Interesting....


By Ed Bouchette / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Todd Haley already has answered questions about his offense without ever speaking a word publicly. There will be a fullback, there will be more passes thrown to backs, there will be an increased devotion to the running game, including in practices, and there will be a greater attempt to keep Ben Roethlisberger out of harms way.

Two practices into the month-long spring drills and players are revealing more and more about their new offense. Isaac Redman is the latest to do so; the presumptive starting halfback announced Wednesday that tight end David Johnson, who sometimes acted like a fullback in Bruce Arians' offense, has been switched to fullback fulltime.

"Yeah, there's a fullback in the offense," Redman said. "They moved David Johnson over to fullback. He's not a tight end anymore, he's strictly a fullback now."

There's even another officially listed fullback on the roster, West Virginia's Will Johnson.
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While Johnson's move might sound as though it's merely a name change because he likely played fullback more often than he did tight end, the switch means something.

"That's going to help develop him," Redman said, "now that he's in our meeting rooms and being able to see what type of blocks that we have, and what type of blocks that we want from him. Instead of him being a tight end in the tight-end room and kind of doing fullback as a second job, he's strictly focusing on fullback. I think that will help him a lot."

What that means in terms of roster makeup -- two tight ends, one fullback instead of three and zero, or one fewer halfback? -- has not yet been determined, or at least revealed publicly. What it means in terms of philosophy is simple: The Steelers want a better running game that also will help their play-action passing game.

They would not appear to be dealing from strength in that matter since their horse of the past three seasons, Rashard Mendenhall, had ACL surgery in January.

But Redman and coach Mike Tomlin, among others, believe they have enough quality and quantity at halfback to make it go.

Redman will start, barring unforeseen circumstances. The others include Jonathan Dwyer, John Clay, Baron Batch and rookie Chris Rainey.

"I like all the men," Tomlin said in March, while addressing the backfield. "When given the opportunity, they've all shown that they are capable of being reasons why we win ... Isaac Redman has proven that he is a legitimate NFL running back. He is not an unknown commodity. Jonathan Dwyer has been in our program for a number of years now. He had a 100-yard game a year ago. We all are excited about Baron Batch ... John Clay got an opportunity, and all he did was score the first time he touched the ball in the NFL."

None, though, has done it on a fulltime basis in the NFL.

Redman, undrafted from Bowie State in 2009 when he was on and off the practice squad but never the 53-man roster, more than doubled his '10 rushing attempts to 110 last season. That comes to almost seven per game. Mendenhall averaged more than 20 carries in '10.

Redman said he is "getting ready to carry this load if that's what they want me to do ... Just trying to make sure I'm in tip-top shape to be called on 20-25 times a game, which I know I can handle."

He may not have to do that. Haley might have a different philosophy on using his backs, splitting things up rather than giving 300 carries to one.

But, "We kind of emphasize getting the ball to the running backs a little more this year," Redman said. "We'll see how that goes ...

"We're definitely eager to see how this thing is going to go and how the running game is going to work out. It's tough on everybody to learn a new offense and to learn a new system and new verbiage. We're just trying to get the hang of it ... This new offense is supposed to be easier on the offensive line, and we have a couple of new O-linemen coming in, so hopefully that will open it up."
Mendenhall running, but ...

Mendenhall has been on the field running in practices and said his repaired ACL is doing well.

"Everything's gotten a lot better. It's been healing well, there are no setbacks, I'm feeling great ... I talked to a lot of guys who have been through this. The way I feel now, the way it's been healing, the way I take care of my body, I'm not worried at all."

The Steelers' first-round draft choice in '08, Mendenhall's injury occurred in the final regular-season game in Cleveland last season, which ended a disappointing year for him. He missed one other game with an injury and finished with 928 yards rushing, his lowest total in his three otherwise healthy seasons after he missed most of his rookie year with a broken shoulder.

This is the final year of his contract, usually one that would involve negotiations on an extension.

With the injury and unknown status entering the '12 season, no talks are known to have taken place.

Mendenhall said there is no timetable on his return to the team.

Doctors told him recovery could be anywhere from six to 12 months. General manager Kevin Colbert said in March that Mendenhall likely would open on the physically unable to perform list.

