The first step in correcting a problem is admitting you have one.
Steelers offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner took that step when talking about the mistakes made and the problems that troubled the Steelers in their season-opening 33-3 loss to the Patriots.
Fichtner was not in a forgiving mood because of it. Starting with himself.
"I'll be honest, we wanted to and we tried," Fichtner said of the Steelers' running game, which produced just 32 yards on 13 attempts against the Patriots. "We ran the ball 10 times in the first half. It probably wasn't as efficient as we would want. I probably got a little bit down when we didn't make the first third-and-1. I think we had more in (the run game) and we didn't get it. And that probably drained on me for the next several calls I made."
That would explain the pitch to James Conner that lost four yards and then failed back-to-back passes in one-yard-to-go situations, once on fourth down and once on third-and-goal.
"There was a point where maybe game circumstances affected it. But we don't want to neglect the run."
That will be a point of emphasis this week when the Steelers (0-1) return home to face the Seahawks. But it won't be easy. Seattle allowed just 34 yards rushing on 14 carries in a 21-20 win over the Bengals last week, though losing starting running back Joe Mixon early to a sprained ankle didn't help.
"When it comes down to it, we need to execute," Ben Roethlisberger said. "Whether it is third-and-long or third-and-short, we just all need to be better."
That starts with Fichtner. And admitting your mistakes is a good place to start.
Fichtner also knows he made a mistake in not only not utilizing the running backs, but not keeping them on the field, as well. Conner played just 31 of 67 offensive snaps in the game, while backup Jaylen Samuels played 13.
Being down by three scores didn't help, but one of the few plays he won on the field in the second half was a 3-yard run by Conner to the New England 1 that left the Steelers with third-and-goal. The next play was a fade pass to wide receiver Donte Moncrief that fell incomplete, leading to the Steelers kicking a field goal.
"You've got to trust yourself. You've got to trust the preparation," Fichtner said. "You're going to get beaten maybe at the point of attack. Maybe you might make a bad cut and not get one (yard). Doesn't mean the scheme was bad. Maybe the next time might be good. You've just got to stick to your guns. If we stick to our guns and do what we do, and do what we do better, it doesn't matter what they do. I might have gotten away from that for a short period of time in the third-and-shorts."
It also didn't help the team's wide receivers had a rough game. Moncrief struggled through what he called "the worst game of his career," catching just three of 10 passes thrown his way, for seven total yards. And Ryan Switzer, who played the third-most snaps of the receivers, averaged just 4.8 yards per catch on his six receptions.
Figuring out a pecking order behind JuJu Smith-Schuster and Moncrief is something on which Fichtner continues to work.
"You'd like to have that kind of pecking order," he said. "Collectively, we've got to all find a way to get the job done. That doesn't mean we're going to sit guys and maybe get them out of rhythm. You'd love to be able to find your (no.) 2/(no.) 3 receivers that you're comfortable with. Some of them are kind of new, whether they're a rookie, whether they're a free agent, trying to find out exactly what their rhythms are. We're still defining some roles right now. Obviously, we've got to catch the ball better. But I would tell Ben and myself, we've got to throw the ball better. We're capable of doing that."
Getting tight end Vance McDonald involved more would also be a good place to start.
McDonald got just four targets in the game, catching two passes for 40 yards. He was not targeted at all in the first half and both of his catches came in the final two minutes of the game.
"That wasn't by choice," Fichtner said. "We anticipated some double (teams) and we got manned on every play. We put him in some positions that if he pulled a double and JuJu pulled the other, that he probably wouldn't be in play (for a pass). We saw that every time they played zone, he had a chance, and when they played man, he didn't."
And the Patriots played man throughout the game until the bitter end.
That means guys have to beat the man in front of them and when they do, break a tackle attempt or two to make something happen.
"That's where we've got to be a little bit better, play a little more aggressive that way," Fichtner said. "I didn't think we played overly tentative, not to discredit their tackling ability. We've got to be better at run after (the catch) all around."
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