Ben: Randy Ficthner Had ‘Awesome 1st Season’ As Offensive Coordinator

[hawaiiansteeler]

Roethlisberger: Randy Ficthner Had ‘Awesome 1st Season’ As Offensive Coordinator

ByMatthew Marczi
Posted on January 6, 2019

While the Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to undergo some fairly significant changes this offseason, the reality is that we already saw significant changes being made last offseason, with four coaches departing from the on-field coaching staff for one reason or another and three new names being brought in.

No move was more significant than the decision not to renew the contract of offensive coordinator Todd Haley, and to promote quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner from within for the same job. Though he had already been on the staff for 11 years, 2018 was his first at this level in a coordinator position calling plays.

Ordinarily, one would expect that there might be some adjustments to make and issues to work through. According to Ben Roethlisberger, there were, but overall, it would be hard to notice. The team led the league in red zone scoring efficiency and finished with their second-highest scoring total in team history.

to read rest of article:

https://steelersdepot.com/2019/01/roethlisberger-randy-ficthner-had-awesome-1st-season-as-offensive-coordinator/

[st33lersguy]

Of course ben would praise him. The oc after all helped his stats

[Michael]

There are at least three other coaches before Ficthner who should be fired. I think Ficthner did should get at least another year to show his ability. While not outstanding he was far better that Haley. Keep Tom;in away from the offense. AND the defense, special teams, clock management, challenging plays, handling divas in practice. (this is so sad because I truly believe what I am writing) The Steelers need a Cheer Leading Captain.
That seems safe to me.

I thought I saw four very good coaches today including Harbaugh. He handled his young QB just the right way. He understands the future is more important than the current play off game. The Bengals and Browns hire good coaches Dan Rooney better beware. The AFC Central s going to be much more competitive.

[Edman]

Of course Ben loves him. Fichtner since day one was his puppet and let him do whatever he wanted and pad his statistics, even at the detriment of the offense and the team. See: Broncos game. The running game was completely phased out come November, and Ben's bad throws and poor decisions increased exponentially. You don't lead the league in interceptions by accident.

That said, Fichtner is only average at best as an OC. His playcalling is better than Haley (Not really an accomplishment), but he has no sense of game balance at all. Though its to be expected. Randy only exists to make Ben happy, not put the offense in a position to succeed. Next season will be more of the same.

[Hawkman]

There are at least three other coaches before Ficthner who should be fired. I think Ficthner did should get at least another year to show his ability. While not outstanding he was far better that Haley. Keep Tom;in away from the offense. AND the defense, special teams, clock management, challenging plays, handling divas in practice. (this is so sad because I truly believe what I am writing) The Steelers need a Cheer Leading Captain.
That seems safe to me.

I thought I saw four very good coaches today including Harbaugh. He handled his young QB just the right way. He understands the future is more important than the current play off game. The Bengals and Browns hire good coaches Dan Rooney better beware. The AFC Central s going to be much more competitive.

Don’t know about that, since the Steelers, Ravens, Bengals, and Browns are in the AFC North.

[NCSteeler]

We've complained about redzone offense for years and now the improvement must just be an accident? Yeah ok. Fitchner or Ben whatever made some serious improvement. Who killed the run game ? We'll never know but I'm guessing coach didn't have a whole lot of good feelings about his backup RBs or Gilbert getting hurt.

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk

[AtlantaDan]

The Steelers did not run enough under Fichtner but FWIW they ran better when they did

The Steelers ranked 31st in the league in rushing, averaging just 90.3 yards a game, but that does not accurately reflect the success of the running game. They had a better average (4.2 to 3.8 yards), more 100-yard games (6 to 4), more 20-yard runs (10 to 6) and more rushing TDs (16 to 12) than 2017.

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2019/01/06/Gerry-Dulac-s-report-card-Final-Steelers-grades-for-2018-season-NFL-Ben-Roethlisberger-Mike-Tomlin/stories/201901060194

[Craic]

We've complained about redzone offense for years and now the improvement must just be an accident? Yeah ok. Fitchner or Ben whatever made some serious improvement. Who killed the run game ? We'll never know but I'm guessing coach didn't have a whole lot of good feelings about his backup RBs or Gilbert getting hurt.

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk

This. This. and This!

