Todd Haley has heard plenty about needing to run the ball more since being hired as Steelers offensive coordinator six months ago.

While agreeing with the premise, Haley would rather focus on something more precise than simply needing to call more runs.

Haley is adamant the Steelers run the ball better in the most critical situations — when the opposition knows they will.

“That’s the name of the game offensively,” Haley said. “You need to be able to get the yards that you need on the ground when the defense knows you are running, wherever that falls in the game — if it is a critical short-yardage or if it is a four-minute situation.”

That’s what Haley hopes to see starting at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, when the Steelers open the preseason against Philadelphia at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Steelers weren’t able to run when they wanted last season, which led to an offense ranking in the bottom third in scoring.

It was partly because former offensive coordinator Bruce Arians fancied passing over running in third-down, short-yardage and four-minute situations. But it also was that the Steelers weren’t very good in those scenarios.

The Steelers faced third-and-2 or less 35 times last season. They ran 19 times (converting 68 percent) and passed 16 times (converting 50 percent).

When the situation was third-and-3, the Steelers threw all 19 times (converting 58 percent).


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