The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t run the ball enough in 2018
By Tommy Jaggi
The Pittsburgh Steelers got away from the run towards the end of the 2018 season. Here’s why they need to get back to running the football.
The Steelers are typically a team that takes a very balanced approach to offensive play calling. They would give Le’Veon Bell a couple dozen touches and still allow Ben Roethlisberger to air it out when need be.
Last year, however, the Steelers got away from the run game toward the end of the season, and it showed.
James Conner started off his sophomore campaign with Pittsburgh in a remarkable way – churning out 135 yards and a score on the ground on 31 carries. However, despite his success on the ground against Cleveland in week one, Randy Fichtner gave him just 8 carries the following week in a loss to the Chiefs.
Though the flow of the game certainly could have played a factor in Pittsburgh’s offensive game-plan, the Steelers typically struggled when they got away from the run in 2018.
In fact, in games when James Conner carried the ball 13 times or less, the Steelers were 2-3 on the season. To go even further, in games where James Conner had at least 20 total touches, the Steelers boasted a record of 6-0 last season.
Obviously, there are other factors that come into play, but is certainly worth noting the difference in outcome when the run game is involved.
The Steelers made questionable decisions down the stretch last season. In games against the Broncos and Chargers, Conner ran the ball just 13 and 15 times, respectively.
Of course the Steelers lost both match-ups, and while Conner rushed for at least 4.0 yards per carry in each contest, Fichtner decided it was a good idea to allow Ben to throw the ball 56 and 45 times, respectively, in those two losses.
Even in the final game of the season against the Bengals, Conner had just 14 carries, despite averaging 4.6 yards on the ground. Meanwhile, Roethlisberger threw the ball a whopping 45 times and managed to muster up a mere 16 points.
By the end of the season, Roethlisberger ended up throwing the ball an astounding 675 times, while Conner and the Steelers backfield received just 300 total carries – 21 less than Le’Veon Bell himself in 2017.
With Ben throwing the ball so much, he ultimately led the NFL in interceptions with 16 – interceptions that ended up costing the Steelers dearly down the stretch.
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The Steelers need to find a more balanced approach to their offense in 2019. If they can find a way for James Conner and the run game to get more involved, it may lead to more success for Pittsburgh this year. However, if they continue to pass the ball twice as much as they run it, they are bound to repeat the mistakes of the past.