"I haven't really thought about anything like that," Mendenhall said.

"I just focus on getting 100 percent."
Quick hits

Add rookie nose tackle Alameda Ta'amu of the University of Washington to the list of draft picks unable to attend OTAs until their semesters end at school ... Cornerback Ike Taylor participated in practice Wednesday after missing the opener. ... Outside linebacker Jason Worilds (hand) is not practicing, nor is defensive end Brett Keisel (personal matter). Keisel ended the '11 season with a serious groin injury, and surgery was considered an option at one point. ... Newly minted Hall of Fame center Dermontti Dawson attended practice and is in town promoting the Washington Wild Things minor league baseball team, of which he is a minority owner.

For more on the Steelers, read the blog, Ed Bouchette on the Steelers at www.post-gazette.com/plus. Ed Bouchette: ebouchette@post-gazette.com and Twitter @EdBouchette.
First Published May 24, 2012 12:00 am

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/steelers-offense-is-under-construction-637341/

Somwhere I can hear Nick off to the side letting out a long chain of profanities...

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I know this, your ability to think concisely, your ability to make good judgments is much easier on Thursday night than during the heat of the game. -Bill Walsh

It's not just Nick.

I'm all for them being better at running the football... but I really have to wonder if a fullback is the best way to achieve that.

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"Joe Flacco is the best QB in football."-- Ray Rice

No- that'll start with better blocking upfront.

I'm not super-opposed to a FB- I just thought that when people were clamoring for one, they didn't understand what the problems with the run game were. A FB wasn't going to be the end-all be-all solution to fix those problems.

But at any rate, I want to be able to run when we have to, and pass when we have to. I mean- the Giants have a FB, and they have a pretty good offense.

I'll wait to pass judgement on Haley's offense when I see it in action.

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I know this, your ability to think concisely, your ability to make good judgments is much easier on Thursday night than during the heat of the game. -Bill Walsh

As long as passing is still a big priority, like 60% or so of the play calls and heavily used in the red zone and on any down and any situation, having a FB is no problem. But if the strength of your team is Ben and the recievers-which it clearly is and the rules of the NFL clearly favor passing the ball-which they clearly do, then having them play 2nd fiddle to Isaac Redman is retarded.

You might scoff at this opinion, but I think it's clearly written to sell newspapers to those Yinzer straw men that you keep telling me don't exist.

I think an offense like the Giants is a great example of what I hope Haley's offense will strive to be.

Tough, physical Oline and lots of runs between the tackles - that fits our Oline personnel and Redman. I think Mendenhall is fine between the tackles as long as his guards don't suck. We will see.

Playaction passing downfield - that fits the strengths of our QB and WRs.

Use the TE and RBs as checkdown options on 3rd down and 4-6 rather than quick WR routes - fits Heath's strength against beating zone rather than man, and takes advantage of our RBs' pass catching abilities. We don't have a field stretching TE, so don't plan the offense around one.

Our QB will never be a timing, systematic type of player. Those wishing for an INDY or NE offense are insane.

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"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play" - Jack Lambert

Ben can do very well off play action, but now we need to have a running game or the threat of one to make play action work; that is the direction Haley appears to be going. In his first couple of years Ben did very well with play action. Used it less effectively in recent years with no credible running game.

I'd prefer a Houston-Kyle Shanahan offense. A lot of zone blocking (we finally have the athletes) and downfield passing predicated off of PA. That offense moves the pocket and allows the QB to make plays out of the pocket. It has not worked well in DC because the Redskins lack talent. But the tempo/rhythm is excellent. RGIII will look really good in that offense. So would Ben.

Anyone with half a brain realizes that the days of the "ground and pound" offense are over. You don't have a franchise QB like Ben to simply to hand the ball off. I think that Haley is much more innovative than Bruce Arians ever was. He is going to attack opposing defenses in multiple ways rather than just run the same predictable plays over and over again. As long as Ben, Wallace, Sanders & Brown are around, the Steelers are NOT going to stop throwing the ball. If you actually think they are.....................then you're fuckin' stupid. I look forward to the new offense and a BALANCED attack!

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"The Terrible Tahl is poised to strike!"