What’s wrong with the Steelers’ running game?
By now, we all know that the Steelers met with utter failure when trying to run the ball against the Tennessee Titans. The Steelers not being able to run the ball is like Jeff Gordon not being able to drive, or Michael Phelps not being able to swim. Running the ball is what the Steelers do.
The Steelers have historically subscribed to two key principles:
- Run the ball.
- Stop the run.
The Steelers’ defense seems to be having no problem in upholding their end of the deal. They did a good job of stopping the run. They held Tennessee’s talented tandem of Chris Johnson and LenDale White to a combined 85 rushing yards.
Contrarily, the Steelers’ offense didn’t quite get it done. They delivered 36 total rushing yards. Nope, you didn’t read that wrong. I said 36 yards……total. With a feeble offensive output like that, the Steelers may want to consider bringing back #36. After all, it seems like the team has struggled in the running game since he retired.
So what’s wrong with the Steelers running game? Why can’t they gain yards on the ground?
The easy answer is to point at the offensive line. After all, they seem to be everybody’s whipping boys. And to be honest, some of the blame does belong to the offensive line. Their struggles are well-documented.
Following the game, Max Starks blamed the offensive line’s difficulties on the fact that the Titans play a 4-3 defense. ”If we played a 3-4 team right now, we’d be great. We don’t play a 4-3 team that often, especially in training camp. All you see is virtually 3-4.”
Ummmmm Max, you’re kidding right? You do realize that MOST teams in the NFL play a 4-3 defense, not a 3-4. So if the Steelers can’t handle a 4-3 defense, then we are in for a loooong season. Oh by the way, the Steelers happen to play the Chicago Bears next week. They play a 4-3 defense. Following the Bears, the Steelers face the Cincinnati Bengals, another 4-3 team.
As I said earlier, the offensive line played a role in the Steelers struggles to run the ball, but they weren’t completely responsible. Another important factor was the Tennessee Titans. They happened to have the 6th ranked defense against the run last season. They allowed only 93.9 yards/game during the 2008 regular season. That’s pretty good.
The Titans clearly came in with the idea that the way to beat the Steelers was to stop their running game. The Titans often brought 8 men to the line to stop the run. They seemed to be daring Ben Roethlisberger to beat them through the air (which he ultimately did).
The final factor that contributed to the Steelers’ difficulties was Willie Parker. Parker has been nursing a hamstring injury that kept him out of most of the preseason. Parker got no carries against the Arizona Cardinals in the first preseason game. He got 4 carries against the Washington Redskins in the second preseason game. Then he sat out the final two preseason games. So Parker entered the regular season with a grand total of 4 preseason rushing attempts. That’s not enough to get anyone ready for the NFL season.
In addition to Parker’s lack of carries during the preseason, he was also struggling at the end of the 2008 season. In the Super Bowl, Parker rushed 19 times for a total of 53 yards. Moreover, he got 15 yards on one of those carries. When you subtract that lone long run, he got 38 yards on 18 carries. That’s an average of 2.1 yards/carry. Not good. Not good at all.
In the AFC Championship game against the Baltimore Ravens, Parker gained 47 yards on 24 carries. That averages out to 1.96 yards/carry.
So in the final 2 games of the 2008 season, Parker averaged approximately 2.0 yards per carry. He then missed most of the 2009 preseason.
So as we can see, there are multiple factors contributing to the Steelers’ woes in the running game.
While it is natural for fans to want to see drastic improvement by the Steelers, there really is no magic bullet. We can’t make dramatic changes to the offensive line. After all, they’re the only offensive line that we have.
Willie Parker is also going to have to play better. Fans are already starting to call for Isaac Redman to be called up from the practice squad. However, with the limited number of carries that Parker got in the preseason, fans are just going to have to be patient as he plays himself back into mid-season form.
And of course, the opposition isn’t going to go easy on us despite our struggles. Next week the Steelers face the Chicago Bears. They were the #5 defense against the run last season. That’s even better than the Titans’ defense. I’ll bet the Bears have taken note of the Steelers’ difficulties running the ball, and will plan to exploit that weakness next week.
Steelers fans are a very knowledgeable bunch. I’m sure that they’ve noticed that it was the passing game that won the Super Bowl for the Steelers. Similarly, it was the passing game that won the game against the Tennessee Titans.
Until the Steelers figure out how to fix the problems in their running game, I recommend that they make a temporary amendment to their key principles. I suggest that the principles be altered to the following:
- Pass the ball.
- Stop the run.
