The Pittsburgh Steelers started their preseason strong with a 31-25 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday night. After going winless in last year’s preseason, Pittsburgh looked ready to compete right from the opening snap. The defense, made up mostly of backups, managed to hold Jacksonville’s starting offense to just three points.
On the Steelers’ first offensive possession, Mason Rudolph led an impressive touchdown drive that set the tone for the rest of the game. The passing game, which was a weakness last season, looked surprisingly sharp and could be a positive sign for the regular season.
However, one recurring issue from last year showed up again on Saturday and remains an area of concern moving forward
Without a ground game, this Pittsburgh Steelers offense doesn't stand a chance
Last season, the Steelers had the fourth most rushing attempts in the NFL, but their team yards per carry were among the worst in the league. This shows they stayed committed to the run game even when it was not working, and it directly impacted how the offense performed. The result was an offense that frequently struggled, often falling behind in down and distance.
There were likely several reasons behind the poor rushing performance in 2024. Najee Harris did not seem to fit the scheme, and the offensive line had problems throughout the year. In response, the Steelers let Harris walk and drafted Kaleb Johnson, who was seen as an ideal fit for Arthur Smith’s system. Broderick Jones moved to left tackle, and Troy Fautanu returned, but outside of that, the offensive line remains mostly unchanged.
Saturday night’s preseason opener looked all too familiar.
For a team that prides itself on running the ball and is built around that identity, they simply could not do it. That must be addressed immediately, or the offense will once again fall short of expectations.
If the Steelers cannot run the ball effectively, this season will likely mirror the last few. The wide receiver group lacks star power, and Aaron Rodgers, at 41 years old, is not in a position to carry the offense through high-volume passing. It is also risky to lean heavily on the passing game with a quarterback of his age, as it increases the chance of injury.
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This offense is not built to win with constant passing. It needs to be grounded in one of the most efficient and powerful rushing attacks in the league. That should be the foundation. The good news is that we saw plenty of play action on Saturday, which is a step in the right direction. But play action only works when the defense fears the run. If the run game continues to fail, that entire part of the offense becomes useless.
Maybe what we saw was just rust in the preseason opener. But if this continues into the regular season, there will be real cause for concern. The 2025 Steelers will not accomplish anything meaningful unless the ground game takes a major step forward. If it does, this team could become a serious problem for opponents.