One of the biggest points of focus for the Pittsburgh Steelers offense in training camp has been the need to generate explosive plays. It’s been talked about by head coach Mike Tomlin and by countless others.
On Wednesday, C Mason Cole joined Tim Benz on his Breakfast With Benz podcast for a special “Letters From Camp” edition, and he spoke about the offensive line’s role in helping the offense become more explosive.
“It’s been talked about all offseason, taking more shots and having more explosive plays and run after the catch,” Cole said. “But again, it’s gonna fall on us, man. We’ve got to be efficient on our runs, efficient on first down to set our offense up to be in those positions to take shots and have good run after catch and to have those plays that create explosives. I think it’s going to go as far as we go as an offensive line.”
When it comes to generating explosive plays, plays that cover 20 or more yards, the Steelers offense was one of the worst in the entire NFL last season. The passing offense had 44 plays that covered at least 20 yards (tied for ninth fewest with the Cleveland Browns) and only three plays that covered at least 40 yards (tied for worst in the league with the Arizona Cardinals and the Jacksonville Jaguars.)
As bad as the passing game was in terms of generating big plays, the running game was even worse. The Steelers had only eight rushes that covered at least 20 yards (tied for eighth fewest with the Washington Commanders and the Los Angeles Rams) and had no runs that gained at least 40 yards, tied for last with the Commanders and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In fact, the Steelers’ long run of 36 yards was the third shortest in the league.
When it comes to offensive numbers like this, there’s a lot of blame that can be thrown around plus a lot of ways to address improving these numbers. However, as Cole noted, the offensive line can make a big impact on whether an offense can generate big plays.
When it comes to the passing game, protection is key for allowing quarterbacks to sit back and wait for a play to develop. A split second of extra protection can also make the difference when it comes not only to whether a pass is completed but the placement of the pass. Extra protection can allow a quarterback to lead the receiver, thereby allowing the receiver to generate yards after the catch.
The offensive line’s performance is even more tangible in the run game. A running back has a greater chance of ripping off a long run when the line is able to open a hole and even climb to the second level to get a helmet on a linebacker. The longer it takes for a defender to get a hand on a running back, the bigger the chance that the run picks up big yardage.
The development of QB Kenny Pickett, WR George Pickens, and even RB Jaylen Warren will help create more explosive plays. So will improvements by offensive coordinator Matt Canada. However, none of it matters if the offensive line doesn’t hold up its part of the bargain.
