Tim Benz: Steelers’ game is so bad it’s taking an impact on the rest of the squad

Some put the woes of the racing game far down the list of problems facing the Pittsburgh Steelers.

To a certain extent, this is understandable. There are plenty of other things to worry about. Injuries to star players. A passing game that also struggles in attack. Unequal play in high school.

Besides, who cares, right? The NFL is a passing league these days, so it’s not that big of a deal if the Steelers can’t direct the ball. After all, Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished 28th on floor in 2020. AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs finished 16th.

But we’ve heard these justifications for running game chess in Pittsburgh for years now. And it’s time to disconnect them.

Because the Steelers’ running game is so bad that it tangibly affects every other area of ​​the team in a negative way. And it must stop.

The Steelers are the last in the league to travel the NFL’s first two weeks at 57 yards per game. They were one season ago in the 17 weeks at 84.4 yards per game.

Only two teams – the Green Bay Packers (3.0) and the Las Vegas Raiders (2.9) – have fewer yards per carry than the Steelers’ 3.3. The Jacksonville Jaguars (32) are the only team to attempt fewer rushes than the Steelers (35).

The Steelers offensive line just can’t block. It’s not particularly good at blocking passes either, mind you. So this is a big problem. As a result, Ben Roethlisberger is far too affected. He absorbed two sacks and eight more hits against the Raiders on Sunday.

This wear and tear likely contributed to the left pectoral muscle injury that Mike Tomlin mentioned in his press conference on Tuesday.

“He took too many hits,” Tomlin said. “We can handle the ball better. We can get the ball out of his hand faster. We can stay on schedule and not get behind the sticks and find ourselves in situations where the winning line is so far away that it improves the rush. “

I agree with everything Tomlin said there except Roethlisberger who needs to get rid of the ball faster. He leads the NFL with the fastest average time at 2.41 seconds. How long can it go faster?

However, everything Tomlin said is true. Roethlisberger just isn’t hit too frequently because the offensive line can’t pass the block and / or he’s too old to escape the rush.

This happens because the opposing defense does not have to honor the race. Thus, passing runners can attack the line of scrimmage with reckless abandonment.

At Tomlin’s other point, opposing defenses are also in down and distance situations that allow them to rush freely because the Steelers don’t gain enough rushing yards on the first and second down.

Additionally, the Steelers’ injury-riddled defense is too present on the pitch, in part because of the anemic running game. Tomlin’s team lost time in the possession battle against the Buffalo Bills 33:17 to 26:43. Certainly the Steelers blocked touchdown has something to do with it. But they lost it again Sunday in Las Vegas 34:22 to 25:38.

They are 28th in the league in terms of possession in two games. And this despite a largely excellent defense during the first week.

Why? Again, no actual racing game to control the clock.

“We just have to keep working,” Tomlin said of the racing game. “It’s development. It doesn’t happen in an instant. It doesn’t happen overnight. We are sensitive to it. But at the same time, there is urgency because we have games to win in the middle of it all. “

Tomlin’s patchwork offensive line has come under scrutiny for its inability to block. But does rookie first-round backer Najee Harris deserve the blame for missing rare holes when developing? Or run in the wrong place? Or failure to maximize runs when he can cleanly pass the first wave of defenders?

I looked for this. Honestly, I have a hard time finding proof. If I squint, maybe once or twice against the Raiders Sunday, I thought Harris looked so stunned to see the light of day beyond the line of scrimmage, that he maybe- being stammered a bit through a wide open hole.

However, for the most part, I think Harris does all he can with the limited space given to him. When I asked Tomlin on Harris Tuesday, he expressed a similar sentiment.

“We spent a lot of time talking about the cohesion, development and comfort of blockers, but the same could be said of the runner who has also played eight quarterbacks of NFL football,” said Tomlin. “He was better last week than he was in week 1 in terms of the things we enjoy. Some things that are not evaluated with the naked eye. Things of professionalism, mechanical things, technical things. He will continue to make himself comfortable.

The best way to get comfortable would be a few holes big enough that he could find second gear and an average of over 3.2 yards per stroke.

Not only would Harris benefit from such help, but the rest of the squad as well. Whether the NFL is an passing league or not.

TribLIVE Steelers beat writer Joe Rutter joined me for Wednesday’s podcast. We discuss the woes of the race game, the upcoming game against the Cincinnati Bengals, and the growing list of Steelers injury issues.