@StumpTownStu
Yes. As I mentioned, Big Ben was getting the ball and getting it out. He used to hold the ball a little long and try to extend the play to make something happen.
But like one article pointed out, he did not have to do this because the pass blacking was shaky — he was just doing it. He averaged a pocket time of 2.1 seconds.
For comparison, Rodgers 2.2, Brady Burrow Mahomes 2.3.
So, even though Ben was getting rid of the ball quick, the other QBs that were getting rid of it quick did not have as good a pass blocking line that the Steelers did, except maybe the Bucs.
But Ben has been doing this pretty much for the last few years — not just last year. So, it was not out of necessity. I think once he said RPOs were the reason. Maybe there is some truth to that because the line is run blocking and you are forced to get rid of the ball quicker.
But it was not because he was under pressure from a lack of pass blocking.
There was not really any difference in his checkdowns or defense-reading this year — compared to the last couple of years.
Basically, the Steelers had the 2nd best pass blocking line. Top 5 for sure.
As much as I like Big Ben, the Steelers were winning despite him because he had deteriorated so much.
The blocking% will look at missed assignments, which Steelers didn’t have very many. So, he wasn’t getting rid of the ball because of a blown assignment. They will also look at how long you had to hold the block. They will try not to penalize you if, say your QB is holding the ball for 2.8 seconds and everyone else is around 2.4 seconds.
The speculation is that Ben still had a bad/sore shoulder, etc. But his IAY/PA was 6.7 yds — 2nd lowest in the league.
So, you are absolutely right that he was throwing the ball shorter. 
But that also was, apparently, by his design or choice — sore shoulder, necessity because of more run/pass option setups.
For example, off the top of my head — so may be off on this — espn? Has a ranking for pass/run/total blocking %. And in that one Steelers are very near the bottom if I remember. But theirs is logged as a blank time amount 2.5? held. So without digging into whether they take into account a shorter passing game like Ben was running now as opposed to an Arians or White-type offense, I do not put much stock in that one.
Being good at initial assignment blocks, fewer sack %, fewer holding calls, etc. — tends to show that their line was not the problem.
The problem was a deteriorating Big Ben.
Your point is very valid that he may have been a savvy, wily veteran that make the reads quicker and dumped the ball off more often.
But that would not explain why the line did as well with Rudolph, who for sure is not a wily, savvy veteran.
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