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to the football team. We don’t need to carry last year’s baggage.” And while he’s known for spouting great lines, it’s easy to believe Tomlin that the Steelers will see success in 2014. Here are five reasons why … and a focus on the no-huddle features in almost all of them.
HEAD COACH MIKE TOMLIN The way some fans and pundits have called for Mike Tomlin’s head the past several seasons, you’d never know that he’d brought the team to two Super Bowls, won one and posted a career record as head coach that sits at 30 games over .500. In fact, notwithstanding his back-to-back 8-8 seasons, Tomlin has never had a losing campaign — something neither Chuck Noll nor Bill Cowher could boast. That record comes from his ability to adapt to adversity. Critics will point to last season’s disastrous 2-6 start as a negative. And while that start is the reason the Steelers failed to make the playoffs, Tomlin’s response — like his decision to introduce more no-huddle offense — paid off. And while last year the Steelers moved to a new defensive philosophy that emphasized the outside pass rush, they were trying to do it with an older, slower defense. This year, Tomlin — a coach with a history of sticking with proven veterans — made some big personnel moves, and now his defense is younger and faster. It remains to be seen how effective that defense can be (see “Five Reasons the 2014 Steelers Are Headed for Disaster”), but Tomlin is the type of coach a player will die for. That leadership could well take the Steelers back to the playoffs in 2014 — and beyond.
QUARTERBACK BEN ROETHLISBERGER It doesn’t seem like that long ago that Roethlisberger was often listed as a weak spot in the Steelers lineup — as much for
his antics off the field as his performance on it. But Big Ben has undergone some changes in recent years. He’s more mature and has emerged as a team leader. At 32, he came to camp in perhaps the best condition he’s managed in years, thanks to work in the offseason. “I just put extra work in [with] personal trainers [and] nutritionists,” he said at the start of camp. “You’re 32 years old and you’re in your 11th year, it’s time to do some extra [work].”
Roethlisberger should thrive in the no-huddle offense.
Roethlisberger started to prosper late last season when the Steelers decided to emphasize the no-huddle offense. While in that formation, Roethlisberger is the main play-caller instead of offensive coordinator Todd Haley. Roethlisberger has wanted to be in that leadership position for some time, and the results were obvious: Over the final eight games of the season, he threw 16 of his 28 touchdowns alongside just five interceptions. (He had 14 interceptions on the year).
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 08.27/09.03.2014