i dont understand a lot of his calls, but i do know he was trying to mix up a lot of different formations and play calls, maybe he thought if they were expecting another run he could get one past them with a pass, but i dont understand going with an empty backfield, i guess thats why i am not an offensive coordinator

Wasn’t Ben, not Arians, calling the plays on the game-winning drive?

First off, props to whoever came up with the idea to run quick screens, a lot of PA, and all those short passes to Holmes against wimpy speedster DRC. We ran a lot of plays that exposed the CONSTANTLY overpursuing Arizona defense, mainly in the first half. However, their defense never stopped over-pursuing, so when we switched to our plodding, run up the middle offense, they were still waiting. Honestly, my guess is that Arians (or someone) drew up about 10 new plays in the week layoff, but when we had used them up, Arians went back to his bread and butter of crappy 2 TE, please-stuff-me-Darnell-Dockett zone blocking running plays. The first 2 drives were outstanding, but then we were undone by a combo of OL struggles and playcalling.

The fourth quarter was absolutely brutal. Before the 2 minute drive, we essentially had THREE 3 & outs, with our only first down coming on a 5 yard holding penalty on first down. Run, run, sack. Run, sack, dumpoff. Incomplete, almost safety, safety. That’s the Bruce Arians offense. I don’t know what we were running the rest of the time, but when we needed the offense to hold onto the ball and run out the clock, no more creativity, exploiting mismatches, etc. This doesn’t excuse our defense from their embarassing breakdowns, but the offense is at least partly to blame.

Once again, we won by overcoming BA’s faults, not because of him. I really hope Tomlin is smart enough to kick him to the curb even after winning the Super Bowl.

BA is inept. As stated so eloquintly above by many the Steelers won despite him. They had a 20-7 lead and the ball at midfield in the 4th quarter. Time to put the game away with a couple first downs and a FG. Nope.
Ben said it without saying it. When asked about the last play call, he told Berman at ESPN, “It was scramble left, scramble right, get open.” That said it all. BA had NOTHING. ZERO.
How many plays did the Steelers run inside the 10 and not punch it in? Could have iced the game in the 3rd quarter with a good play call! Pitch to Hines and throw to Holmes. Something!
Regarding the D, I think they held on as long as they could. With the O not converting 3rd down in the second half the D was on the field way too much., I had said what worried me is that LeBeau’s 3/4 is susceptible to the 4 WR spread and throw throw throw. Gannon did it to them in 02. Brady and Manning did it to them in 03 and 04. D held Warner & Fitz (studs) down for 3 quarters. Agree the 64 yard TD to Fitz was unacceptable. Championship D does not give that up with 2 minutes left in SB. But, didn’t matter. Ben & 10 pulled their collective fat out of the fire.

Sometimes I think Arians is a knucklehead. Sometimes I think he is trying to do something creative, but the execution (typically our O-line) fails.

Troy seems to have been ‘designed’ out of the action. He was playing a much less aggressive role this time… more coverage, than pressure. I think he was being used to scare Warner away from certain areas/receivers. His first missed tackle was simply a bad read on the ball carrier. Ike and Farrior should have taken away the inside route, but Ike over-pursued and Farrior is blocked too far upfield. Troy charges toward the outside because he thinks that’s the only path available to the receiver.

Add me to the list of fans wondering about Heath Miller being missing after the first quarter.

I disagree on Arians. I thought his first drive — which remember is his scripted plays — was brilliant. I agree that as the game went on he seemed to stall — But I think that comes from him over-thinking things too much. I am of the opinion that when something is working you keep doing it until they stop it.

I agree on Troy. I don’t think Ryan Clark had a better game, but Troy has done thi two years in a row now — he dominates in the play-offs, and becomes very average (by his standards) in the SB.

Willie looks a half a step slow to me. There were a couple of times that he had holes and got three yards ont he run, where he would usually get 8 on them.

Nate was absent the whole playoffs, pretty much. I can’t imagine that they were double teaming him and leaving Santinio open!

Ben is terrific. No one could have doen what he did last night. No protection and he engineers a winning frive in the final 2 minutes. If he can stay healthy, he’s going to end up in Canton.