The Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off another despicable performance in the passing game. Against the Buffalo Bills in Week 13, Aaron Rodgers was able to lead the offense to just one score in the 26-7 loss while mustering up a mere 117 yards and completing 10 of 21 passes through the air.
Over Rodgers' past five starts, the 42-year-old quarterback has averaged a dismal 163.2 passing yards per game on just 5.9 yards an attempt to go with an 83.5 passer rating. The all-22 film suggests the Steelers' receivers and tight ends aren't innocent here, as they need to create more separation at the top of their routes.
However, the biggest issue with the passing game couldn't be more obvious: the Steelers still refuse to use the middle of the field.
In the Steelers' Week 13 loss to the Bills, Rodgers attempted just one pass over the middle of the field that traveled more than seven yards past the line of scrimmage. In his previous game action against the Bengals in Week 11, Rodgers didn't complete a single pass beyond seven air yards over the middle of the field.
This is not just an Aaron Rodgers problem. In Week 12—when Rodgers was unable to suit up against the Chicago Bears due to his fractured wrist—Mason Rudolph only attempted one pass in the middle of the field more than 10 yards past the line of scrimmage.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a major philosophy problem in the passing game
The biggest issue with the Steelers' passing offense is clear: they must be able and willing to pass the ball over the middle of the field. While Rodgers and Rudolph have been downright bad in recent weeks, we can also point to the conservative game plan as part of the issue.
Because Mike Tomlin's flawed 'winning' philosophy is to take the football away and avoid giving the football away, the Steelers minimize risk on offense by intentionally avoiding the middle of the field for most of the game. While it's true that risky plays can come between the hashes, Pittsburgh's offense is greatly limited by the lack of risk in the passing game.
READ MORE: Steelers officially have a massive Aaron Rodgers problem after Week 13
Without running consistent slants and posts over the middle of the field, the Steelers' receivers are limited to working outside the numbers. This makes it harder for them to get open and minimizes big-play ability. It also limits quarterback production (which has been easy to see).
There's a reason the Pittsburgh Steelers have lost five of their last seven games. This team has no shortage of issues entering Week 14, but if they don't start utilizing the middle of the field in the passing game, they can't expect things to get better.