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

The Steelers did not run enough under Fichtner but FWIW they ran better when they did

The Steelers ranked 31st in the league in rushing, averaging just 90.3 yards a game, but that does not accurately reflect the success of the running game. They had a better average (4.2 to 3.8 yards), more 100-yard games (6 to 4), more 20-yard runs (10 to 6) and more rushing TDs (16 to 12) than 2017.

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2019/01/06/Gerry-Dulac-s-report-card-Final-Steelers-grades-for-2018-season-NFL-Ben-Roethlisberger-Mike-Tomlin/stories/201901060194




Sure, Dulac can cherry pick stats to point towards success if that makes him write a more positive article.

But when Troy Aikman, Boomer Esisason, Suzy Kolber, Tony Romo among other NFL analysts say during pregame or half-time analysis that "the Steelers just need to be able to commit to the running game" or "the Steelers should figure to have a large dose of running game against this poorly ranked Denver run defense".....then the eye test tells you the Steelers weren't running the football.

3rd down and 2 or shorter and empty backfield sets were Fichtner just telegraphing to opposing defenses that the Steelers were not going to try and run for the 1st down and they failed to convert several times like that in the season. Dumb football strategy IMO with 60% of your O linemen that are Pro Bowl caliber.

[FrancoLambert]

Of course Ben loves him. Fichtner since day one was his puppet and let him do whatever he wanted and pad his statistics, even at the detriment of the offense and the team. See: Broncos game. The running game was completely phased out come November, and Ben's bad throws and poor decisions increased exponentially. You don't lead the league in interceptions by accident.

That said, Fichtner is only average at best as an OC. His playcalling is better than Haley (Not really an accomplishment), but he has no sense of game balance at all. Though its to be expected. Randy only exists to make Ben happy, not put the offense in a position to succeed. Next season will be more of the same.

Apparently, Ben views being ranked 31st in rushing contributes to Fichter’s awesomeness.
Ben runs the show.

[AtlantaDan]

Sure, Dulac can cherry pick stats to point towards success if that makes him write a more positive article.

But when Troy Aikman, Boomer Esisason, Suzy Kolber, Tony Romo among other NFL analysts say during pregame or half-time analysis that "the Steelers just need to be able to commit to the running game" or "the Steelers should figure to have a large dose of running game against this poorly ranked Denver run defense".....then the eye test tells you the Steelers weren't running the football.

3rd down and 2 or shorter and empty backfield sets were Fichtner just telegraphing to opposing defenses that the Steelers were not going to try and run for the 1st down and they failed to convert several times like that in the season. Dumb football strategy IMO with 60% of your O linemen that are Pro Bowl caliber.

That came from Dulac rating the O-line, not rating Randy.

I agree the empty backfields on first and goal from the one made no sense, particularly when the YPR this season improved from the running game with read & react Bell in 2017. Just noting the changes

I maintain the play selection has more to do with having a QB who thinks the perfect play selection on first and goal from the 3 at the end of the Denver game is 4 passes to JuJu than anything else.

Fichtner knows who got him hired and can get him fired.

[pczach]

Apparently, Ben views being ranked 31st in rushing contributes to Fichter’s awesomeness.
Ben runs the show.



He was probably thinking that points per game and the highest red zone touchdown percentage in the NFL and one that is light years better than it was under the last OC might actually count for something.

https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/red-zone-scoring-pct

I'm sure the proper response from Ben should have been: "Our first year offensive coordinator really didn't get it done this year."

Ben can never say anything that satisfies fans here. Whatever he would have said would have been bashed by people here. He is constantly in a no-win situation with so many of you here.

It's ridiculous.

[hawaiiansteeler]

He was probably thinking that points per game and the highest red zone touchdown percentage in the NFL and one that is light years better than it was under the last OC might actually count for something.

https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/red-zone-scoring-pct

I'm sure the proper response from Ben should have been: "Our first year offensive coordinator really didn't get it done this year."

Ben can never say anything that satisfies fans here. Whatever he would have said would have been bashed by people here. He is constantly in a no-win situation with so many of you here.

It's ridiculous.

if only Ben watched more film and was a better leader like Peyton...

[Mojouw]

Scored 20% more TDs in the red zone than 2017 despite going almost one full red zone trip per game less than 2017. But let’s argue about rushing attempts per game.

