Alright, folks, the 20-3 blowout loss to the New England Patriots last Sunday was a punch to the gut, plain and simple. Most of us probably don’t want to overreact after just Week 2, but when the offense puts up a measly three points in a game, it’s impossible not to worry about what’s really going wrong with our team. This wasn’t some fluke; there are some seriously concerning reasons to be panicking right now.
Our Offense Is a Total Disaster Zone
That offensive performance against the Patriots? It was unbelievably bad. Watching the film, it’s a full-on sampler platter of everything you dread seeing from a football team. We’re talking mental mistakes, a complete lack of physicality, questionable play design that leaves you scratching your head, and everyone just looking slow out there. Seriously, pick an offensive sin, and you can find a Steelers play from Sunday that exemplifies it. Our offensive line, even highly-regarded center Zach Frazier, got outmuscled at times. When they weren’t getting driven back, they struggled mightily with the Patriots’ blitzes, simulated pressures, and stunts, letting a number of free rushers get to the quarterback. Right tackle Dylan Cook and right guard Spencer Anderson took a lot of the heat, but let’s be real, everyone up front had some bad reps. It’s tough to know if it’s the players, the pass protectors, or the coaching staff, but that protection has to be better.
Who’s to Blame for This Mess?
So, who is the real problem? Aaron Rodgers, at 42, is not the Aaron Rodgers of old. It’s not a knock on him; he’s 42 years old! But there were high-level plays left on the table that a more mobile or accurate-under-pressure passer probably would have made. That said, I’m not calling Rodgers the main problem through these first two weeks. He and his receivers aren’t on the same page much, especially on scramble drills. It’s clear Rodgers needs that go-to, Davante Adams type, and we just don’t have anyone close. Then there are the pass catchers, who just weren’t getting open. Some of that falls on the play design, no doubt, but there’s also just not a lot of “snap” in their routes. And let’s be fair, the Patriots defense looked absolutely excellent on Sunday, boasting one of the league’s best secondaries and a great front seven. We need to remember that our offense looked promising after beating the terrible Atlanta Falcons. The opponent matters, but even with that caveat, we had opportunities on offense that we just couldn’t capitalize on.
The road back to competence is going to be a long one, but it’s not impossible. We saw flashes, even in the midst of all that went wrong. The question now is, what adjustments are going to be made to get this offense moving? We can’t keep putting up three points. The fans deserve more.
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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