It's been an inauspicious start to the season for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the reasons why are plentiful. The highly-paid defense has been a turnstile against both the run and pass, the offense cannot move the ball on the ground, and the pass protection has left a 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers scrambling to avoid pressure.
That last point is maybe the most concerning. It would be surprising for Pittsburgh to remain nearly this bad on defense for the rest of the season, especially as they appear likely to face multiple backup quarterbacks over the next few contests.
The offensive line, however, may be a season-long concern, and it starts with the poor play of 2023 first-round pick Broderick Jones. After an awful game against the New York Jets where he gave up three sacks, he had yet another poor showing in a home loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Despite his continued struggles, Coach Mike Tomlin believes he played significantly better from Week 1 to 2, according to ESPN's Brooke Pryor.
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin gives unwarranted praise to struggling Broderick Jones
Fans may scoff at Tomlin's assertion that Jones played much better in Week 2 compared to Week 1, but he is right to say so. Technically, at least.
Yes, Jones certainly was significantly more sound in pass protection against Seattle, but only in comparison to his Week 1 debacle. He still gave up three pressures and a sack according to Pro Football Focus, but that looks a lot more promising than the three sacks and four pressures given up against New York.
His Week 2 would be a rough game by most solid starting left tackles, and yet Tomlin was correct in saying it was a big leap compared to his season debut. That doesn't factor in his abysmal showing as a run blocker, consistently being bodied by the Seahawks' deep rotation of edge defenders.
I believe Tomlin is just trying to instill some confidence into his young left tackle, but it's clear that things are heading in a bad direction. Offensive line coach Pat Meyer bears plenty of blame, given the lack of development by any of the Steelers' young linemen, but Jones deserves his fair share.
He is maddeningly inconsistent with his technique, in particular, his hand usage and inability to keep defenders away from his chest. He has all the tools needed to be a dominant run blocker, but he rarely uses them to his benefit.
Benching him may not improve things, considering the lack of depth at tackle, but it may be the best thing for him to take a breath and reset his game. If things don't improve quickly, however, Jones' career as a Steeler could be over sooner rather than later.