Tweet
With no-huddle, Steelers make it snappy
By F. Dale Lolley, Staff writer
[email="dlolley@observer-reporter.com"]dlolley@observer-reporter.com[/email]
[url="http://www.observer-reporter.com/OR/Story/9-14-Steelers-no-huddle"]http://www.observer-reporter.com/OR/Sto ... -no-huddle[/url]
PITTSBURGH - With its running game stalled again Thursday, the Steelers spent a good portion of their season-opening 13-10 overtime win against Tennessee moving in reverse.
When the running game struggled - something that has occurred with regularity in recent seasons - the Steelers were forced to improvise.
Pittsburgh eventually settled on a three-receiver, one- running back, one-tight end set. From this no-huddle attack they were finally able to move the football.
The Steelers were also resourceful in stumbling upon a three-receivers, one-back, one-tight end set coupled with a no-huddle approach that produced results when the Steelers absolutely had to have them.
"It saved us," offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said. "That package gives us an ability to stretch the whole field."
The Steelers used the no-huddle on five possessions, gaining 270 yards and scoring all 13 of their points. Their other eight possessions netted 87 yards and no points.
Could the Steelers finally become a no-huddle team, using wide receivers Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes and rookie Mike Wallace or Limas Sweed in combination with tight end Heath Miller and running back Mewelde Moore?
"We have so many plays in the no-huddle it's not necessarily something teams could pick up on," quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said.
It's certainly something that seems to be the team's go-to package. After winning the coin toss in overtime, the Steelers came out in their no-huddle offense, quickly driving for Jeff Reed's game-winning field goal.
"I thought we had them a little tired from that last drive, and I knew they'd gas pretty quickly. They started all-out blitzing because they couldn't get there with four," Arians said. "We picked those up and we made plays that we didn't make earlier in the game. I was really pleased with that."
Arians likes what Roethlisberger does with the no-huddle offense. The Steelers work on the no-huddle daily and Arians and Roethlisberger talk about what parts of it they'd like to run against a particular opponent.
"It's more of a walk through. We practice five plays on Friday, but we walk through them Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Arians said. "We have about 100 plays out of the no-huddle that he (Roethlisberger) can use. He does a good job of mixing it up."
The Steelers will still try run the ball rather than become a straight no-huddle team.
"I'd still like to try to run it a little bit," Arians said. "I'm hard-headed."
Still, the Steelers know that with the game on the line, they have the ability to go to their quick-strike offense.
"We just have to get a feel, get whatever we can get early in the game," Holmes said. "If it's not working for us we'll just go to our bread and butter, and (the no-huddle) seems to be our bread and butter right now and we're going to stick with it until they stop us."
By F. Dale Lolley, Staff writer
[email="dlolley@observer-reporter.com"]dlolley@observer-reporter.com[/email]
[url="http://www.observer-reporter.com/OR/Story/9-14-Steelers-no-huddle"]http://www.observer-reporter.com/OR/Sto ... -no-huddle[/url]
PITTSBURGH - With its running game stalled again Thursday, the Steelers spent a good portion of their season-opening 13-10 overtime win against Tennessee moving in reverse.
When the running game struggled - something that has occurred with regularity in recent seasons - the Steelers were forced to improvise.
Pittsburgh eventually settled on a three-receiver, one- running back, one-tight end set. From this no-huddle attack they were finally able to move the football.
The Steelers were also resourceful in stumbling upon a three-receivers, one-back, one-tight end set coupled with a no-huddle approach that produced results when the Steelers absolutely had to have them.
"It saved us," offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said. "That package gives us an ability to stretch the whole field."
The Steelers used the no-huddle on five possessions, gaining 270 yards and scoring all 13 of their points. Their other eight possessions netted 87 yards and no points.
Could the Steelers finally become a no-huddle team, using wide receivers Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes and rookie Mike Wallace or Limas Sweed in combination with tight end Heath Miller and running back Mewelde Moore?
"We have so many plays in the no-huddle it's not necessarily something teams could pick up on," quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said.
It's certainly something that seems to be the team's go-to package. After winning the coin toss in overtime, the Steelers came out in their no-huddle offense, quickly driving for Jeff Reed's game-winning field goal.
"I thought we had them a little tired from that last drive, and I knew they'd gas pretty quickly. They started all-out blitzing because they couldn't get there with four," Arians said. "We picked those up and we made plays that we didn't make earlier in the game. I was really pleased with that."
Arians likes what Roethlisberger does with the no-huddle offense. The Steelers work on the no-huddle daily and Arians and Roethlisberger talk about what parts of it they'd like to run against a particular opponent.
"It's more of a walk through. We practice five plays on Friday, but we walk through them Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Arians said. "We have about 100 plays out of the no-huddle that he (Roethlisberger) can use. He does a good job of mixing it up."
The Steelers will still try run the ball rather than become a straight no-huddle team.
"I'd still like to try to run it a little bit," Arians said. "I'm hard-headed."
Still, the Steelers know that with the game on the line, they have the ability to go to their quick-strike offense.
"We just have to get a feel, get whatever we can get early in the game," Holmes said. "If it's not working for us we'll just go to our bread and butter, and (the no-huddle) seems to be our bread and butter right now and we're going to stick with it until they stop us."
Comment