Last Thursday’s football game got a lot of people talking. If you watched any news over the past week, then you know that the end of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns game got ugly. Very ugly. But if you watched the game preceding all of that, you would have witnessed a less than impressive offensive performance by Pittsburgh. The offense totaled 236 yards and four turnovers. While quarterback Mason Rudolph bears plenty of the blame, it can’t all be pinned on him. There is plenty of blame to go around the rest of the unit. Pittsburgh’s offensive struggles go beyond the quarterback and must be addressed to continue winning.
Plenty of Blame to Go Around for the Pittsburgh Steelers Offensive Struggles
Mason Rudolph Deserves Some, but Not All, of the Blame
Mason Rudolph had a game he would like to forget. Although, based on how it ended, he probably never will. He posted career worsts in turnovers, passer rating, and sacks. It was also the second-worst completion percentage of his career. Rudolph found himself harassed all night, constantly under pressure or with defenders in his face. His unwillingness to escape the pocket did not do him any favors, contributing to the pressure he was under. Rudolph’s decision making also left more to be desired. A couple of his interceptions were gifts directly to the Browns defense. Mason was frustrated on the night, and it was a hard performance to watch.
While it might have been hard to watch, you couldn’t help but feel sorry for Rudolph at the same time. As the game wore on, multiple Steelers were helped off the field with various injuries. The running game was ineffective and abandoned. Pittsburgh’s top receivers were knocked out of the game. Rudolph’s mistakes were compounded by having his weapons stripped away. The constant pressure didn’t help things either. An offensive line that has multiple Pro Bowlers should do a better job of protecting their quarterback.
The Running Game Continues to Be a Roller Coaster
The Pittsburgh Steelers featured no running game against the Browns. Four backs combined for fourteen carries on the night. They combined for a total of 43 yards. It has been three weeks since James Conner rushed for over 100 yards against the lowly Miami Dolphins. That was the only game that a Steelers running back has cleared the century mark. Only Benny Snell Jr. and Trey Edmunds are the only backs averaging more than four yards a carry, although they each have less than 30 on the year. The running backs have been more effective in the passing game, as every back has at least five yards per catch.
Injuries have derailed the running game, specifically Conner. Conner has only managed to play two-thirds of the offensive snaps in just four games this season. No one doubts the man’s strength and resilience. But his fragility is becoming a growing concern. Jaylen Samuels, Snell, and Edmunds are all young and yet to prove they can be the guy week in and week out. Without a running game, the offense stalls with a young quarterback. This unit must gain some kind of consistency for the offense to function.
Receivers Are Dropping Like Flies
Youth is a common theme throughout this edition of the Steelers. Nowhere is that more apparent than among the wide receivers. Pittsburgh’s top three receivers are all 23 years old. JuJu Smith-Schuster is going through some growing pains as he adapts to life as the team’s number one receiver. James Washington and Diontae Johnson trying to establish themselves as a second-year player and a rookie, respectively. Consistency is a problem with them as well. Smith-Schuster has failed top at least 50 yards in half the team’s games this year. Washington and Johnson have failed to do so in six games. Opportunities have been there. JuJu has 60 targets this season. Johnson has 50 targets and Washington has 43. All three have more than 18 fewer receptions than targets.
Injuries are taking their toll, however. The Browns alone knocked both Smith-Schuster and Johnson out of the game with concussion symptoms. Johnson was even bleeding from his ear. By the end of the game, Rudolph was left with Washington and sparsely used veteran Johnny Holton out wide. Washington and tight end Vance McDonald also each missed a game. The reliance on the running backs to be pass catchers has as much to do with conservative playcalling as it does lack of options out wide.
Offensive Line Must Be Better
The most frustrating example of inconsistency has been on the offensive line. Just last season Alejandro Villanueva, David DeCastro, and Maurkice Pouncey were all named to the Pro Bowl. All three of these guys have won multiple Pro Bowl nominations, and DeCastro and Pouncey have been named to multiple All-Pro teams. DeCastro, Pouncey, and Ramon Foster have all started more than 100 games. Despite the accolades, the Browns were able to apply constant pressure on Rudolph. They did little to open up running lanes to provide some semblance of a running game. There have been plenty of games where this group has dominated and kept the offense in the game. But there have also been several times where they look nothing like the pedigree they possess.
Solving the Pittsburgh Steelers Offensive Struggles
The question that remains is how to fix these issues. For starters, there needs to be more consistency. With only six games remaining in the season, time is running out to right the ship and make a bid for a wild card spot. The offensive line needs to play up to their talent level. With or without an inexperienced quarterback, this unit should dominate games every week. The backs must trust the linemen to open up running lanes and hit them with force. The receivers need to help out their young quarterback and make catches. Not every pass will be perfect, and someone in this group needs to be a playmaker.
Rudolph needs to step up his game as well. He needs to be more decisive in his decision-making. That being said, those decisions need to be better as well. Be smart when taking shots downfield, but don’t play scared. Rudolph needs to trust his legs a bit more as well. Move around the pocket and take off if needed. His willingness to let plays develop is admirable but can be counterproductive at times. Some fans are calling for Devlin Hodges to replace Rudolph. A change at quarterback won’t change anything if the rest of the offense doesn’t step up as well. The Pittsburgh Steelers offensive struggles have less to do with the quarterback position, and more to do with inconsistency and injuries.
