Todd Haley: "Archer biding his time."

[FordFairLane]

Let the **** storm begin in 3, 2, 1 GO!

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...n-biding-his-time/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs

Todd Haley: Dri Archer “has been biding his time”

Posted by Mike Wilkening on January 2, 2015, 4:56 PM EST

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With Le’Veon Bell ruled out for Sunday’s game, the Steelers may need rookie tailback/wide receiver Dri Archer to carry a heavier workload than he has all season.

How many snaps that entails remains to be seen.

Listed at 5-foot-8 and 173 pounds, Archer is the shortest and lightest player on the 53-man roster. However, he counters that with outstanding speed.

Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley believes the third-round pick from Kent State is more at home in the offense than he was.

“I think he is developing no different than any other young guy that has come into the mix this year,” Haley told reporters Thursday, according to the club. “His has been a lack of opportunity as much as anything else.

“When you are out here on a daily basis and you see him working, you know he has good weeks on top of good weeks. There just haven’t been a lot of opportunities in game situations. And when he has, things haven’t gone maybe exactly the way that we had planned, so maybe a little snake bit at the same time.

“He is a smart guy that is working hard, and he understands the process. He has been biding his time. I am sure if he gets more opportunities he will be looking forward to taking advantage of them.”

Archer has logged just 73 snaps this season, per Pro Football Focus, with his season-high coming in Week One, when took 15 reps vs. Cleveland.

Given his size, the Steelers have to use Archer judiciously. Rookie Josh Harris (5-11, 210) and veteran Ben Tate (5-10, 220) are the options in-between the tackles. They are also better built to pick up a blitz.

So what do the Steelers need from Archer? A sound game with a couple of drive-sustaining first downs would do the trick. Bell averages about seven per game. Could Archer give Pittsburgh two? That’s what he’s mustered in 17 total offensive touches in 2014. But on Saturday, Archer will have a chance to affect the game more than he has all season.

 

[SteelBuckeye]

It would be nice if Haley's professed optimism is rewarded with a great showing by Archer. As of now, I wonder how much of the above was "coach speak" though.

 

[Elfiero]

It would be nice if Haley's professed optimism is rewarded with a great showing by Archer. As of now, I wonder how much of the above was "coach speak" though.

If I had to guess I would say 99% coach speak, you notice he qualified the whole thing with "if he gets more opportunities"? I get the idea that it's Mikey that is obsessed with the Sproles\Welker "Tiny Dancer" type hybrid and is 0 for 0 so far. How many of these types has he wasted picks on? Rainey and Archer are the first ones that come to mind but I know there are others I'm forgetting, all at the expense of the D. Idiotic.

 

[hamster]

I predict that Archer makes some huge plays for us during our SB run.

 

[Spike]

Smoke and mirrors

 

[slashsteel]

Haley translation /paragraph breakdown

"Your my boy Blue!"

 

[bigtwnvin]

One thing is certain, whatever is Dri Archers role is should never involve the remote chance he will come in contact with Ratbird defenders that weigh twice as much as he does. Regardless of how much speed he is capable of, if he is carrying the ball and somebody the size of say Haloti Ngata hits him? Bad things can only happen and as a blocking back? Oh well.

 

[Hineswardkickedurpanzyass]

I may also create a game breaking play....but then again I am 6'2" and 210 lbs.....and run a 9.2 40

 

[Spike]

Dear Ben, no need to go pump pump double-pump hero mode right out of the gate. Quick slants to AB all 1st qtr - get a 3 touchdown lead then dial it back as the skies open up

Let Average Joe throw his blooper balls in a deluge.



Amen

 

[Hineswardkickedurpanzyass]

Bryant/AB/Heath is all we need.....go kick that *** Ben. And Oh yeah, lets get a few sacks/fumbles..... #92 Kicks ******* ***.

 

[Drink IRON City]

Dri isn't going to replace Bell by any means. The only effective way Archer makes an impact is through deception. Line him up as the only back, he will be spied or just plain hammered. If its a two back set, then yaz got a chance of getting him the ball in a little space. If he is going to be in the passing game, he is going to have to flat out beat a guy, then break it. Not so sure our little boy Archer is up to that task as of yet, he hasn't showed much to this point. Maybe now that the urgency has changed, or the planning is more critical, who kn ows?




Salute the nation

 

[Wingman]

Archer in the seam could turn into a big gain once or twice a game. Other than that I do not see much for him, maybe a reverse or fake reverse. Tate looks like he can be useful and Harris looks like he may turn out to be much better than folks thought.

 

[Tibs]

My feeling is that all little-Dri needs is one break-through play. Just something to get his confidence going, a juke on a LB, a long run, a nice catch, something, anything to show he can play at this level. Funny how things were in pre-season, that's exactly what he showed on some exciting, down-the-field splash plays. Then once the season started, he totally went into a shell and has yet to come out of it. Regardless, he's got to work real hard this off-season to increase his core strength, get a lot tougher. It's a 50-50 proposition of him making it, or being out of the league altogether. Since we drafted him, I hope he gets it together and becomes the jack-of-all trades, Randle El type player I think he can be. But there's a lot of work that will need to go into it, on his part.

