The Steelers were exposed in Week 2, but the results aren’t shocking

With the Steelers suffering their first loss of the season last Sunday, it seems as though the team has made what to expect of them clear.

There was legitimate hope for the Steelers when they came from behind to upset the Bills in week one, but a swift turnaround and loss to the Raiders has dashed the idea that this team is still a top unit. The issue is, this team has become completely one-dimensional, and when they aren’t firing on all cylinders, they are going to struggle to compete.

To say this defense played at an elite level in week one is an understatement. While the Bills still moved the ball, the Steelers countered them with key stops, punts, and turnovers. Meanwhile, the team’s pass rush was consistently in the Bills backfield and wreaking havoc. The secondary did more than enough to prevent big plays and keep the Bills in check.

Week two started off mostly the same, despite the team being down three key starters on defense before the first snap. By midway through the game, the team was down five starters, with one of them being T.J. Watt. While the defense was still playing ok, it went from an elite group to more of an average one, and one that the Raiders could expose and move the ball against.

The Steelers have had one constant

Through the first two weeks, the Steelers have seen only one aspect of their team remain consistent: the offense. Unfortunately, that isn’t a good thing when this group has yet to top 300 total yards. This team’s offense is playing, at best, average, and in all honestly pretty below average to this point.

In their week one win, the offense only had 250 total yards. They benefited from some key defensive and special teams plays. When the offense had the ball though, they still struggled to move down the field. With the defense playing worse in week two (again, due to injuries), all of sudden this offense was asked to do more than it was capable of. As a result, they failed to move the ball and lost.

What does this mean for the Steelers going forward?

For those shocked by the week two outcome, you really shouldn’t be. This was an offense in the offseason that focused on “improving the run”, but also completely rebuilt its offensive line but barely invested in it. Essentially, this offense entered the season with a better running back, a worse line, and a veteran quarterback who struggled down the final stretch of games in 2020.

All of that doesn’t matter when the defense is shutting down offenses. But when that unit struggles, the offense won’t be there to bail them out. That is the reason that this team is average and will likely stay average. No one on the offense is showing that they can win games on their own right now.

While the line should see a small boost with the eventual return of Zach Banner, the overall build of the group is likely going to need a year before significant improvements are made. Meanwhile, prized first-round pick Najee Harris has proven that he does need a good line to be successful.

Though he has all the traits of a good running back, he isn’t a Derrick Henry type of player that can succeed on his own right now. 83 yards rushing and 130 total yards is a pathetic start for him, and the team can’t count on him in this current setting to win them games.

As for Ben Roethlisberger, he is in a similar boat as everyone above. He can put together a few drives a game, but don’t expect much else. At the end of the day, this is a unit built entirely around its defense. If that group falters or struggles, the offense won’t be able to win on its own.

In essence, week two showed the true identity of what the 2021 Steelers are. No, the sky isn’t falling, and this team will likely finish with an average record in the 7–9-win column. Any winning that occurs though will be due to the defense playing at an elite level, not because the offense is a good unit. This team is what it is at this point. Their loss to the Raiders shouldn’t be maddening or surprising; it was indicative of how the 2021 Steelers are built.