Pittsburgh Steelers PFF rank on offense against Dallas Cowboys

The Pittsburgh Steelers won their first pre-season action against the Dallas Cowboys. The final score of 16-3 would certainly make fans who couldn’t watch the game feel good about their favorite team, but that doesn’t mean that’s exactly how it turned out. In fact, Dallas’ 3-0 halftime lead would suggest the Steelers struggled on offense.

But how did these players rank?

To better understand the Steelers’ individual performances, we turn to Pro Football Focus (PFF) to see their individual ratings. Before we go any further, we all know that many fans do not support PFF’s scoring system. Mainly because of their lack of explanation of how they get the grades they give.

Still, even if you don’t like PFF, it does provide a baseline for fans to see who performed well and who could have been “below the line,” as Mike Tomlin would put it.

Below are the notes from the Pittsburgh Steelers offense in the Hall of Fame game against the Dallas Cowboys last Thursday night.

PFF Analysis:

No quarterback has pushed the ball down consistently for Pittsburgh, but the offense has kept things particularly close to the vest with Dwayne Haskins. The former first-round pick recorded an average target depth of just 4.0 meters downstream.

Mason Rudolph was efficient from a clean pocket. He completed five of his seven attempts for 81 yards without pressure. It would have been six completions if there hadn’t been a drop.

PFF Analysis:

Rookie first-round backer Najee Harris has perhaps made his most anticipated debut of any Hall of Fame game player. Harris saw a decent workload with eight touches in his limited action, but they only scored 25 yards. 18 of Harris’ 22 rushing yards came after contact.

Falls were a problem for Pittsburgh in 2020, and the team recorded a few more in the 2021 preseason opener. James Washington, Marcus Baugh and Chase Claypool have each been charged with falls. Still, Claypool had a good evening overall, marked by a pair of roadside receptions and an impressive downstream reception that ended his night.

PFF Analysis:

Rookie center Kendrick Green was the only starter expected to receive any playing time in this game, and he was not beaten on nine pass-blocking snaps. Rookie Dan Moore Jr. and free agent acquisition veteran Joe Haeg stood out up front. Haeg’s 91.5 blocking rating led all offensive linemen in the game.

So what do you think of the above notes? Were they spot on, or did they swing and miss? Let us know your thoughts on the Steelers’ offensive ratings in the comments below, and be sure to stay tuned to BTSC as the team prepares for the 2021 regular season.