Did Sunday’s win over the Chargers prove the Steelers don’t need a No. 2 wide receiver?
The Pittsburgh Steelers threw for 245 yards on Sunday, averaging 7.7 yards per attempt on 32 attempts. George Pickens saw seven of those attempts for five catches adding up to 57 yards. But The Steelers also got four catches for 95 yards and a touchdown from Calvin Austin III. On top of that, Scotty Miller made two nice catches totaling 31 yards. Even Cordarrelle Patterson contributed three catches for 15 yards, with a nice catch or two mixed in.
While the Steelers did try to trade for Brandon Aiyuk, they were comfortable entering the season with what they had. Thus far, they haven’t even gotten much from their presumptive No. 2 in Van Jefferson, though they still may in the future.
But was Sunday’s win over the Chargers proof that the Steelers don’t actually need that bona fide, certified No. 2? If they can get smaller contributions from a supporting cast here and there, with an occasional standout performance, is that all this offense needs to function at all cylinders?
We can also reasonably assume that, over time, the Steelers’ run game will be even stronger. They are still settling the offensive line, including the season debut of Isaac Seumalo, which should help. If they have a stronger run game, and incorporate the tight ends into the offense more, then perhaps they have what they need already, even if it is not the ideal.
Justin Fields is another factor, because he is clearly getting more comfortable with each game. He is starting to spread the ball more, going through his reads more, and making more confident throws. If the Steelers offense can look more like they did in the second half on Sunday, they have something here.
Would it be nice if the Steelers had Brandon Aiyuk? Sure, of course, but I’m not sure this offense is even built for that. Obviously, they’re not running the offense right now in a way that is predicated on two alpha receivers. That would be stupid because they don’t have two alpha receivers. But whatever they are doing is working well enough, and seems to be getting better with each passing week.
The Steelers’ 2024 season is underway, following another disappointing year ending in a first-round playoff loss. They have had a long offseason since the Buffalo Bills stamped them out of their misery back in January. There are positive signs, but things could jump off the rails any moment.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Will Russell Wilson regain his job when he is healthy, or is Justin Fields stealing it? How will the team continue to address the depth chart, which is surprisingly still in flux?
The regular season is here, following weeks of camp and preseason games. The Steelers made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Some they managed to fill, others not so much. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