 

[Superman]

My feeling is that all little-Dri needs is one break-through play. Just something to get his confidence going, a juke on a LB, a long run, a nice catch, something, anything to show he can play at this level. Funny how things were in pre-season, that's exactly what he showed on some exciting, down-the-field splash plays. Then once the season started, he totally went into a shell and has yet to come out of it. Regardless, he's got to work real hard this off-season to increase his core strength, get a lot tougher. It's a 50-50 proposition of him making it, or being out of the league altogether. Since we drafted him, I hope he gets it together and becomes the jack-of-all trades, Randle El type player I think he can be. But there's a lot of work that will need to go into it, on his part.

pom pom waving fool.
because Stillerz.

 

[Idioteque]

I haven't been on here in close to a month. In 3 mins, I found two threads in which fuckboy is STILL talking about me.

Jesus ******* Christ.

 

[Atlsteelers]

At this point I would take just a first down

 

[Idioteque]

My feeling is that all little-Dri needs is one break-through play. Just something to get his confidence going, a juke on a LB, a long run, a nice catch, something, anything to show he can play at this level. Funny how things were in pre-season, that's exactly what he showed on some exciting, down-the-field splash plays. Then once the season started, he totally went into a shell and has yet to come out of it. Regardless, he's got to work real hard this off-season to increase his core strength, get a lot tougher. It's a 50-50 proposition of him making it, or being out of the league altogether. Since we drafted him, I hope he gets it together and becomes the jack-of-all trades, Randle El type player I think he can be. But there's a lot of work that will need to go into it, on his part.

That's an exceptionally cute Disney movie you've written there. The tagline writes itself: "One chance, one play, one remarkable talent - Dri Archer's meteoric rise from absolutely nothing to (LOL) Randle El came from JUST. ONE. PLAY." Kevin Hart could play Dri but looks way too close to an NFL player.

Back in reality, where success comes from more factors than turning one splash play into supreme NFL confidence as Barry Sanders 2, it'd likely take more. If your team isn't ready to give you any role whatsoever - even on returns - then you probably have more issues than confidence. And if your confidence level is so low that you're a weekly inactive with no hand in the team, then that doesn't bode too well for you as an NFLer. Too many rookies are contributors in their very first season to keep leaning on that excuse.

 

[Blackstone]

Archer lacks the size, quicks, elusiveness and football smarts. He failed at punt returner,kickoff returner ,RB and WR, yeah he is ready to beat playoff defenses.

 

[Steelerfan]

180 pages to go. I know you can do it, guys!

 

[Wingman]

Thing is we have him and that's a fact. It would be nice if we could find a role for the kid that would result in some contribution from him. Other wise unless we see a lot of stubborness from his benefactors on the coaching staff he will be very fast and out of the game. We lost at least one defensive tackle or offensive lineman due to keeping this guy on the roster and not on the practice squad. And if he turns out to be a flop that means we lost two draft picks for his ***.

 

[madinsomniac]

Look, I ask one thing when playing the thugettes... that the RB is capable of not fumbling when they try to hold him up and strip the ball. They get away with more crud like that than anyone else, so you have to expect it... I cant say that I feel Archer can hold onto the ball in that situation.

 

[MT~Forged]

Why not just line him up outside and run fly patterns all day, bound to get away from the defenders at some point, then throw the **** out of it. With his speed, Ben shouldn't have to wait too long to unload it.

 

[Superman]

I haven't been on here in close to a month. In 3 mins, I found two threads in which fuckboy is STILL talking about me.

Jesus ******* Christ.

Oh good. Ms Doom and Gloom has returned from her sabbatical.

The board has actually survived without you here consistently pointing out perceived flaws and errors. I know, that was just a short while, but maybe if you're gone for good, we'll test the board's ability to carry on.

 

[Rod Farva]

Look, I ask one thing when playing the thugettes... that the RB is capable of not fumbling when they try to hold him up and strip the ball. They get away with more crud like that than anyone else, so you have to expect it... I cant say that I feel Archer can hold onto the ball in that situation.

That's a concern with our other b/u as well. No evidence to point to but just because of inexperience....hope it's been drilled into him to expect that along with the other crap that is a hallmark of any hairball coached team.

 

[Idioteque]

Oh good. Ms Doom and Gloom has returned from her sabbatical.

The board has actually survived without you here consistently pointing out perceived flaws and errors. I know, that was just a short while, but maybe if you're gone for good, we'll test the board's ability to carry on.

God, you just babble the stupidest bullshit.

Hurry up; there are still threads on here in which you haven't yet mentioned me!