The biggest problem with the Steelers offense through recent weeks

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a glaring issue on offense, and this issue is fueled by their biggest strength

The Pittsburgh Steelers played pretty poorly against the Dallas Cowboys. The Steelers offense was rough to watch and kept Blitzburgh on the field far too much throughout the game. All in all even while facing a 4th string quarterback, the defense did pretty well to limit Dallas to just one touchdown and 4 field goals, while they generated two turnovers. The problem Pittsburgh faced on offense is a problem that some of the worst offenses in the league have at the current moment. The reason for this issue actually stems from the team’s incredible amount of young talent all over their offense that makes them so balanced.

Steelers offensive identity

They lack any sort of identity on offense. On defense, everyone knows that the Steelers will play physical and get after opposing quarterbacks. They will force mistakes and create turnovers. Yet, on offense, the Steelers have something in common with teams like the Bears and the Jets. These teams have no identity offensively. When you look at teams like Baltimore and San Fransisco, they run the ball. They will throw it and deviate from their identity when they have to, however, they are primarily run-first teams. Kansas City and Green Bay, you know that they are going to throw the ball. They will try to hit you deep or use a short/intermediate passing game, with different screens and things of that nature. Again, they can deviate from their identity when they need to, yet you know what those offenses’ are looking to do.

It would be idiotic to just compare the Steelers offense to teams like the Bears, or Jets without any kind of context. Pittsburgh has far more talent in almost every offensive position than any of these teams. Yet, much worse teams in the league have an identity on offense and can rely on that to win them games. Before Ben’s injury, our offense had an identity. They were going to utilize their superstar wide receiver Antonio Brown with a couple of catch and run opportunities, but primarily get him on deep passes, and superstar running back Le’Veon Bell who would get 5-7 targets a game receiving, and rarely didn’t garner 18+ carries. Before the killer B’s they liked to run the ball and found ways to keep hall of fame level defenses fresh. They would score lower amounts of points, but they would put some of the best defenses of all time in positions to win games for them and it worked.

Steelers offensive style

Now there is a glaring issue. Ben has been getting everyone involved on offense week in and week out. Yet, I have no idea what Pittsburgh actually wants to do on offense. Against Houston, they seemed content to run the ball while getting into the RedZone and then targeting their larger playmakers like Ebron, and Claypool. Against Baltimore, they started off with a short passing attack that was largely unsuccessful before deciding to spread the defense out and looking for match-ups to exploit in the second half. They went to a similar style against Dallas in the second half as well.

If Mike Tomlin, Randy Fichtner, and Ben Roethlisberger want the chance to have their complete football game, then they need to decide what their style of offense is and quick. To me, the reason why Pittsburgh’s offense is starting slow is that they are letting defenses pick and choose what the offense should do. It is great that Pittsburgh has enough talent all over the offense that they have been able to score in ways that opposing defenses are daring them to. Whether it is throwing deep, short, or running the ball they have found ways to win. Yet, it isn’t enough just to be able to respond on offense, they have to set the tone.

Pittsburgh has the talent and the line to get a running game going, but they find themselves getting complacent in scheming in recent weeks. It is a lot of the same inside zone run schemes that James Conner is having to fight way too hard to get 3 or 4 yards at a time while breaking a decent one now and again. They are too quick to abandon the run as well. Dallas had the worst run defense in the league coming into Week 9 allowing around 170 rushing yards a game. That is historically bad. The running backs for the black and gold had a combined 15 carries. Worse was that until the final drive, James Conner had 6 carries on the game. Until the final drive, McFarland and Snell had been given the same amount of carries combined as Conner.

While passing the ball, JuJu and Ebron have been the most reliable targets Ben has had all season. They have the best catch % on the team of guys with at least 30 targets and they have been getting a lot of first downs for the Steelers. Yet, Ben is so focused on spreading the ball around he seems too afraid to throw it to his most reliable playmakers until late in games when it is all on the line. JuJu needs to see more targets in the first half throughout the remainder of the season without him an entire touchdown drive in Week 9, one in which he caught every completed pass on the drive including the touchdown, doesn’t happen.

Ebron needs to get more options than the same crossing route he has been running all season. If Pittsburgh wants to be a pass-first team then they need to get more creative, and they need to rely on their more established presences first. I have been a big fan of how balanced they are this season. Yet, it has given rise to the biggest issue this team has right now and that is a complete lack of identity on offense.