2012 Could be a Bumpy Ride for the Steelers

**TL24x7** · 06-22-2012, 09:36 AM

Why did Mike Tomlin hire offensive coordinator Todd Haley?

Haley is a disciple of Bill Walsh’s West Coast offense. He requires his quarterbacks to be precise in their drops, get the ball out quickly and make accurate throws to receivers sifting through heavy traffic. Think Kurt Warner!

This doesn’t play to Roethlisberger’s strengths and opponents will be all too happy to see Ben stay in the pocket and get the ball out of his hands. And if the new approach isn’t successful you have to wonder if Roethlisberger will push back and revert to his comfort zone. And that place called Heinz Field could be ready to blow?

LINK

**GOTA** · 06-22-2012, 09:59 AM

I'm not sure how married Haley is to the West Coast offense. He's really a Parcells guy and will changes his system to suit his talent. He certainly wasn't running the WCO in Dallas with Tony Romo at QB. He also didn't use it with Warner in Arizona. However as a WR coach with the Bears and the Jets he was part of systems that did use the WCO.

Just like Parcells and Belechik, Haley is going to adapt his system to his talent. Just based on what the Steelers have talked about with how they are going to use their running game this year you can see that it won't be a West Coast offense system.

**JAB1985** · 06-22-2012, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by GOTA

I'm not sure how married Haley is to the West Coast offense. He's really a Parcells guy and will changes his system to suit his talent. He certainly wasn't running the WCO in Dallas with Tony Romo at QB. He also didn't use it with Warner in Arizona. However as a WR coach with the Bears and the Jets he was part of systems that did use the WCO.

Just like Parcells and Belechik, Haley is going to adapt his system to his talent. Just based on what the Steelers have talked about with how they are going to use their running game this year you can see that it won't be a West Coast offense system.

Id agree with that, the friction with Roethlisberger is interesting though. Haley is kind of known as a dick and somewhat hard to work with. Hes apparently always worked with QBs with high accuracy, kind of interesting. I wouldnt say Roethlisberger is an exceptionally accurate QB amongst his other strengths.

**wickedsolo** · 06-22-2012, 10:40 AM

I think the biggest issue is that Roethlisberger and Haley just don't seem to be on the same page.

Roethlisberger is obviously miffed about them letting Arians go and there have been a few articles/reporters talking about how they're just not doing that well figuring each other out.

Haley is an egotistical, asshole, crybaby control freak.

Roethlisberger is an egotistical, asshole, crybaby who likes to free lance and do his own thing out on the field.

Good luck.

**GOTA** · 06-22-2012, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by JAB1985

Id agree with that, the friction with Roethlisberger is interesting though. Haley is kind of known as a dick and somewhat hard to work with. Hes apparently always worked with QBs with high accuracy, kind of interesting. I wouldnt say Roethlisberger is an exceptionally accurate QB amongst his other strengths.

Ben's career completion percentage is 63.1% That's pretty accurate. Romo is about a percent higher and Warner was 2% higher. Flacco by comparison is 60.8%.

The personality issue in my opinion is the big hurdle. Haley really is a complete dick. He might even be the dickiest coach in the NFL. Players don't run through walls for Todd Haley. He seems to go out of his way to piss people off. Ben with his drama queen crap is not going to have an easy time with Haley.

**Ravenswintitle** · 06-22-2012, 10:57 AM

Keep in mind the market for OC's was very thin last year. The man upstairs wanted Arians gone, and was probably a year late in that decision, so they had to hire someone...

will be interesting to watch

**GOTA** · 06-22-2012, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by Ravenswintitle

Keep in mind the market for OC's was very thin last year. The man upstairs wanted Arians gone, and was probably a year late in that decision, so they had to hire someone...

will be interesting to watch

Why not go with a position coach? They didn't have to get an existing OC. Their head coach was only a coordinator for 1 season and he's got them to 2 Super Bowls and they won 1. Nothing was stopping them from finding an offensive position coach either from their team or someone elses.

**JAB1985** · 06-22-2012, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by GOTA

Ben's career completion percentage is 63.1% That's pretty accurate. Romo is about a percent higher and Warner was 2% higher. Flacco by comparison is 60.8%.

The personality issue in my opinion is the big hurdle. Haley really is a complete dick. He might even be the dickiest coach in the NFL. Players don't run through walls for Todd Haley. He seems to go out of his way to piss people off. Ben with his drama queen crap is not going to have an easy time with Haley.

Take away lasts years season and Flacco is closer to 63% (61.9%) as well. we can debate that completion percentage doesnt necessarily prove the ball wasnt placed where it had to be, or just because the guy caught it doesnt mean it was accurately thrown. watching their games i wouldnt say Ben is at good at putting the ball where it needs to be all the time, certainly has had plays where he has but isnt as consistent as the others, even Flacco.

I agree with you that he certainly is one of hardest coaches to work for. Not wanting to play hard for a coach is a big part of what separates teams in a tight NFL. add to it their #1 WR isnt even there learning the new offense and you got some serious dysfunction.

**ballhawk** · 06-22-2012, 12:04 PM

I dont buy it. Every offseason there is talk about how the steelers are going to have a down year. Whether is the cap, injuries, suspensions, rapes, injuries, etc...but they always right the ship and put in a competitive season.

