Do you want to know what the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense has been lacking, above all other things? It’s the layups. There is nothing they can turn to that they can take for granted as offering a reasonably high probability for success. At least they haven’t for most of the season.
There is hope they can find that with the return of WR Diontae Johnson, one of the game’s great route-runners and separators. He has missed the past four-and-a-half games due to a hamstring injury but is set to return to action against the Los Angeles Rams. And QB Kenny Pickett knows Johnson can help provide those easy completions the offense has lacked in his absence.
“I’d say so, yeah”, he told reporters yesterday when asked about just that notion, via the team’s website. “He’s just a really talented player overall. He does a lot of different things really well for us. Great guy to talk to on the bench with seeing different things defensively in what they’re doing. A guy who gets open, a guy who moves the chains for us. Gonna be a huge asset moving forward”.
A former Pro Bowler, Johnson had three catches for 48 yards in the season opener. His injury occurred early in the third quarter while recording a 26-yard run-after-catch reception to help spark a flagging offense.
While WR George Pickens has been able to step up at times in the four games since, his game lacks the same kind of consistency of target availability that a guy like Johnson can provide. That’s especially important for a young quarterback playing behind a still-settling offensive line in an offense that doesn’t have those easy completions built into its framework.
Even though Johnson had his worst season a year ago in Pickett’s rookie year—that fact not entirely being coincidental—the young quarterback understands how valuable he can be. That might be especially so after seeing what the offense looks like without him. He knows there are things only he on this roster can do.
“Each guy does different things really well”, he said of his receivers, noting Johnson has his own unique traits. “Diontae brings another element with his route running, his ability to get separation and get open is awesome. He’s another guy that brings a different element in the receiver room”.
Outside of Pickens, the Steelers have relied upon 10th-year veteran Allen Robinson II and Calvin Austin III, who is seeing his first game action this season after spending his rookie year on the Reserve/Injured List.
Austin had a 72-yard touchdown catch but has otherwise been fairly muted in his contributions as a pass catcher. Robinson has been limited primarily to possession work with little opportunity to create plays with his legs, such that his legs are still capable of making them.
The Steelers envisioned this offense with a passing game feeding off the combination of Johnson and Pickens and their complementary skill sets. We, and they, have hardly gotten the chance to see that yet. Pickett is excited for good reason about Johnson’s return. It’s what we’ve been waiting for—at least short of offensive coordinator Matt Canada being fired.
