View topic - Arians to give up on the run completely.

[lloydgreene Profile]

In an interview this morning, Arians was asked if he felt the running game needed a major overhaul after ranking only 23rd in rushing last year.

"Not really, we have been working on pass protection. Our plans are to employ more wide receivers and utilize Ben's ability to avoid the constant rush and throw the ball 90-99% of the time. We may run it once a half to keep the other team guessing. Three yards in the air is better than two yards on the ground."

Ok, I just made that up, but it doesn't seem to me that Coach Arians is too concerned about establishing the run. Where you at, coach Tomlin? I am channeling the ghosts of Coaches Past.... can you hear me Coach Cowher? Can you hear me Coach Noll? Show yourselves to Coach Arians and the offensive line coaches...... make them hear you...... ahhhhhhhhhhh I can see a long season ahead........ Big ben misses time due to injury....... ahhhhhhhhh....... More goal line failures.......

[CanadianSteel Profile]

I'm not going to go on a page long Arians rant here. Lets just say i'm not a fan of his offence and leave it at that. Yes we won a SB with him as OC but lets be honest here, it was our D all year long.
Now while i'm all for getting back to a power run game (been pimping Tank for months) and Redman seems to be doing well, i just don't think our O line is up for it. Even with our deep RB's i don't see us improving much in the running game this year But i hope i'm wrong

[Witchblade Profile]

Our line clearly didn't have it together last night but I would expect that to get worked out in the next few weeks. We will run the ball better than last year but that ain't saying much.

[SteelCityFan Profile]

More goal line failures.......

I couldn't agree more. Of course it's only preseason and we were missing a couple of starters from the o-line but the inability to open a hole from this offensive line is atrocious. Arians play calling doesn't help the situation either. God forbid if we throw on 1st down and don't make a completion. After the incomplete pass what's Arians call? You all know, you've all seen it a million times. Run the ball up the middle. We know it, the coaching staff knows it, the other teams coaching staff knows it. He's so predictable. When you have an o-line that can't open holes playing for the most predictable O.C. in the league failure is bound to ensue. God I miss Wiz.

[Ashby Profile]

I’m not a fan or a critic of Arians to be honest. I think he’s very average at what he does. What I do think is that Ben Roethlisberger is a star in this league and putting the ball in his hands can’t be viewed in a totally negative light. I would like to see the running game open up “because” of what Ben is able to do.

[lloydgreene Profile]

I’m not a fan or a critic of Arians to be honest. I think he’s very average at what he does. What I do think is that Ben Roethlisberger is a star in this league and putting the ball in his hands can’t be viewed in a totally negative light. I would like to see the running game open up “because” of what Ben is able to do.

As it stands right now, BR7 gets sacked about once for every ten times he drops back to pass. He was sacked 46 times in 16 games last season. He suffered injury that prevented him from throwing the ball as well as he would have liked. He can only take so much before he has to sit games. I say RUN THE DAMN BALL BETTER and protect your $102 million investment. Also we allowed a lot of opponents hope in the 4th quarter last year because we could use the clock against them.

And the running game needs to open up to allow Ben to do what he is capable of... Play action passes are his best plays and they don't work if you can't run first. The running game won't open up because Ben can throw. The lack of a consistent run attack makes Ben's job harder and puts him at risk of injury.

Just my thoughts, but what do I know.

[Ashby Profile]

Well it can work either way. A productive running game obviously benefits Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The problem is we don’t have that. Just running it more isn’t going to do anything but put us in third and long even more often than we are used to. Until the offensive line is fixed or it plays to a level that allows us to capitalize on the success of a running game, our best chance is Ben Roethlisberger. And Ben playing well can very much so open up lanes in the running game that aren’t there under normal conditions.

[mckeesrockstheburg Profile]

We can open the run game if we open up the &^%& passing game. Use Wallace like Pats use Welker, little short stuff just over the line. Keeps linebackers back on their heels a bit, slows THEIR rush, and keeps some pressure off OL. It isn't rocket science. We have Miller who can just about autograph the ball as it comes to him, his hands are so good, we have Hines - always open somehow, Tone to stretch the secondary, throw in Sweed as mismatch or Wallace for underneath, now you have problems out there for any defense. Backers can't stack the box, any of our #3 receivers in slot makes life tough for a safety and the backers. Send 'em downfield and wide and opens the middle for some running room. Sounds like the Pats offense but it sure as heck works. We have every bit the weapons Brady has (if not even better). I still say Brady is average QB in any other offense. They just use their players to their strengths and they use SOME IMAGINATION ON OFFENSE. Ever see their simple TE TD plays?

Arians: "Well, we're gonna run the rock over to here, we're gonna run it over to there. I dare you to stop us with our average OL". Memo to Bruce, "They're stoppin' ya!" Gee ya think the opposition knows the 5 plays in the playbook that you use?"

He's overweight and outta shape. Can't we cut him?

[Lake37 Profile]

In terms of playcalling, my prediction for the season would be that Arian's playcalling will continue to allow teams, which we should blow out, to hang around in games. I think that our offense has the weapons to throw up a lot of points, but I just don't see it happening.

To play devil's advocate though, is it possible that with the dominating defense we have, Arians just sees no need to be creative? Maybe he knows that between our defense and BR7, if he can manage to keep the game close into the 4th quarter we're going to win a good majority of the time...I think the guy is a below average OC, but there has to be some sort of reasoning behind his playcalling. And it could be, just keep it close, and let the defense and/or BR7 win the game. And if he realizes he isn't an offensive guru, although this isn't the best gameplen, it also isn't the worst one either.