The Ravens had two full weeks to prepare to play the Steelers last week and it showed on the defensive side of the ball, as Baltimore stymied Pittsburgh's offense in the first two quarters, allowing just 66 total yards.
But Ben Roethlisberger and Randy Fichtner were able to settle on a package that included wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson, Ray-Ray McCloud and Chase Claypool on the field with tight end Eric Ebron as the best means by which to attack the Ravens.
"It wasn't like we were changing plays. We were making up plays," Roethlisberger said Wednesday of himself, Fichtner and the offense. "It was the old, 'Hey, go down to the tire and make the out, go around the tree.' It was pure playground football. That's why I say I was so proud of the guys, because we were literally making things up as we went, in terms of individual routes. There were no full-play concepts, it was individual routes. It was mostly because we were in formations, packages that dictated to them simple pass rushes, not bringing a lot of heat. They had to man up. We just created some matchup opportunities for ourselves in that second half."
The Steelers (7-0) will go back to the drawing board with a game plan this week that will help them best attack the Cowboys (2-6) Sunday in Arlington, Texas.
But it's nice to know Roethlisberger, who has always excelled at running a no-huddle offense, still has means to get the job done in those situations. Sunday marked the first time the Steelers really used the no-huddle extensively this season.
Smith-Schuster, the wide receiver who has played with Roethlisberger the longest, benefitted greatly by the use of that package, making all seven of his catches for 67 yards in the final two quarters. But Ebron and Claypool were much more effective in the second half, as well, both catching touchdown passes.
And therein was the key for the Steelers, as those two players, who are in their first season of working with Roethlisberger, were able to pick things up on the fly -- quite literally -- in the game.
"The second half was probably 90 percent just, make it up as we went," said Roethlisberger, who completed 17 of 22 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns in the second half. "It was like, 'Line, here's the protection. Receiver, you go over here this time.' Looking back at the film, you can't even call the formations, really, because we were moving guys to different spots, stacking guys up, bunching things."
With Fichtner in his ear, Roethlisberger would relay to the line what the protection would be, then tell each receiver where he wanted them to line up and where they were supposed to go upon the snap.
Without an offseason program and a shortened training camp, Roethlisberger credits the work he and the receivers did in the offseason at Robert Morris University for helping make that happen, particularly with a group with which he hasn't spent a lot of time.
Ebron was signed as a free agent this year, while Claypool is a rookie. Johnson, a second-year receiver, barely played with Roethlisberger last year prior to the quarterback going down with an elbow injury just six quarters into the season.
"To me, it really comes back to those guys making plays, not physically, but mentally," Roethlisberger said. "To line guys up like that and not have many questions, it goes back to the offseason work we did at Robert Morris, when we got together and drilled this stuff. I sent guys pictures at night on the iPad. It just shows that it's sinking in and they get it. I can tell them to do something and they get it. I'm basically just trying to direct guys. They're doing the movie and I'm directing, telling them what to do and they're doing it to perfection."
But Roethlisberger also had to trust that the receivers would be where they were supposed to be and remember what he had told them pre-snap.
"It's not about me. I just have to tell them what to do," Roethlisberger said. "They have to physically do it and mentally know what to do. They did it so well last week, I couldn't be more proud of the guys, all of them."