There’s no doubt about it, the Steelers’ offense is struggling this season. The QB has struggled, the OC has struggled, the offensive line has struggled, and the skilled guys have struggled. We knew this offense was going to have growing pains, but did they have to be this painful? Ben Roethlisberger went 38 for 58 for 318 yards, 1 TD and 2 interceptions in Week 3 vs. the Cincinnati Bengals. Najee Harris had 14 carries for 40 yards, and also had 14 catches for 102 yards. For Cincinnati, Joe Burrow was pretty efficient on the day, going 14 of 18 for 172 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Joe Mixon rushed for 90 yards on 18 carries, and Ja’Marr Chase led the Bengals’ offense with 4 receptions, 65 yards, and 2 touchdowns. The Bengals didn’t have a “wow you” type of day, but they didn’t really need it against a defense plagued by injuries that includes game wrecker TJ Watt, and a struggling Steelers' offense. The Steelers 75-game sack streak came to an end on Sunday as well, as the defense struggled to get any pressure on Burrow. The Steelers travel to Lambeau Field on Sunday at 4:25pm ET to take on the Green Bay Packers.
Last week in review
The three things I noted to keep an eye on last week were:
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1) Next man up!
Missing both starting outside linebackers and the highest targeted wide receiver on the team, the Steelers needed some depth pieces to step up last week against the Bengals. Jamir Jones and Melvin Ingram III combined for 0 sacks, 0 tackles for loss, and 0 QB Hits. That’s not the kind of production that can get the job done filling in for Watt and Alex Highsmith. Last week would’ve been a great opportunity for James Washington to showcase his talents while filling in for Diontae Johnson. Washington caught 3 receptions for 20 yards on 5 targets.
2) Improvement on the offensive line
The Steelers’ offensive line gave up 4 sacks against Cincinnati and only gained 45 yards on the ground total. This group is going to have to grow together and play better as a unit if this offense is going to have any kind of production in the air or on the ground. Although at times, Roethlisberger’s decision making has been questionable, he doesn’t really get a lot of time to make decisions when dropping back.
3) Pushing the ball down the field will be key to opening up suspect running game
Roethlisberger threw for a 5.5 yards per attempt average on Sunday. That’s not exactly pushing the ball down the field. They’re just not taking many shots down the field and when they do, they’re not successful. This offense has too many deep threats and playmakers to constantly rely on check downs and screens. Defenses will continue to stack the box against the Steelers’ offense until they can prove that they can be successful pushing the ball through the air.
Let’s take a look at 3 things we should watch for against the Packers:
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1) TJ’s Back!
When anyone refers to Watt as a “defense-changing playmaker,” just look at last week’s tape against Cincinnati without him in the lineup. The Steelers’ defense struggled to put pressure on young Burrow. They didn’t register a sack and they didn’t even register a QB Hit. Watt will be back and the Steelers will need to get to Packers QB Aaron Rodgers early and often if they are going to have a chance on Sunday. Rodgers is perfectly capable of dicing up a defense inside or outside of the pocket, so TJ and company will need to make him feel the heat. If I had one prediction for this defense on Sunday, it would be that the Steelers’ defense will get back on track in the sack column! Expect a big game out of Watt!
2) Create a Turnover, Splash Play on Defense!
With a struggling offense, more opportunities can never be a bad thing. This defense is going to have to be leaned on in a lot of matchups this year, even when the offense can find a groove. In the Week 1 victory over the Buffalo Bills, the special team’s unit was able to block a punt and return it for a touchdown. It would be crazy to expect a play like that every week, but we can expect this defense to take advantage of opposing offense’s mistakes each week. With Rodgers leading the helm, you’re not going to see many mistakes, so the defense must take advantages of each one! Give this offense extra opportunities, it just really needs them right now.
3) If you get extra offensive opportunities, take advantage of them!
The Steelers held the ball for over 35 minutes of last week’s matchup against the Bengals and only scored 10 points in that time of possession. Just way too many empty possessions for an offense that has an incredible amount of talent and potential. Last week, Terrell Edmunds picked off a Burrow pass after it was tipped by Minkah Fitzpatrick and the offense failed to capitalize on it. This offense doesn’t have to be perfect; it just needs to take advantage of opportunities and convert on 3rd down to keep drives alive. Against the Bengals, the Steelers were 9 for 21 on 3rd and 4th downs. That number just isn’t going to cut it, if you’re trying to win games. If the Steelers are going to beat the Packers in Green Bay on Sunday afternoon, the offense must be better on crucial downs!
What do you think, Steeler Nation? What should we watch for against the Packers? Sound off in the comment section below, or on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram!
