Professor Roethlisberger's class is in session.
The subject: Advanced No Huddle 401.
General synopsis: In-depth read-and-react offensive training based on the vision of the teacher.
Grade weight: 90 percent on-field performance, which is earned through the successful passing of Roethlisberger's hand-signal pop quizzes, which occur daily.
There are no Fs given in Professor Roethlisberger's class, but as he told Tribune Review reporter Alan Robinson, he who gets the most quiz questions wrong (likely graded by Roethlisberger and offensive coordinator Todd Haley), buy pizza and wings for the entire offense.
These are the kinds of things terrible leaders do, right Manny?
The Steelers' no huddle offense was on display fully in Saturday's win over Buffalo, at least it was with the first team. The first team offense, primarily working out of the shotgun and in the no huddle, scored 13 points (with a missed extra point) and gained 210 yards. It would appear most passed the quizzes leading into the game. And if they can improve even more on those results, earned against what was thought to be one of the better collections of defensive talent in the game, then look out.
More than anything, the cycle of learning is at work; learn, do, teach. Roethlisberger appeared as comfortable as a tenured prof with 25 years experience, sitting back and finding scores of open receivers. He isn't throwing deep, vertical passes. He doesn't need to. With the quick-twitch route-runners like Antonio Brown and the utility open-field options like Le'Veon Bell, the Steelers' best weapon in the no huddle is Roethlisberger's grasp of what defenses are doing. He knows how to utilize the weaponry he has at his disposal.
It's the best addition this offense has made since, well, Roethlisberger himself.
Taking the nines (fly patterns) out entirely isn't likely, but the scores of failed flys last season seemingly as a means to program opposing safeties into the idea the team will throw deep failed for two reasons; 1. passes weren't accurate consistently, and 2. there wasn't a dominant outside-the-numbers receiver to inspire further support of fear of deep passing. Perhaps neither of those problems have been solved yet, but they aren't really necessary, either. Roethlisberger has underrated mental acumen and is capable of picking a defense apart in the nearer and shorter field. With adept intermediate route runners (Markus Wheaton has catches on wo excellent post corner routes in two preseason games, one went for a touchdown) and his skill as a passer (watch him look off the weakside linebacker in order to get Antonio Brown clear on his touchdown run-after-catch vs. the Bills) is really what's making this offense work.