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By Mark Kaboly
Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015, 9:33 p.m.
Nothing changes.
That was offensive coordinator Todd Haley's message heading into Sunday's game against the NFC West-leading Arizona Cardinals at Heinz Field.
Not with what he expects out of fill-in quarterback Mike Vick.
Not with how he has been calling games with Vick under center.
And especially not trying to force the ball to receiver Antonio Brown.
The plan remains the same.
A day after Brown asked Vick to “trust him” and throw him the ball more, Haley didn't want to hear about a receiver requesting more passes thrown his way, especially after a win.
“Last week, did he get the ball enough?” Haley said of Brown. “Yep. We won, so that's all that's important right now.”
The Steelers' once-potent offense has sputtered since Ben Roethlisberger went down with a knee injury nine quarters ago and Vick took over:
• The offense fell from fifth to 13th in the NFL.
• The passing game dipped from third to 19th.
• In 32 drives, Vick has led the offense to more than two first downs only four times.
• Ten times they have gone three-and-out.
• The offense has scored only 40 points.
While the numbers aren't pretty, Vick is a 41- or a 49-yard Josh Scobee field goal against the Ravens from being 2-0 as a starter.
That's all Haley cares about.
“Mike has done a tremendous job putting us in position to have a chance to win two games,” Haley said. “This week, it will be no different (in the approach). It will be about trying to get a win with a quarterback that hasn't been here a whole lot of time and has to continue to do the things he is doing, which is protecting the football, first and foremost.”
Vick hasn't put up big numbers — 37 of 58 for 365 yards, two touchdowns — but he hasn't turned over the ball much, either.
He has thrown two interceptions — one was a Hail Mary at the end of the first half against the Chargers. But he has come close to throwing others, especially against the Chargers.
Haley's chief concern with Vick is not putting him in a position to turn over the ball. If that means punting (the Steelers have punted 17 times since Vick entered the lineup at the end of the third quarter against the Rams), then so be it.
That's even more important against the Cardinals, who have forced 13 turnovers in five games.
So Haley wants Vick not to lose the game rather than go out and win it?
“I would not say, don't lose the game,” Haley said. “He needs to continue to grow in what we are trying to get done with the tools we have. With him, it is about him staying on course of where the ball is supposed to go within each defense that's shown to him.
“You get outside of that box, and that spells trouble. That's in no way playing conservative and not to lose. We are throwing the football. He just has to throw it where it is supposed to go.”
Which brings it back to Brown.
While it would be nice to force the ball to one of the most dynamic receivers in the league, Haley refuses to approach it that way.
“Mike has to continue progressing at his comfort level of things we are trying to get done,” Haley said. “If you start worrying about other things than the read you are supposed to make, mistakes will occur.”
So nothing changes three weeks into Vick's playing time, especially not forcing the ball to Brown.
“This week we aren't going to put an emphasis on it,” Vick said. “We are going to let it happen naturally and go out there and play to win, and that's the most important thing.”
[URL]http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/9271120-74/vick-haley-ball#ixzz3ojfKp0DV[/URL]
Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015, 9:33 p.m.
Nothing changes.
That was offensive coordinator Todd Haley's message heading into Sunday's game against the NFC West-leading Arizona Cardinals at Heinz Field.
Not with what he expects out of fill-in quarterback Mike Vick.
Not with how he has been calling games with Vick under center.
And especially not trying to force the ball to receiver Antonio Brown.
The plan remains the same.
A day after Brown asked Vick to “trust him” and throw him the ball more, Haley didn't want to hear about a receiver requesting more passes thrown his way, especially after a win.
“Last week, did he get the ball enough?” Haley said of Brown. “Yep. We won, so that's all that's important right now.”
The Steelers' once-potent offense has sputtered since Ben Roethlisberger went down with a knee injury nine quarters ago and Vick took over:
• The offense fell from fifth to 13th in the NFL.
• The passing game dipped from third to 19th.
• In 32 drives, Vick has led the offense to more than two first downs only four times.
• Ten times they have gone three-and-out.
• The offense has scored only 40 points.
While the numbers aren't pretty, Vick is a 41- or a 49-yard Josh Scobee field goal against the Ravens from being 2-0 as a starter.
That's all Haley cares about.
“Mike has done a tremendous job putting us in position to have a chance to win two games,” Haley said. “This week, it will be no different (in the approach). It will be about trying to get a win with a quarterback that hasn't been here a whole lot of time and has to continue to do the things he is doing, which is protecting the football, first and foremost.”
Vick hasn't put up big numbers — 37 of 58 for 365 yards, two touchdowns — but he hasn't turned over the ball much, either.
He has thrown two interceptions — one was a Hail Mary at the end of the first half against the Chargers. But he has come close to throwing others, especially against the Chargers.
Haley's chief concern with Vick is not putting him in a position to turn over the ball. If that means punting (the Steelers have punted 17 times since Vick entered the lineup at the end of the third quarter against the Rams), then so be it.
That's even more important against the Cardinals, who have forced 13 turnovers in five games.
So Haley wants Vick not to lose the game rather than go out and win it?
“I would not say, don't lose the game,” Haley said. “He needs to continue to grow in what we are trying to get done with the tools we have. With him, it is about him staying on course of where the ball is supposed to go within each defense that's shown to him.
“You get outside of that box, and that spells trouble. That's in no way playing conservative and not to lose. We are throwing the football. He just has to throw it where it is supposed to go.”
Which brings it back to Brown.
While it would be nice to force the ball to one of the most dynamic receivers in the league, Haley refuses to approach it that way.
“Mike has to continue progressing at his comfort level of things we are trying to get done,” Haley said. “If you start worrying about other things than the read you are supposed to make, mistakes will occur.”
So nothing changes three weeks into Vick's playing time, especially not forcing the ball to Brown.
“This week we aren't going to put an emphasis on it,” Vick said. “We are going to let it happen naturally and go out there and play to win, and that's the most important thing.”
[URL]http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/9271120-74/vick-haley-ball#ixzz3ojfKp0DV[/URL]
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