There is a lot of talk this week about Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley getting a crack at the organization that fired him last December. Everyone writes that Haley wants to run the score up on the Kansas City Chiefs if given the opportunity.
Haley told the media on Thursday that there will be no extra motivation Monday night when he faces the team that fired him and insist that this week will be no different than any other week.
“Every game of the week is the biggest game of the year,” Haley told reporters. “This is the biggest game of the year as far as I am concerned, because it’s this week.”
I really don\’t care whether or not Haley hangs a 50 burger on the Chiefs, but I do hope that there is enough cushion late in the game for backup quarterback Byron Leftwich to get some work.
Since coming back to the Steelers in 2010, Leftwich has played all of 18 snaps and they all came in the 2010 season finale against the Cleveland Browns. Leftwich was 5-of-7 for 42 yards in relief of Roethlisberger in that game and sacked twice.
A broken arm suffered against the Atlanta Falcons last August in the preseason cost Leftwich the entire 2011 season. This preseason he made it though healthy and was 8-of-13 passing for 119 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Sure, Ben Roethlisberger has been the picture of heath this season, and has taken every snap from center, but we all know how just one play can change everything. Should the Steelers need Leftwich at any point this season, it would be great if they could give him a midseason opportunity Monday night to knock some of the rust off.
Besides, nothing says revenge for an offensive coordinator playing his former team like being able to get your backup quarterback mop up work.
