While it is far too early in the season to draw final conclusions, these four Steelers really need to step up their overall game.
The Steelers are off to a middling start in 2021. Their defense, when healthy, has looked elite while their offense has floundered to begin the year. While the game as a whole is a team effort, there have been quite a few players that have started the year off with more of a whimper than a bang. That all said, here are the four Steelers that need to play better against the Bengals in week three.
Steelers Kevin Dotson
While most were hesitant about the Steelers’ offensive line heading into the 2021 season, Kevin Dotson was the one surefire thing. The former fourth-round rookie looked great in limited action in 2020, and his ascension to starter was far from a surprise. He was a mauler in year one, and everyone expected him to make a jump as a full-time starter.
Training camp proved to be a weird time for Dotson, as reports were consistently coming out that the team was upset with his progress. Despite that, he made his way back to the field and looked good in the preseason. The hope was still there that he would be the leader along the Steelers line.
While his play hasn’t been bad, it certainly hasn’t lived up to the lofty expectations he had going into the season. PFF has him credited for a sack and a penalty while giving him an overall grade of 57.2. While he has been far from a weak link, Dotson needs to harness some of the play he had as a rookie. It’s been a slower start for him, and the Bengals would be a good time for him to get back on the right track.