Steelers Offense Dominates Redskins as New Stars Emerge

The Pittsburgh Steelers trounced the Washington Redskins 38-16 in the regular season opener behind their patented offensive attack – one that saw young stars, as well as established All-Pros, step up and make plays.

The goal is 30 points per game. Check off the Steelers as 1/1 in that regard.

Monday night served as a helpful reminder to what we already knew: the Steelers offense is scary. A redundant statement, yes, but one that is too obvious to not bring up.

Saying the Steelers offense is scary is equivalent to being drenched in sweat on a summer day and saying “It’s hot.” Nothing new is being experienced, but we are compelled to describe it again. We already know, yet can’t help but remind ourselves.

This is the power that the Steelers offense contains. The sheer amount of talent alone makes for any mismatch on paper. When the offense actually takes the field, it can resemble a video game…

…which isn’t always a good thing. In the first quarter, the Steelers offense looked like it was being controlled by a toddler playing Madden. The entire unit was out-of-sync, failing to move upfield. No points were scored. Watching an offense of this caliber perform so poorly is not just surprising, but infuriating.

The tides turned in the second quarter, however, as Mike Tomlin opted to stop living in his fears. On a fourth-and-one in Washington territory, Ben Roethlisberger sold a play action and dropped a dime to Antonio Brown in the end zone. Double coverage, no problem.

Tomlin is a risk-taker, and his aggressive attitude on fourth downs has landed him in hot water before. But he’s surely not changing, and his mindset is largely reinforced by the offense he has at his disposal.

Roethlisberger connected with Brown again for a third quarter touchdown. Redskins cornerback Bashaud Breeland was cooked by AB all game, and Josh Norman stuck to the other side of the field. Brown finished the night with eight catches for 126 yards and two scores.

This is standard procedure for Brown. Similarly, DeAngelo Williams put on a killer performance. After a slow start, Williams tallied 143 rushing yards on 26 attempts. His two touchdowns in the fourth quarter cemented the game for Pittsburgh.

Roethlisberger, Brown, Williams … the big names did their thing. What’s even more impressive, though, is how young players stepped in and produced for the Steelers.

In his first regular season game, the Steelers trusted Eli Rogers to roll with the starting offense. He didn’t disappoint. Rogers displayed the poise of a veteran as he reeled in six passes for 59 yards. His first NFL touchdown came in unexpected fashion.

Sammie Coates only had two catches, but a 42-yard lob from Roethlisberger helped drive the Steelers to the red zone. Coates provided solid run blocking at the goal line as well.

Jesse James’ night was reminiscent of a classic, gritty Heath Miller game as he caught five passes for 38 yards. James absorbed a number of hard hits over the middle and was relied upon heavily as a blocker. Being the Steelers #1 tight end isn’t glamorous, but The Outlaw has proven to be up for the challenge.

Moving forward, the key for these young Steelers is consistency. They won’t be needing heroic performances every week – the All-Pros are here for that – but they must remain ready for anything.

Rogers filled in for Markus Wheaton seamlessly. Coates did his part as the deep threat. James handled the dirty work underneath. Next man up, as Coach Tomlin likes to preach.

Ben and Brown will continue to be prolific, and Le’Veon Bell is set to return in a few weeks. Assuming Wheaton’s shoulder injury is minor, he’ll be back in the lineup as well. This Steelers offense should only get better as injuries heal and suspensions end.

Next: James Harrison's special tribute

When tough times arise, the Steelers offense will need quality players to mind the gaps. If Monday night was any indication, those players have already emerged.

All stats used via NFL.com.