Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger wanted to throw the ball more than he did in 2010. He says Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians wanted to throw the ball more in 2010, too.
So why didn’t they?
Roethlisberger doesn’t come right out and say why, but he implies in an interview with Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that Arians was prevented from passing as much as he wanted to because of outside pressure, perhaps from head coach Mike Tomlin or perhaps just from a general sense that NFL offenses need to be balanced.
“If he were, I don’t want to say ‘allowed,’ but his preference would be to throw the ball more, use the weapons we have and throw it,” Roethlisberger said. “Mine’s the same way.”
Roethlisberger suggested that when he’s handing off, he’s doing so grudgingly.
“But we both think the same in the no-huddle, that we call a lot more runs because we know that’s what we’re supposed to do,” Roethlisberger said. “And I don’t know if that’s ‘supposed to’ from the fans, the media, the owner, who knows? But it’s just a feeling that you have that we better run the ball some. So we do think alike in a lot of those ways.”
Roethlisberger said that in addition to passing more, he wants to run the no-huddle offense more.
“I enjoy the no-huddle offense,” Roethlisberger said. “Those are the times I call the plays and go on the sideline and talk to BA. Last year, I didn’t think we did it enough. The year before, I thought we did a lot of it. For whatever reason, maybe it was because we had so many young guys . . . I think this year we’ll be a lot better at it and do it a lot more.”
At least, they’ll do it more if it’s up to Roethlisberger. But, clearly, it isn’t.