We haven't even hit October yet, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are already spiraling into a doomsday scenario. The reunion between Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers isn't working, as the offense has plummeted toward the bottom of the league.
Pittsburgh's Week 2 loss to the New England Patriots, in which they scored just three points, has forced the coaching staff to look for an answer.
They might find it in rookie wide receiver Germie Bernard. If used correctly, he can be the missing piece that Aaron Rodgers needs to get back on track this season.
Germie Bernard's connection with Aaron Rodgers is the key to fixing the Pittsburgh Steelers' offense
The numbers haven't been pretty so far for Pittsburgh's passing game. Through two weeks, the Steelers rank 31st in EPA per pass, 31st in passing success rate, and 32nd in passing yards per attempt. They've only escaped a trifecta of last-place rankings because Cooper Rush and the Atlanta Falcons exist.
Still, the Steelers insist on relying on the passing game as the engine of the offense. They currently rank third in passing rate, and while an early deficit to the Patriots dictates some of that, they still ranked in the top ten in passing rate in Week 1. It's the Aaron Rodgers way.
So if Rodgers is going to insist on playing this style of offense, the Steelers need to find him more consistent answers. That's where Bernard comes in.
The second-round rookie isn't the flashiest player. His athleticism is middling, and his physical profile isn't going to scare defenses. But he's reliable.
In Bernard's final season at Alabama, his quarterbacks had a passer rating of 112.5 when targeting him. He dropped just one pass on 102 targets. Keep in mind, the Crimson Tide had some of the most dynamic athletes in the world on their roster. But Bernard became the focal point of the offense because he could be counted on.
Bernard is somewhat limited against man coverage, but he thrives against zone looks. He knows where the soft spots will be, and he can present his quarterback with an easy target when he gets there.
Still, the Steelers aren't using him like this. In 21 routes against zone coverage this season, Bernard has only been targeted twice. He has two receptions for 29 yards on those plays.
If used as a quick option against zone coverage, Bernard can give Rodgers the outlet that he needs. Of course, Michael Pittman Jr. fills a similar role, but Rodgers' style of offense could use two answers in those looks.
Bernard stepped into a bigger role in Week 2 with Pittman Jr. out. He didn't have his best game (nobody did), but he showed flashes of efficiency when used in his ideal role.
As the rookie develops throughout the season, he could have the tools to pull Pittsburgh's offense out of the muck.
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