The Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t used to losing. They are the oldest franchise in NFL history. They have won more Super Bowl titles than any other team. So as one of the most successful and storied franchises in the NFL, missing the playoffs two years in a row would count as a disappointment. After suffering a rash of injuries last season, the Steelers rebuilt their defense through the draft and will look for their power running game to lead them back to the playoffs.
Offense
During the first game of the season last year, standout center MaurkicePouncey went down for the year with an injury. That started a domino effect of injuries for the Steelers and they limped out of the gate to an 0-4 start. They were left for dead by most people, but managed to rebound and finish 8-8. Had it not been for a missed chip shot field goal by Kansas City, they would have made the playoffs instead of the San Diego Chargers.
On offense, the loss of Pouncey really hurt as he was the leader of that unit. QB Ben Roethlisberger got off to a slow start, but eventually turned it on and finished with 28 touchdowns through the air. His primary target was WR Antonio Brown who caught over 100 passes for nearly 1500 yards on his way to a Pro Bowl and quickly cemented himself as one of the leagues best wideouts.
At running back, second-year starter Le’Veon Bell will carry the load and is an excellent all-around back. The Steelers signed LaGarrette Blount and he will bring a power running element to the team. Add in rookie Dri Archer, the third-round speedster who ran a 4.26 at the NFL Combine, and you have all areas covered in the backfield.
The offense should improve from a year ago. A healthy Pouncey will strengthen the offensive line and hopefully keep Roethlisberger from getting banged up as they can ill afford to lose their franchise signal caller. At wideout, Brown is back and will be matched up with the team’s best cornerback each week. Outside of him though is where it gets dicey. Emmanuel Sanders and JerrichoCotchery are both gone and they were good second and third receiving options. Rookie Martavis Bryant and second-year wideout Markus Wheaton will be relied upon to break out along with a free agent class led by veteran Lance Moore. The running game will be the focal point of this offense as they will emphasize a power running game led by Bell and Blount and look to get Archer involved wherever possible so that he can showcase his speed in the open field.
Defense
The Steelers defense got old and got old fast. James Harrison was a long-time standout for the Steelers and he was gone last year. Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor are back but they are getting up there in age. In this year’s draft, Pittsburgh addressed their defense with their first two picks they drafted LB Ryan Shazier and DL Stephon Tuitt. Both have very high ceilings and should make an immediate impact from day one, providing a much needed infusion of youth on the defensive side of the ball.
The Steelers gave up 55 points to New England last season. New England in past years has had a dynamic offense, but was hampered by free agent departures and injuries last season. For Pittsburgh to allow 55 points to that offense was a cause for major concern. Polamalu and Taylor need to play well for the secondary to hold up. If last year’s first rounder Jarvis Green can emerge along with Shazier and Tuitt stepping in from day one, this defense will be much improved from last season.
Bottom Line: The Steelers were not very good last year and still almost made the playoffs. They have a great coaching staff and a good veteran quarterback. If the offensive line can stay healthy, their offense should be very good. On defense, the youth movement was needed to get some fresh legs on that side of the ball. With more speed, it will allow legendary defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau to call up defenses and blitzes that he likes and not worry about getting constantly burnt. Expect Pittsburgh to compete for the AFC North Division crown with Baltimore and Cincinnati and snap that two-year streak of missing the playoffs.
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Thank you for reading. Ron Leyba is the lead editor of Fantasy Football Overdose, and a LastWordOnSports Analyst. For more of his NFL articles, follow his updates at NFL Fantasy Football Rankings Facebook or follow him on twitter @ronniedare. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport – and “liking” our Facebook page.
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