Play-Calling Not Reason for Steelers Loss

There are a lot of legitimate criticisms that can be thrown at Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians this season (starting with the toss sweep to Mewelde Moore on third-and-2 against the Chiefs). But Steelers fans who are criticizing his play-calling against the Ravens seem to be asking too much of the man.

If the Steelers had known on Wednesday that Dennis Dixon would be starting, Arians could have crafted a gameplan to take advantage of Dixon's mobility. But the Steelers didn't figure out that Ben Roethlisberger would sit until Friday at the earliest (the players didn't find out until Saturday). By that point, the gameplan had already been fully installed.

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Making it even worse, Dixon didn't even become the team's No. 2 quarterback until this week. So, understandably, there were no plays in the playbook designed to take advantage of Dixon's strengths.

Even with very little time to get Dixon ready Pittsburgh did seem to add one play -- a run-pass option -- for Dixon, which worked for a 24-yard rushing touchdown. But in genera,l Arians was calling plays from a playbook designed for Roethlisberger -- a veteran with two Super Bowl rings -- with a second-year quarterback who had thrown one NFL pass.

Considering all that, getting Dixon to go 12 pf 26 for 145 yards with a touchdown, an interception and 27 yards rushing is a pretty impressive effort by Arians.