There was a time when the Pittsburgh Steelers would get off of the bus running the football. Smash mouth football has been what the Steelers have been about for over 40 years as they have developed a reputation as the bullies of the National Football League. Now it is tough to watch the Steelers play in the first two weeks of the 2013 NFL season. The Steelers are 0-2 and their offense has only produced 17 points.
After two games the Steelers are 31st in rushing as they have seen a rapid decline in rushing since their last Super Bowl appearance during the 2010 NFL season. The Steelers were 11th in rushing in 2010, 14th in 2011, and they were 26th last season.
The Steelers offense has seen a change ever since Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin decided to part ways with offensive coordinator Bruce Arians following the 2011 season. Arians had been with the Steelers organization since 2004 when he first served as the team’s wide receivers coach before being promoted to offense coordinator in 2007. Arians kept the same system in place that the Steelers previous coordinator Ken Whisenhunt ran. More importantly it was a system that Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was comfortable with as he won two Super Bowl Championships in it.
Tomlin wanted Roethlisberger avoiding unnecessary hits as he was sacked 40 times in 2011. That season also marked the second time in Roethlisberger’s career that he passed for more than 4,000 yards in a season. The Steelers would go on to lose in the AFC Wild Card Round against the Denver Broncos and thus Tomlin made his move.
Now the Steelers offensive coordinator is Todd Haley who has the tough task of revamping the once vaunted Steelers rushing attack. Through two games the Steelers leading rusher is running back Felix Jones with just 37 yards.
Defensively the Steelers have only yielded 36 points through the first two games, but the offense (primarily the running game) hasn’t been able to keep up. The Steelers drafted running back Le’Veon Bell in the second round of this year’s NFL Draft, but Bell has been sidelined since the preseason with a Lisfranc injury in his foot. Steelers running back Larod Stephens-Howling and center Maurkice Pouncey suffered season-ending knee injuries in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans which will have long term effects as to what the team intended to do in 2013.
With Roethlisberger, the Steelers have been one of the best play-action passing teams in the NFL which will now be hampered by an ineffective running game. Through two games this season the Steelers have attempted 76 runs to only 65 passes as they have tried to keep opponents honest on defense. It will be important for the Steelers to establish the running game going forward as they are 9-27 on third down conversions through the first two games of the season.
Tomlin wants to protect Roethlisberger in the pocket, but it will be tough without the assistance of a potent rushing attack as he is on pace to be sacked 56 times this season.
It won’t be easy for the Steelers to get on track as they are preparing to host the undefeated Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football this week as Pittsburgh is looking to avoid their first losing season since 2003 which was the year before Roethlisberger was drafted. Smash mouth football and the Steelers go hand and hand which is why it is tough to identify the current team that is wearing black and gold in Western Pennsylvania.
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