All in favor say “aye”.
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*hand up* Aye!!!!!
I said the same thing, if you can’t run it – get over it – adapt and pass. That being said, we have great receivers who make big plays all the time, there’s nothing wrong with passing the ball (especially on 3rd and 1).
I’ll be at the Bears game in person…I’m hoping for a strong win.
1i could’nt agree with you more, nobody studied the game of football more than the emperior chas, this is what he said many years ago, if you pass the ball 50 to 60% of the time your odss of winning the game are right at 20 to 30%, if you run the ball 50 to 60% of the time your odds of winning the game are right at 80% what does that tell you? after four superbowls in six years he might know of what he speaks. we got rid of our best short yardage guy in reddman, then we put in the tank who blocked nothing but air thursday night, willie can’t seem to find a crease or create one on his own, i love the black and gold, but if we don’t find a way to run the ball it’s going to be a long season.
2Why not use Moore,Looks good to me! & we need to get Redman back on the team,Not the practice team! We can also use more screen Plays!
3The Steelers have been very disappointing so far this season. Their performance makes me a little ashamed I am a fan and very quiet at the office when were talking around the water cooler about the sport.
I hope to see better out of them this year but is going to take a lot for them to get their stuff together if yesterday was an example.
4AYE
@ Thomas Santucci – I’ve been saying that we need more screen plays since last season. I think it helps because it will keep the defense on its feet a little more since the o-line is basically letting everyone just run through. Plus we know Ben will make the passes just keep #39 out because his hands are pure concrete, but that’s what we have Mewelde for.
@ ElvenRuneLord – I can imagine every even saying I’m embarrassed by the Steelers. I know the o-line sucks and our RB situation is in flux but we have a great QB, great receiving corp, great punter, and excellent defense. I think you may want to lighten up because this team got us another Super Bowl and if things go right may get us another.
5Sorry typo: I can’t imagine ever….
6I think we need to all take a deep breath and relax. This was only the first game and it was against a very good defense.
Needless to say, however, the o-line did pass block much better than run block. In the 2nd half it looked like Ben had all day to throw back there. Meanwhile, any run over 3 yards appeared to occur due to freak luck rather than good play.
I would favor a modification to the proposed principles. In case of lousy defense:
1. Run the ball
2. Stop the run
In case of good defense:
1. Use short passing game to simulate the run
2. Stop the run
Ben is accurate enough and Heath, Moore, and Ward all have great hands. If the opponent decides to bring the safeties down to tighten the zone – send Wallace or Holmes deep.
7You forgot the most important part: Bruce Arians. His play calling is a joke. Willie Parker excels when he has a fullback, yet we rarely use one. It’s not like Parker was the only back to struggle. All 3 of the backs we used did nothing.
Want to know why we can’t run? Bruce Arians.
8Parker, Mendenhall, and Moore all averaged 1.5 yards per game. And for most of the game (until the Titans went to a 4-man rush and prevent) they had defenders hanging all over Ben. The problem is not former pro-bowler Parker, 1st rounder Mendenhall, or superb 3rd down back Moore. The problem is the line. If the Steelers had a line like the Titans’, all three runners could be all-pro. If Roethlisberger had the same protection afforded Kerry Collins, he would pick defenses apart at will (as he does at times when teams don’t zone blitz). The line is a shambles, but what can you do? Teams have to have priorities as to where to put the best players and under Cowher the trenches were always his #1 priority. At one point the Steelers had I believe 4 1st rounders and 1 2nd rounder on the offensive line. Under Tomlin the offensive line seems to be very last on their list of priorities and the line is comprised of late round and non drafted players. But their lack of focus on the offensive line is offset by focusing on strength and depth at nearly every other position on the team. As much as I scream and bitch at the TV, you really can’t argue with their philosophy thus far as they are winning.
9we no longer have a blocking back for the running game. Which means defense is often in the backfeild or close up the lanes on the line leaving runners with nowhere to run to daylight.This needs to have one which will also take some of the rush off big ben. That is the way I see it .
10jojo kubecka
Aye!
11By the way, all of you armchair coaches, game 16 last year, against the Browns, Willie went 116 yards on 23 carries and the team went 176 on 35. Then in the first playoff game against the Chargers, Willie went 146 on 27 and the team went 165 on 42. I’m sure most of those were without a blocking back, jojo. They ain’t gonna run every game. They play Baltimore twice a year, 3 times last year, for Pete’s sake! When’s the last time ANY Steelers back got over 100 against the Ravens D?