The 2013 Steelers are wrapping up the final quarter of the season with a seemingly tough road to get into the playoffs, and it made me think about what needs to be done with this team in order to contend for a title sooner rather than later.
The window is closing for Ben Roethlisberger and I have to believe he wants another legitimate shot at the Lombardi Trophy before he officially hangs them up. The Steelers will likely give him a “Steeler for life” extension ensuring he retires as a member of the Steelers. So what does he have to come back to for next season and beyond? What weapons are in the closet and what needs to be purchased for him? Going over what has transpired over the course of this season, I have reason to believe the offense may actually be a force next year and carry the defense for once given a couple of moves are made in the offseason.
Currently Roethlisberger is playing at an All Pro level in terms of pre snap reads, play calling, and overall playmaking. So the quarterback situation is set. The Steelers also have a running back stable that could be formidable at least in 2014 with LeVeon Bell and Johnathan Dwyer. Once Laron Stephens-Howling is healthy and available, he will help to provide a dimension to the rushing attack that the Steelers don’t have right now. He’s quick, agile, has great hands, and very shifty.
The offensive line in conjunction with Roethlisberger’s no huddle play calling lately has kept him relatively clean. According to ESPN statistics, Ben has been sacked five times in the last five games as opposed to twenty times in the first five games of the season. This is with the changes at the left tackle and center position due injuries. The play on the field has gotten better and Ben called plenty of no huddle plays.
The wide receiver position features Antonio Brown who is playing at a pro bowl level to say the least and Jerricho Cotchery who has done nothing but catch touchdowns this year with 9 of them hauled in by him with two games left. Emmanuel Sanders will likely be gone after this season and Markus Wheaton is a rookie so he will be available next season to contribute. Also, don’t forget about Derek Moye who caught a touchdown.
Tight end is a bit of a sore spot with the only viable option being a 31-year-old Heath Miller who is still regaining form after a torn ACL and MCL injury. The rest of the tight ends on the team other than Matt Speath likely will not be on the team next year. It is likely that the Steelers will look to draft another young TE to groom as a successor to Miller.
As one can see, the cabinet isn’t as bare as it looked in the beginning of the season. The offense looked completely inept and stagnant the first four games. Now there have been flashes of very good offensive play whether on the ground or through the air. This shift in offensive play was helped by the return of Bell and Miller as well as the continuity between Roethlisberger and the offensive line.
Don’t believe me, just look at the statistics. Since the Steelers first win against the New York Jets, the points scored per game has been 25.2 points per game. When adding in the first four games of the season, the total scoring drops to 22.9 points a game. The extra field goal per game average has certainly been the difference in wins and losses.
Although the offense has improved overall, the one area the Steelers do not seem to be improving at all is in the redzone. They simply lack the players that can win 50-50 balls in the air against six foot plus corners. Antonio Brown is 5’10” with above average leaping ability and Jerricho Cotchery doesn’t have the height or leaping ability to be the mismatch that they need. Heath Miller is the only reliable receiving threat that is big enough to win those kind of matchups but it’s difficult solely depend on him coming off of a major injury and being over 30 years old. Here are some tweaks to the Steelers offense that will take them from just a solid offense to potentially an elite offense.
1) The Steelers need to go after a Wide Receiver in the draft to compliment Antonio Brown. Brown isn’t very strong and doesn’t create mismatches based on his sheer size, strength, speed, and/or athleticism. Roethlisberger can also benefit from an addition like this on offense that he hasn’t had since Plaxico Burress. Luckily Mike Evans and possibly Kelvin Benjamin will be available in theDraft come May. Both are 6’5” with long arms that can high point passes in the air. Not to mention Sammy Watkins is 6’1” with rare, borderline Mike Wallace speed at the receiver position. I predict the Steelers will be picking between spots 10-14. At least one of those three receivers will be available.
2) The Steelers also need to groom a replacement of Heath Miller. More importantly, to be an elite offense, you need to threaten the field deep in between the hashes. This threat will not only help the play action game but also the running game. Austin Seferian-Jenkins may fall into the early second based on character issues alone but he is the prototype for the modern tight end. Huge frame, quality blocker, outstanding speed and quickness in and out of breaks. Also, Eric Ebron and possibly Jace Amaro fit in the modern tight end mold. All three would be welcome as new additions to the team come May.
The Steelers offense as a whole is giving me optimism going into next season. Roethlisberger has been allowed to call his own plays more often which has helped him have a career year. Antonio Brown and LeVeon Bell are solid offensive cornerstones to build around. Finally the offensive line has looked better in terms of competing in the running game and keeping Roethlisberger clean in the passing game. The majority of the offense outside of Roethlisberger, Cotchery, and Miller are in their 20s. It’s as if the offense that played the Bengals in week 2 is a different team than the one that played the Bengals Sunday night.
This offense can grow together and get even better next season. If the Steelers provide Roethlisberger with another big play receiver and tight end, he will be able to take his offense to new heights. Field goals will turn to touchdowns, those touchdowns will help the Steelers win games, and maybe those wins will turn into Superbowl number seven.
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