Ben Roethlisberger and 4 NFL Players Who Can Make Something out of Nothing

Rarely in the NFL do things go just as you drew it up. That is why guys like Ben Roethlisberger are so effective when they improvise and make plays in the middle of a mess. Ben has made a living playing a "playground" style of football, directing receivers on the fly with little structure. 

Not every player has this ability, and it really cannot be taught. For some guys, when things break down, that is when they are at their most dangerous. When you have a player than can play the game outside the realm of what football is "supposed" to be like, you also get you opponents out of their comfort zone and force them to do things they are not used to doing. 

Let's take a look at other players who always seem to be able to make something out of nothing. 

Michael Vick

It seems like, every week, Michael Vick does something on the football field that just makes your jaw drop. He has an inane ability to avoid tacklers and has deceptive speed for someone at the position. 

What makes Vick so dangerous is that, when he scrambles, he either takes off for a huge gain or, if you are too aggressive, he can launch the ball 60 yards down field with the flick of his wrist. 

Calvin Johnson

This is a bit of a new definition of "making something out of nothing," but how many times this season has Calvin Johnson come down with a seemingly uncatchable ball, no matter how many guys are on him?

If the ball is even close to Calvin, you know he is probably going to come down with it. 

LeSean McCoy

McCoy is probably the most elusive back in football. His line is not very good, especially in run blocking, so his ability to make people miss is extremely valuable to the Eagles. There could be a huge mass of people in front of McCoy, but somehow, he always finds a way got gain yards. 

Santonio Holmes

Holmes' greatest attribute is his ability to turn a stick route into a 60-yard touchdown. He has great speed and is very elusive after the catch. Last year, he helped beat the Cleveland Browns by taking a normal 10 yard route and split two defenders to score and win in overtime. 

It is Holmes' game-breaking ability that got him the monster contract from the Jets, rather than Braylon Edwards.