The Pittsburgh Steelers’ rushing attack is back. And hopefully here to stay. According to NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger, so long as Broderick Jones stays in the lineup, the ground game will keep rolling along. Appearing on The NFL Report Thursday, Baldinger said making Jones a starter is paying off in big ways.
“They put in Broderick the last two weeks and honestly, it’s the best they have run the ball in years in Pittsburgh these last two games.”
He’s not wrong. Pittsburgh ran for 166 yards in their Week Nine victory over the Tennessee Titans and upped the ante – at Jones’ wish – with 205 last Sunday versus the Green Bay Packers. It’s the first time they’ve had such totals in back-to-back games since 2011. Though it has taken half the season for the Steelers to find traction and for Jones to find a steady home as a starter, the results are finally showing up.
Jones’ seeing the field this year isn’t a major surprise. Even entering the season as the backup tackle, injury or poor play figured to get him on the field sooner than later. What is surprising is where Jones is logging his snaps at. Assumed to be the team’s left tackle of the future, he’s started the last two, and likely the next eight, at right tackle after Chukwuma Okorafor was benched after landing in Mike Tomlin’s doghouse.
Pittsburgh’s recent success shouldn’t be fully attributed to Jones but he’s certainly played a role. And fitting right at home in the Steelers’ offense.
“Broderick Jones’ athletic ability, it just shows up whether he is pulling and leading, whether he is getting on the perimeter or any kind of toss play, or just simply combo blocking inside.”
With Jones and the elite athleticism that helped get him drafted, Pittsburgh is able to pull not only their guards but their tackles. On “dart” schemes, Jones can pull right to left from the backside, something the team showcased in training camp but didn’t do with regularity until Jones was named starter. Overall, the Steelers have gotten back to their roots of being a power running team after leaning too heavily on zone concepts early in the season.
“For the first time, you could say Pittsburgh has a running attack and I’d be surprised if they don’t continue to run the ball well,” Baldinger said.
The Steelers found their run game the latter half of last season. The difference compared to these past two games are explosive runs. Last year, Pittsburgh had eight runs of 20-plus yards throughout the entire season. This year? They already have seven, four of which have come with Jones in the lineup.
Since Jones became the starting right tackle, Pittsburgh will have their toughest task when they travel to Cleveland and play the Browns this weekend. A stout defensive line with athletic linebackers and a tendency to stack the box, Jones and the Steelers’ run game will be put to the test. Look for a full scouting report on the Browns tomorrow morning.
