The most fundamental reality, if not a universal one, in the NFL is that a team’s ceiling is its quarterback’s ceiling. Generally speaking, you’re only going to go as far as the man under center can take you. The simple fact is that there will be times that you need that position to make the difference, and most teams don’t have that guy who can do that routinely.
Part of that ceiling has to be the offense around him, from the run blocking to the play calling and everything else. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, they had better hope that they are nowhere near their ceiling just yet, because they are one of the worst offenses in the league through three weeks. But former Steelers RB Jerome Bettis believes that will be a different story three months from now.
“I think there is pressure there to win, but not just to win a playoff game, to win a championship. They’ve got to figure it out, and I think it’s a step-by-step process”, he said during an appearance on the No Off Days podcast with Scott Smith. “The first step is early in the season, developing the offense, get it going. I think by the end of the season, this is a team that people will be afraid of, because that really good defense coupled with a good offense, sky’s the limit”.
What I can say is that Pickett certainly looked better in their last outing against the Las Vegas Raiders than he did in the two weeks prior, and I don’t think an improved running game was a significant part of that equation.
By and large, he just played better. He was more accurate on the whole, particularly in critical situations. He made better decisions. He was more under control in the pocket, yet effective with the football while rolling out. In each of these areas, there remains great room for growth, however.
It will help when the Steelers get WR Diontae Johnson back on the field. But the biggest thing the team can do to help its quarterback is to get this offensive line humming like it should be. Nobody is playing up to the level that they should be, particularly C Mason Cole, who has been a particular disappointment.
It’s also only a matter of time before they install rookie first-round T Broderick Jones into the starting lineup. Not just because of whatever steady progress he might be making on the practice field, but because LT Dan Moore Jr. is just not cutting it.
The real question is how much this unit can grow over the course of the season. Individually, there are a lot of guys who can and should see better days. Players like Najee Harris and Pat Freiermuth are not playing their best football. Rookie TE Darnell Washington is still growing into his role. The offensive line especially is a work in progress. But will anybody be afraid to play the Steelers in December—because of the offense?
