginning of Game 1 in the Capitals next series.

Simple rule.

Simple solution.

Never going to happen.

That’s the NHL.

• You read it here first: Ben Roethlisberger will not be the Steelers’ starting quarterback in 2021. Maybe you heard what Roethlisberger said on 93.7 The Fan on Friday about the Steelers drafting a quarterback, Mason Rudolph, in the third round: ” I was surprised when they took a quarterback, because I thought that maybe in the third-round, you know, you can get some really good football players that can help this team now. And nothing against Mason. I think he’s a great football player. I don’t know him personally, but I’m sure he’s a great kid.

“I just don’t know how backing up or being the third guy – who knows where he’s going to fall on the depth chart – helps us win now. But, that’s not my decision to make. That’s on the coaches and the GM and owner, and those kinds of things. So, if they feel like he can help our team, so be it, but I was a little surprised.”

He’s surprised because he told the Steelers not too long ago that he thinks he can play three to five more years. Three would take him through the 2020 season. He’ll be 38 just after that season ends in March of 2021.

That’s no longer ancient for an NFL quarterback but it’s also an age when quarterbacks shouldn’t be counted on to play 16 games and it’s probably a good idea to have, you know, a pretty good backup.

Dan Marino didn’t play past 38. Peyton Manning won a Super Bowl at 39 but only started nine games that season for the Broncos, who had one of the best defenses in NFL history. It gave up one touchdown pass in the playoffs.

OK, I know. Tom Brady.

He played in the Super Bowl last year at age 40. Ben Roethlisberger is not Tom Brady. He’s every bit as good as a quarterback. Maybe better. But Google, “Ben Roethlisberger diet,” and see what comes up. You’ll find some stories about how he’s slimmed down from a few years ago, lost 15 pounds, blah, blah, blah.

Google, “Tom Brady diet,” and you’ll get Tom Brady’s diet book. And you’ll also find “TB12 Performance Meals.”

Does Roethlisberger look like a guy who would write a book about his diet? Have you seen BR7 Performance Meals anywhere?

So, let’s not use Brady as a standard to expect Roethlisberger to reach or maintain. No one is suggesting that Roethlisberger can’t be a top 10 quarterback for another two or three years. The Steelers certainly weren’t when they took Rudolph in the third round. They have said they considered him worthy of a first round pick and felt they couldn’t pass him up.

Brett Favre played until he was 41 but should have quit when he was 40, if not 39. Realistically, Roethlisberger has two or three good years left. The Steelers picked Rudolph because of Roethlisberger’s backups as much as his age. Maybe they think Josh Dobbs and Landry Jones are OK as backups but don’t think they can ever become elite NFL quarterbacks.

If they truly believe that Rudolph was good enough to go in the first round, then they believe he can.

They also know they mighty need him to become one as soon as Halloween.

You know, the way Roethlisberger did when he came in to be the third string quarterback behind Tommy Maddox and Charlie Batch back in 2004. Back when the head coach didn’t want to take a quarterback in the first round because he, “Wanted to win now.” The boss, Dan Rooney, said, “Take a quarterback.”

They won 15 in a row.