At this point, i dont know who is going to take the north this year. But i think 10 or 11 wins might be enough to win it. No way we have a couple 12-4 teams come out of the north this year.

**Terpsfan82** · 06-22-2012, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by ballhawk

I dont buy it. Every offseason there is talk about how the steelers are going to have a down year. Whether is the cap, injuries, suspensions, rapes, injuries, etc...but they always right the ship and put in a competitive season.

At this point, i dont know who is going to take the north this year. But i think 10 or 11 wins might be enough to win it. No way we have a couple 12-4 teams come out of the north this year.

This. I'm more concerned about our offense than theirs.

**steelerhater** · 06-22-2012, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by ballhawk

I dont buy it. Every offseason there is talk about how the steelers are going to have a down year. Whether is the cap, injuries, suspensions, rapes, injuries, etc...but they always right the ship and put in a competitive season.
At this point, i dont know who is going to take the north this year. But i think 10 or 11 wins might be enough to win it. No way we have a couple 12-4 teams come out of the north this year.

Exactly! As long as they have Roethlisberger and their front 7 on defense, they will be in contention. They made it to a super bowl a few years ago with what was supposed to be the worst offensive line in the NFL. I'd love to see them implode, but it doubt it will happen anytime soon.

**Ravenswintitle** · 06-22-2012, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by GOTA

Why not go with a position coach? They didn't have to get an existing OC. Their head coach was only a coordinator for 1 season and he's got them to 2 Super Bowls and they won 1. Nothing was stopping them from finding an offensive position coach either from their team or someone elses.

something tells me it wasn't Tomlin's decision but that's just a hunch

**wickedsolo** · 06-22-2012, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by Ravenswintitle

something tells me it wasn't Tomlin's decision but that's just a hunch

It wasn't.

There were a few articles speculating that Tomlin wasn't real happy about Bruce Arians being released to begin with.

**flraven** · 06-22-2012, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

It wasn't.

There were a few articles speculating that Tomlin wasn't real happy about Bruce Arians being released to begin with.

If both Ben and Tomlin were satisfied with Arians, the decision had to come from upstairs.

Then again, I am more concerned with how the Ravens offense will shape up this year.

**Ravens44** · 06-22-2012, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by steelerhater

Exactly! As long as they have Roethlisberger and their front 7 on defense, they will be in contention. They made it to a super bowl a few years ago with what was supposed to be the worst offensive line in the NFL. I'd love to see them implode, but it doubt it will happen anytime soon.

I don't buy the talk either.
IF what they brought in to help build a better line for Ben works, I see their offense being better.
Ben's injury is healed and their defense will be right there again.
No matter what plays they call, if it breaks down, Ben will use his feet to buy more time and if his line is better, that will give him even more time to find whoever gets open.

**GOTA** · 06-22-2012, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by Ravenswintitle

something tells me it wasn't Tomlin's decision but that's just a hunch

It's possible. Haley's father was their pro personnel guy for 20 years, I think he even played for them. Haley grew up with the Steelers. He's very close with the Rooneys. I remember his dad with the Jets. He had a very good reputation as a talent evaluator.

**pslholder96** · 06-22-2012, 01:49 PM

This is being overblown. The Steelers will be the Steelers and still a force to reckon with this year. They've got an entire traing camp and preseason to get on the same page. Let's revist this at midseason instead.

**edtude** · 06-22-2012, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

I think the biggest issue is that Roethlisberger and Haley just don't seem to be on the same page.

Roethlisberger is obviously miffed about them letting Arians go and there have been a few articles/reporters talking about how they're just not doing that well figuring each other out.

Haley is an egotistical, asshole, crybaby control freak.

Roethlisberger is an egotistical, asshole, crybaby who likes to free lance and do his own thing out on the field.

Good luck.

This +1

I still have yet to grasp the concept that your D-Coordinator comes in with a lousy game plan and loses the game against Denver but yet you fire the O-Coordinator?

**Ravens44** · 06-22-2012, 02:12 PM

Originally Posted by edtude

This +1

I still have yet to grasp the concept that your D-Coordinator comes in with a lousy game plan and loses the game against Denver but yet you fire the O-Coordinator?

That's funny. Just talking to coworkers a few minutes ago about the same thing.
The Steelers scored enough points to win.
And Ben was hurt.
So the question before that game...would the Steelers shut them out?
The Steelers should just have ran their normal number one defense and adjusted IF they needed to throughout the game. 8 and 9 in the box was just stupid and not adjusting all game was even dumber. Just saying...

**Ravenswintitle** · 06-22-2012, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by Ravens44

That's funny. Just talking to coworkers a few minutes ago about the same thing.
The Steelers scored enough points to win.
And Ben was hurt.
So the question before that game...would the Steelers shut them out?
The Steelers should just have ran their normal number one defense and adjusted IF they needed to throughout the game. 8 and 9 in the box was just stupid and not adjusting all game was even dumber. Just saying...

especially since Romeo and the Chiefs had gone in there and shown the league exactly how to defend them, but they didn't use the deep safety. dumb dumb...