The Pittsburgh Steelers play meaningful football this week as they head to New York to battle the Jets. It will be a tough contest, as the Steelers should be rusty since most of their starters missed numerous snaps during the preseason. A slow start should be expected, but that isn't anything out of the norm. Things could quickly become contentious if that turns into a trend.
Most of Steelers Nation is concerned about the unproven nature of the offensive line, the blend of new faces, and whether a second receiver will ever be found. Those are all at the top of the list of concerns following this roster, but things could get worse.
Pittsburgh better pray the team doesn't experience any further headaches across the depth chart that could put the club in peril.
Pittsburgh Steelers could derail their season if underlying issues worsen
Offensive line
The starting five is evident for the Steelers across the offensive line, but it is far from secure. They have four young players across the trenches who are entering this season with varying degrees of starting experience at their positions. Mason McCormick and Zach Frazier should be solid, but the two young offensive tackles are where the uncertainty around the group could cause issues.
Outside the success of Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu at the starting tackle spots, the offensive line has an underlying problem.
They lack quality depth behind the starters. The trenches saw significant injury issues last season, and that's something this roster cannot afford this year. The starters might be question marks, but those behind them could pose troublesome results.
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Failing to replace Minkah Fitzpatrick
Moving on from Minkah Fitzpatrick was shocking, but it shouldn't have been since the former star defensive back only had one interception over his final two seasons in Pittsburgh. They landed Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith in return for Fitzpatrick, which is good on paper. In a trade, you must give up something significant to get something of quality value.
The Steelers solved some of their problems by trading Fitzpatrick, but it tanked their safety position. They will rely on Juan Thornhill and Chuck Clark to replace the former Steelers star. Either option might outplay expectations, but that isn't expected. They are taking a massive gamble by rolling with their current group on the roster, and it could come back to bite them.
Aaron Rodgers battle with Father Time
What version of Aaron Rodgers will the Steelers have this season?
The answer to that question will determine if Pittsburgh sees its first playoff win since 2017, or if the club spirals once again. Rodgers joined the club after months of speculation about his arrival. He has shown an ability to talk a good game at his advanced age, but he must back that up with his play this season. Everyone is hoping for a Brett Favre-like Minnesota Vikings comeback.
It would be unrealistic to expect Rodgers to return to his previous MVP-caliber form. If he can show glimpses of that, the Steelers should succeed. They know the 41-year-old gunslinger has regressed, but he could still give them a shot at postseason triumph. If Rodgers doesn’t perform better than he did during his time in New York, the season will feel like a darkness retreat.