The Pittsburgh Steelers ran a lot of no-huddle offense in their season opener against the Denver Broncos. The next week against the New York Jets, the Steelers didn't use it all.
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The results seem to indicate they were wise to make the change, but quarterback Ben Roethlisberger still doesn't sound happy about it.
"That's Coach (Todd) Haley's call," Roethlisberger said of the Jets game. "He's the one that calls all of the plays. There was no no-huddle. Our no-huddle is usually when we have three wide receivers on the field. (The coaches) saw something and wanted to run the ball with multiple tight ends and keep (the media) and the fans happy, I guess."
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes that Roethlisberger "appears to be doing everything except hiring a Washington lobbyist" to change Haley's mind about the no-huddle. Roethlisberger has long enjoyed calling his own plays.
Whether the Steelers huddle or not, expect plenty of throws against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. Pittsburgh's run blocking has been awful this season, but the pass blocking isn't that bad. Oakland's secondary is in shambles. Roethlisberger is just hitting his prime; he can carry an offense if Haley lets him.