The Steelers’ defense is doing its part. The offense, meanwhile, is making everything harder than it needs to be.
That’s the clearest takeaway from a 20-3 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 2, a game that exposed just how shaky Pittsburgh’s offensive line has become. The front five have been rough through two weeks, but Sunday was a new level of ugly.
Spencer Anderson was at the center of it, giving up seven pressures from right guard, the most by any right guard in the NFL in Week 2, according to Sumer Sports. No other player at the position allowed more than four pressures in the same week, and Anderson is now third in the league in pressures allowed through the first two games.
Zach Frazier was charged with five pressures as well, which says plenty about how the afternoon went up front. How much of that was tied to having Anderson beside him is a fair question, and it’s hard to ignore the impact of that kind of breakdown next door.
The issues aren’t limited to the interior. Right tackle Dylan Cook has allowed six pressures through two games, and the run game has been just as stuck in the mud on that side.
After two weeks, Rico Dowdle has only 13 rushing yards on seven carries when running to the right, which ranks as the fifth-worst EPA per rush to that side in the NFL among players with at least 10 touches. Jaylen Warren has been a little better, but he’s still managed just 37 yards on seven carries to the right.
And the backs aren’t even getting a chance to build momentum. Through two weeks, Warren and Dowdle have combined for only eight yards before contact on runs.
Eight. That’s the worst mark in the NFL by a wide margin.
The bigger problem is that this all traces back to a preseason plan that already looked questionable. The Steelers shifted their rising star right tackle and quality right guard to the left side, moved the former practice squad fill-in to right tackle after he had played well at left tackle, and never really replaced Isaac Seumalo with a fitting answer. The result is a line that looks out of sync at every level and is dragging the offense down with it.
If Pittsburgh wants to show that this season will be handled differently than in years past, the answer has to start there. Anderson and Cook should not be in the starting lineup in Week 3.
There were a few bright spots in the loss, and Germie Bernard was one of them. He came into Week 2 with Roman Wilson having just one career game with four or more catches, and Bernard cleared that mark in his second game.
Aaron Rodgers hit him three times on one drive that had a real chance to end in points before a 3rd-and-7 sack knocked the Steelers out of field goal range. Bernard also had a late mistake when a pass bounced off his chest and turned into an interception, but by then the game was already out of reach.
Even so, Pittsburgh needs more of No. 17 on the field.
The defense, at least, keeps delivering. Through two games, the Steelers have allowed 26 points, forced four turnovers and lead the NFL in defensive EPA per play. They also own the league’s best pass defense by efficiency, allowing -0.5 EPA per pass, and rank third in defensive pass success rate.
T.J. Watt has been a force again with 3.5 sacks, already nearly halfway to the seven he had all of last season.
That puts him second in the NFL behind Greg Rousseau of the Buffalo Bills. And among edge rushers with at least 25 snaps, Watt and Alex Highsmith sit No. 1 and No. 2 in sack percentage.
The defense is carrying its weight. The offense is the part holding Pittsburgh back. If the Steelers can just get to a mediocre level on that side of the ball, they’ll give themselves a chance to win games.
In Other News...
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Le'Veon Bell added to the noise by publicly questioning Metcalfs performance and contract value, a move that turned an internal concern into a broader conversation. For the Steelers, the larger issue is what comes next if the passing game remains inconsistent, because the alternatives are limited and the burden may have to shift elsewhere. Somebody in that offense needs to stabilize things quickly, and the margin for more missed chances is getting thin. [Read more 🡒]
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Even so, the victory came with a price attached. Mike Onwenu and DreMont Jones were among the Patriots who left with injuries, leaving a cloud over what should have been a straightforward celebration after the teams first win of the year. For a roster still trying to establish itself, the result offered proof of fight and structure, but also another reminder of how quickly one game can alter the outlook moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Former Steelers Standout Shares A Raw Confession Fans Werent Expecting
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Johnson also pushed back on the image his public workouts might create, saying those videos do not reflect his true emotional state. For a player once central to Pittsburghs offense, the message carried an unmistakable sense of urgency: his mental health is his top priority right now. The football side of his story is still unsettled, but for the moment, the bigger concern is simply where Johnson is personally as he tries to move forward. [Read more 🡒]