The Pittsburgh Steelers were forced to go into battle against the Chicago Bears this week without starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers, with Mason Rudolph being tasked with getting the Steelers a much-needed road victory.
Unfortunately, the Steelers failed to show up in multiple facets, falling 31-28 to the surging Bears. There is plenty of blame to go around for the loss, with the defense getting bullied at times and the offense making multiple back-breaking mistakes.
One thing that is clear following Week 12, however, is that the offense has no ability to push the ball down the field. Many thought that Rodgers' aversion to being hit was the primary reason for the lack of deep shots in the offense, and that Rudolph getting a chance to play could unlock that element of the passing game.
If this game is any indication, however, the real reason is more about the talent at receiver.
The Pittsburgh Steelers need to upgrade their receiving threats to unlock the deep ball
The Steelers were undoubtedly hoping that adding DK Metcalf would provide them with a deep threat to help open up space for their other playmakers, but that hasn't been the case. Metcalf had just three receptions on deep passes this season, with just one touchdown coming into this game as well. He was admittedly banged up in this game, as were several others, but he didn't add to his total in that department.
It's not just a Metcalf problem, either. The Steelers as a team came into Week 12 with just 11 completions on throws of 20 yards or more down the field. Instead of pushing the ball down the field to create explosive plays, they have relied on their playmakers to do so after the catch.
While they have done a good job overall at doing so, the passing offense is still average at best compared to the rest of the NFL. You saw late in the game, as the Steelers tried to get into field goal range to tie it up, that the Bears had no fear of getting beat over the top. That doesn't excuse Rudolph's poor day throwing downfield, but he rarely had good looks to complete those deep passes, even if they were more accurate.
If Pittsburgh wants to be the run-heavy, defense-first team they are clearly trying to be, then they have to find a way to unlock the deep passing game. Whether it's more under-center play action or trying to get better matchups for Metcalf to win vertically, the offense will continue to be held back unless something changes.
The real fix would be adding more talent to their receiving group, but that won't be something they can act on until after the season at this point. Hopefully, general manager Omar Khan realizes that he needs to find a true top target to pair with Metcalf and company.