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Reasons for Steelers Super Bowl drought: Part two

By Eric Hassel

PITTSBURGH - NOVEMBER 20: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks to throw a fourth quarter pass against the Cincinnati Bengals on November 20, 2008 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh won the game 27-10. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH - NOVEMBER 20: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks to throw a fourth quarter pass against the Cincinnati Bengals on November 20, 2008 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh won the game 27-10. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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PITTSBURGH, PA – NOVEMBER 15: Ben Roethlisberger #7 and Offensive Coordinator Todd Haley of the Pittsburgh Steelers talk on the sideline during the 4th quarter of the game at Heinz Field on November 15, 2015 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – NOVEMBER 15: Ben Roethlisberger #7 and Offensive Coordinator Todd Haley of the Pittsburgh Steelers talk on the sideline during the 4th quarter of the game at Heinz Field on November 15, 2015 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images) /

New Coordinators, but the Steelers Super Bowl drought continues

After Bruce Arians “retired” following the 2011 season, Todd Haley became the O-coordinator.  His style of offense was very near to a polar opposite of that of Bruce Arians.  Haley installed what is referred to as the  “Erhardt-Perkins” offensive scheme.  What does that mean, you ask?  Again, I am no guru so I will attempt to explain this from a fan’s perspective.

For those of us old enough to remember the Steelers teams of the 1990s, we remember Ron Erhardt as the O-coordinator.  His offense featured mostly two-back sets, a lot of two TE sets and a “ground and pound” mentality. Sounds like the offense of the entire decade of the 1970s, doesn’t it? It was a ball-control offense that took its shots downfield when necessary.  Personally, I think Ben was not too enamored with Haley’s philosophy.

During Haley’s tenure (2012-2017), the Steelers offense ranked 22nd, 16th, 7th, 4th, 10th and 8th, respectively, in Points For (points scored).  In stark contrast to the sacks Ben absorbed during the Bruce Arians years, under Haley’s reign, Ben suffered (163) sacks, an average of (27) sacks per season versus an average of (43) sacks per season under Coach Arians. Haley’s offense was more conservative than the offense under Arians; however, Ben was better protected.

With Haley as the offensive coordinator, the Steelers finished 8-8, 8-8, 11-5 with a playoff loss the Baltimore Ravens, 10-6 with a Divisional round loss to the Denver Broncos, 11-5 with an AFC Championship loss to the New England Patriots and 13-3 with a Divisional round loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Seemingly, the Steelers had success under Haley, so what happened? Ben’s intimation at retirement is what happened. I don’t think the Steelers were in a position to say to Ben, “Hey, Todd is the O-coordinator and that’s that.  Work it out with him”.  In 2018, Haley was replaced by Randy Fichtner.  The Steelers offense ranked 6th in PF (points for); Ben was sacked 24 times…and we missed the playoffs.

How about the defensive side of the ball? Let’s take a look.

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