In year one of calling plays, Fichtner did EXACTLY what he has tasked with doing. Now he has an entire off-season to determine how to keep the red zone TD % up while layering in increased offensive balance and doing some self-scouting to see if the 2018 offense had too many in-game tendencies/keys/repetitions that allowed defenses to slow them after seeing about 3 dozen offensive plays or so. Fichtner would not be the first play caller to get caught going to well too many times in a given game. Examples of this would include the pick play that he ran for the TD in the Bengals game and then over-used to the point that teams were sitting on it later in the season. I am not great film breakerdowner but I figure if there was one over-used tendency there almost certainly was others.

This is yet another reason that I strongly believe the offensive staff needs to add some new voices. A RB coach AND a QB coach from outside the organization could be very helpful in assisting the OC in spotting these trends and coming up with wrinkles to run out of the same formation that “trick” the defense into thinking they know what is coming but something else entirely happens.

[pczach]

if only Ben watched more film and was a better leader like Peyton...


That goes without saying....

[vasteeler]

Scored 20% more TDs in the red zone than 2017 despite going almost one full red zone trip per game less than 2017. But let’s argue about rushing attempts per game.

In year one of calling plays, Fichtner did EXACTLY what he has tasked with doing. Now he has an entire off-season to determine how to keep the red zone TD % up while layering in increased offensive balance and doing some self-scouting to see if the 2018 offense had too many in-game tendencies/keys/repetitions that allowed defenses to slow them after seeing about 3 dozen offensive plays or so. Fichtner would not be the first play caller to get caught going to well too many times in a given game. Examples of this would include the pick play that he ran for the TD in the Bengals game and then over-used to the point that teams were sitting on it later in the season. I am not great film breakerdowner but I figure if there was one over-used tendency there almost certainly was others.

This is yet another reason that I strongly believe the offensive staff needs to add some new voices. A RB coach AND a QB coach from outside the organization could be very helpful in assisting the OC in spotting these trends and coming up with wrinkles to run out of the same formation that “trick” the defense into thinking they know what is coming but something else entirely happens.

None of this at all...he sucked

[FrancoLambert]

He was probably thinking that points per game and the highest red zone touchdown percentage in the NFL and one that is light years better than it was under the last OC might actually count for something.

https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/red-zone-scoring-pct

I'm sure the proper response from Ben should have been: "Our first year offensive coordinator really didn't get it done this year."

Ben can never say anything that satisfies fans here. Whatever he would have said would have been bashed by people here. He is constantly in a no-win situation with so many of you here.

It's ridiculous.

pc,

Of course I wouldn’t expect Ben to say, Fichtner “didn’t get it done.” That would be wrong.

But, it’s just as wrong to call his first year awesome.

How about, “ we did some good things, there are some things we still need to work on, I need to cut down on the INT’s....and so on.

:tea:

[Mojouw]

pc,

Of course I wouldn’t expect Ben to say, Fichtner “didn’t get it done.” That would be wrong.

But, it’s just as wrong to call his first year awesome.

How about, “ we did some good things, there are some things we still need to work on, I need to cut down on the INT’s....and so on.

:tea:

Because that is internal team business and you don’t air your coaches or players out in public. At least not if your not a jerk/me first moron.

And I realize that the quotes from Radio Ben will start coming fast and furious now. But I still hold that too often we assume a direct correlation between public comments and private thoughts from Steelers related folks. Time and time again, this is proven to be almost totally untrue. So why do we still make the same logical leap at every instance?

Ben is not going to say things that make you or I feel better. He is going to say whatever pops off the top of his head that he thinks will make either the least waves (when he is fine with things) or the most waves (when he wants to drive a change). Couple that with the fact that he has repeatedly demonstrated that he isn’t the deepest of thinkers and I am kinda stumped about how everyone is surprised that most of his comments are uneven head scratchers.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

That came from Dulac rating the O-line, not rating Randy.

I agree the empty backfields on first and goal from the one made no sense, particularly when the YPR this season improved from the running game with read & react Bell in 2017. Just noting the changes

I maintain the play selection has more to do with having a QB who thinks the perfect play selection on first and goal from the 3 at the end of the Denver game is 4 passes to JuJu than anything else.

Fichtner knows who got him hired and can get him fired.

I would hope that 1st and goal from the 3 in the Denver game was to be the play selections of the Offensive Coordinator, but also agree that the QB seems to run the show and that unfortunately is the problem with putting up stats, vs playing winning football.