Column: Todd Haley keeps Steelers on winning path despite injuries, suspensions

Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley gives instruction to third-string quarterback Landry Jones, who was pressed into action last week after injuries to Ben Roethlisberger and Michael Vick.

Staff Writer

Oct. 22, 2015 6:01 PM PT

In the truest sense, Todd Haley flipped the script for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

He then flipped it back again.

As offensive coordinator of one of the NFL’s hotter teams, one coming off rapid-fire victories over San Diego and Arizona, Haley had to take a playbook designed for right-handed quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, flip it for left-handed replacement Michael Vick, then flip it back for righty third-stringer Landry Jones.

That entailed reversing the formations, tweaking the language, and even worrying about a shotgun snap from center that is aimed over and over and over to hit Roethlisberger in the right hand.

The changes are subtle but significant. For instance, a play for Roethlisberger or Jones might sound like, “Zero-Fox-Stack-Whack-52-Z-Prowl-Sneak,” but for Vick would be, “One-Fox-Stack-Whack-53-Z-Prowl-Sneak” — the changes being the number at the start of the play, which signifies whether it’s a right or left formation, and the number in the middle, which designates the protection.

“A lot of the words stay the same, but it’s just mental gymnastics,” Haley said by phone this week. “I’ve always worked with right-handed quarterbacks. For 20 years, you’ve game-planned and list a play, you list it in a right formation. Now, you’re game-planning and we’re erasing the board 30 million times until we break the habit.”

The revolution of the ball is opposite for right- and left-handed throwers, but the adjustments the Steelers have made isn’t revolutionary stuff. Just look how well San Francisco did it in transitioning from righty Joe Montana to lefty Steve Young. But the Steelers’ ability to adjust and win is another impressive notch in their favor, on top of playing through the loss of All-Pro center Maurkice Pouncey, the suspensions of running back Le’Veon Bell and receiver Martavis Bryant, and now the loss of left tackle Kelvin Beachum, out for the season with a knee injury.

Pittsburgh, at 4-2, has weathered choppy waters heading into Sunday’s game at Kansas City — when Roethlisberger might or might not be available — and in doing so has kept 6-0 Cincinnati from completely running away with the AFC North.

This has been an especially impressive stretch for Haley, who had two reasons to derive personal satisfaction in the victory over Arizona. He was the Cardinals’ offensive coordinator when that franchise got to the Super Bowl (and lost to Pittsburgh), and Arizona is now coached by the outstanding Bruce Arians, who preceded him as Steelers offensive coordinator and still casts a long shadow in Pittsburgh.

Now, Haley is headed back to Kansas City, where he was head coach for the better part of three seasons. The Chiefs fired him with three games remaining in the 2011 season. This is the third time the Steelers and Chiefs have played since Haley came to Pittsburgh, but the first time in Kansas City.

“It’s a place where I lived for three years, so obviously I’ll see familiar spots and things like that,” he said. “Maybe when I’m in the stadium I’ll have some flashbacks. I’m very proud of what I accomplished there. Didn’t really end the way I imagined it would, but I’m still very proud.”

Haley is making some new memories now, and good ones. This could be a special season for Pittsburgh, especially if Roethlisberger, Bell , Bryant and receiver Antonio Brown are all on the field together and hitting their stride. Last season, the Steelers set franchise records for points, total yards, yards passing per game and first downs.

Big plans are in store for Bell, in particular. Haley said the All-Pro running back has been “untapped so far” with Roethlisberger watching from the sideline in street clothes.

“We’ve had to simplify formations,” Haley said. “Last year, we had [Bell] everywhere — split outside the receivers, backfield, moving out of the backfield, moving across the formations. But with a new guy in there [Vick], when the language was totally new, a lot of that became pretty vanilla.”

Haley said he anticipates Roethlisberger to make a seamless transition back into the offense when he’s healthy enough to play. The quarterback has been out since sustaining a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee during a Sept. 27 game at St. Louis.

“Obviously, he’ll have to get back in the groove,” Haley said. “But he’s been here and mentally preparing the whole time.”

Steelers fans might be enjoying these wins. Haley, for one, doesn’t have the time.

“Friends here will say, ‘Hey, do you want to grab lunch?’” he said with a laugh. “I say, ‘Grab lunch? I haven’t had anything but a Styrofoam container brought up to my room for lunch or dinner since the start of training camp.’ ”

In fact, at least when it comes to Steelers coaches, they only leave the facility when necessary. Sure, they’re making memories, but not ones they plan to sit back and savor any time soon.

“San Diego was a huge win, but we were on a plane an hour later,” Haley said of that Monday night thriller. “We landed back in Pittsburgh at 5:30 a.m. and it’s a game plan day, so we’re here until 10 p.m. Tuesday after flying all night.

“Really, you’re on to the next set of problems.”

And so far, the Steelers have found timely solutions.

[email protected]

Twitter: @LATimesfarmer