Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert, by himself, has scored more points in 2023 than has the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense. Minus two defensive touchdowns, the unit itself has produced 65 points. Mostert has produced 66, with nine rushing touchdowns and two receiving touchdowns—and that’s not giving him the credit for the extra points.
That’s not great. Granted, the Steelers have already had their bye week, but frankly, would anybody be shocked if they were to get shut out for a game? This offense has looked dead as often as not. And when it comes to the opinions of those in the locker room, they’re looking inward rather than upstairs, hoping the return of some key pieces will be the difference.
“Right now we need more playmaking as an offense. We don’t have that much right now, so getting our playmakers back is good”, RB Najee Harris told reporters yesterday, according to the team’s website, noting the return of WR Diontae Johnson from the Reserve/Injured List. TE Pat Freiermuth is also back after missing one game.
“Hopefully there’s more [room to] open up a lot of stuff. Now you got Diontae out there, [defenses] won’t bracket [WR George Pickens] so much”, he added. “Now you got Diontae out there and Pat, so it can open up a lot more plays for GP and open up more plays for Diontae and Pat, get them going”.
Uh, playmakers? Don’t talk about playmakers? You kidding me? Playmakers? I just hope we can win a game.
Well, they have won three of the five games in which they have played, even if the offense has produced single-digit points twice, and only once more than 17. And even though three of their touchdowns have come on 40-plus-yard plays Harris is not wrong about their lacking in significant plays.
They rank 23rd, for example, in explosive passing plays and in explosive rushing plays as well. They have the fifth-worst first-down percentage on rushing plays and the worst on passing plays. Nobody has fewer total first downs produced by an offense in the NFL.
“Like I said, we need more playmaking as an offense”, Harris said. “Having them two guys back, they’re our playmakers. Everybody right now needs to make more plays, so having them guys back, hopefully more plays can open up and we can have a better start. That’s one of our goals”.
Will getting their top targets at wide receiver and tight end change much? Well, one can only hope. Getting RG James Daniels back doesn’t hurt, either, though LT Dan Moore Jr. returning to the starting lineup in spite of Broderick Jones’ upside and promising play might.
Either way, there’s no getting around the simple fact that the Steelers are not making enough plays. Is it because they don’t have the players to make them, or because the plays that they are running are not conducive to producing them? The answer surely lies somewhere in between, but we should get a clearer picture now that they are back to full health.
