Out-of-sync passing game contributes to Steelers' woeful start

Quote :

By Alan Robinson

Call it the Steelers' season of disconnect and discontent.

They returned Wednesday to the practice field and again began looking for a way to halt a September slide that is threatening to ruin their season almost before it has begun.

They're also trying to stop mounting speculation that the offensive players are increasingly unhappy with coordinator Todd Haley's play-calling, personnel groups and passing-game strategy.

At least one player, No. 1 wide receiver Antonio Brown, acknowledged talking to Haley about the direction of the offense during the 20-10 loss Monday in Cincinnati.

It's a direction that, to date, is all downhill. The running game is producing at the lowest rate in team history (37.5 yards per game), and the passing offense looks to be badly out of sync.

“Whether it's guys just not doing their job or turning the ball over, you can point to a lot of different issues,” Ben Roethlisberger said Wednesday. “We just need to get those things fixed. It's early in the season, and we need to get it turned around quick.”

The Steelers, 0-2 for the first time since 2002, must beat the Chicago Bears (2-0) on Sunday night at Heinz Field to avoid their first 0-3 start in 14 seasons. They've never reached the postseason in any of the 12 seasons they were 0-3.

One reason the offense has produced only 17 points in two games is that Roethlisberger has an uncharacteristically low 58.6 percent completion rate (41 of 70). He's not finding a rhythm with any of his receivers, who already have dropped four passes.

He's also repeatedly overthrowing receivers — mostly Brown and Emmanuel Sanders — or not finding them downfield as they get manhandled and pushed off their routes by bigger defensive backs.

“There is a little bit (of disconnect),” Roethlisberger said. “They aren't the biggest guys in the world, so it's easy for defensive backs to hold them, push them and arm-bar them, and they aren't getting the calls. So it's tough. They just need to keep fighting through those things.”

Roethlisberger and Brown could be seen holding an animated discussion Monday night, apparently about how Brown ran a pass route.

Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/4724908-74/brown-roethlisberger-percent#ixzz2fIgVCrPa

So let's put this all together ....

*Ben has an uncharacteristically low 58.6 percent completion rate.
*Brown and Sanders are getting manhandled and pushed off their routes.
*Receivers have dropped 4 passes.
*Two fumbles in the red zone.

Ben's response: “Whether it's guys just not doing their job or turning the ball over, you can point to a lot of different issues.”

Brown's response: He goes to Haley and complains about the direction of the offense (which the players had a hand in shaping).

Kudos to Ben for acknowledging that there are a lot more problems than just the play calling.

Quote :

Brown Tells Haley He Wants More Passes His Way

By Ed Bouchette

The Steelers’  problems go deeper than their 0-2 record, and they bubbled over along the sideline in the second half of Monday night’s game in Cincinnati.
       
There, wide receiver Antonio Brown confronted offensive coordinator Todd Haley. Brown angrily complained to the coach that not enough pass plays were called for him, several sources told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
....

This is not the first time Brown has complained to coaches and teammates about not getting enough passes thrown his way. It happened last season as well, sources said, although not to the point where it elicited the kind of reaction it got from his Monday night sideline eruption.

http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/pro-sports/steelers/122731-ed-brown-tells-haley-he-wants-more-passes-his-way

 

I guess it's time to quote myself from last October ...

Wallace108 wrote:

Wallace is getting double teamed on almost every play. You take Wallace out of the mix, and all that attention goes to Brown. You'd see a huge drop-off in his production because he'd have a harder time getting open and Ben would then start looking more for Sanders.

I seriously hope I end up being wrong about what I said back in December ...

Wallace108 wrote:

I still haven't seen anything that tells me that Brown can be a leader and the No. 1 receiver without Wallace.

I'm not convinced yet that the Brown-Haley incident isn't much ado about nothing, but I do think it's something we should keep our eyes on.

I think Brown going to Haley (even on the sidelines) is a good thing.

Not for the static it creates, but for the simple reason that it opens up to the fact that losing creates more issues and more drama. It also proves true the old cliche - WINNING CURES EVERYTHING.