Through just two games, the Pittsburgh Steelers have stumbled out of the gate with one of the NFL’s most anemic offenses. They’re ranked a dismal 30th out of 32 teams, averaging just 249.5 yards per game, and their 23 total points also place them 30th in the league. Seven of those points weren’t even from the offense, thanks to a T.J. Watt pick-6 in their Week 1, 20-13 win against the Atlanta Falcons.
Rodgers Under Siege, Offense Stalls Out
Pittsburgh’s offensive struggles hit rock bottom Sunday in a truly listless 20-3 smackdown by the New England Patriots. This unit could only scrape together 235 yards on a pathetic 3.5 yards per play. They got to the red zone just once, right at the end of the game, and promptly coughed up the ball. Aaron Rodgers had a rough day, throwing one interception and fumbling twice. One of those fumbles was a scoop-and-score for the Patriots that sealed the win. Rodgers was under constant pressure, resorting to check downs and short passes, averaging a measly 4.8 yards per attempt. He was sacked four times and hit seven others. The running backs? They were getting met by Patriots defenders at or near the line of scrimmage, every single time. It was brutal to watch.
McCarthy Doubles Down on Rodgers, Blames O-Line
You’d think after a performance like that, some tough questions would be asked about the quarterback. But Head Coach Mike McCarthy, grilled on Monday, stayed absolutely rock-solid in his support of Rodgers. “We have a quarterback that has an incredible wealth of experience,” McCarthy said. “And we’ve built this offense based on his experiences and to play to his strengths. He’s knows that, and I’m committed to it.” Instead of pinning anything on his 42-year-old signal-caller, McCarthy went straight for the offensive line. “We’re a protection-first unit, and that wasn’t the case yesterday,” he stated, adding, “Our quarterback was hit too much yesterday.” He even took some of the blame himself, admitting his preseason strategy of rotating linemen might be the culprit. He’s banking on more reps and continuity to fix things. “They need reps, they need consistency,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy thinks the consistency will come. But man, the Steelers are heading into Week 3 of the regular season with serious questions about an offensive line that clearly isn’t gelling. And with a 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers, coming off an Achilles repair, who hasn’t been in MVP form for years, you gotta wonder how much time they have to figure it out. It’s early, but the stakes feel high already.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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