The Pittsburgh Steelers came away with a 21-14 win over the New England Patriots, but the offense continues to be a major concern. After putting up 14 points in the first half, the unit completely stalled until finally retaking the lead with a touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Even with the defense forcing five turnovers, the offense only managed to score twice off those opportunities.
Heading into Week 4, the issues are clear. The run game does not exist, and outside of the Week 1 showing, there has been no consistent passing threat. The defense was able to turn things around, but the offense once again looked lifeless and very familiar to what fans have seen in recent years.
The run-first approach is not working for this team, and it is time to get back to what worked in Week 1 and lean more on the passing game.
Pittsburgh Steelers having Aaron Rodgers means nothing if they refuse to open up the passing game
The Steelers' passing attack looks extremely limited, with little creativity or variety in their concepts. In Week 1, we saw explosive plays created by scheming receivers open, but since then, that part of the offense has completely disappeared.
There are a few possible reasons. Maybe Arthur Smith does not trust this offensive line. Maybe he thinks Rodgers is limited at this stage of his career. Or maybe he simply does not know how to best use his personnel.
Whatever the case, you cannot survive in the NFL by living on passes at or behind the line of scrimmage. The middle of the field and the intermediate levels have to be part of the plan. Rodgers may not have the athleticism he once had, but his arm is still elite and more than capable of making every throw.
The opener showed what works best: using play action and the pass to set up the run. That approach was efficient. The current run first philosophy is not. If this offense wants to score, it needs to open up the passing game and let Rodgers cook.
Personnel usage has been another major issue. DK Metcalf, making over 30 million a year, should be used as a deep threat and trusted on jump balls instead of being limited to quick game routes. Calvin Austin, one of the fastest players on the field, should be stretched vertically and put in space to create run-after-catch opportunities. Jonnu Smith, acquired for his ability after the catch, is being wasted in screen concepts. These are playmakers, but they are not being used as such.
Smith’s insistence on playing a physical, run-heavy brand of football is clashing with reality. The offensive line is not built to dominate, and forcing a ground attack that goes nowhere only leaves the offense constantly behind the sticks. At some point, the stubbornness has to stop.
This team will not go anywhere without complementary football, and that starts with the passing game. The question has to be asked — what is the point of having Aaron Rodgers if you are not going to run a legitimate passing offense around him?