3 winners and 3 losers from Steelers 19-14 win vs. Ravens

Losers: The running game

The Steelers running unit is an absolute disaster. From the play calling to the players actually running the ball, this unit has become the weakest on the team and one of the worst in football. The Ravens had most of their best defensive linemen struggling with injuries or out with COVID, yet this group did little to get going.

This was a big week for Benny Snell, and he ultimately didn’t show up. He wasn’t horrible, especially late in the game, but he has his obvious limitations as a runner. His breakaway speed is lacking, but his ability to push the pile makes him at least a decent short-yardage back. As for Anthony McFarland, he looked shifty with the ball in his hands, but he didn’t do enough with the limited touches he received.

The real problem with the group was their play calling. Yes, the Steelers’ strength is in their passing attack, but that doesn’t mean you can’t just not run the ball. Eventually, a secondary will be able to stop them, and if they can’t run the ball, this offense will stall. Even in short-yardage and goal-line situations, the Steelers opt to keep the ball in the air. It’s horrible and makes little sense. Whoever is calling the offense needs to be willing to run the ball more often, or else this unit may stall out down the stretch.