Pittsburgh Steelers rookie Mason McCormick has made his NFL debut, replacing Spencer Anderson at left guard for the team’s next-to-last drive of the first half. It’s unclear why the change was made. So far, there’s been no announcement that Anderson is injured. The team could be looking for a run game spark after struggling to move the ball on the ground throughout the first half.
Anderson started his third game in place of Isaac Seumalo, still out with a pectoral injury suffered in practice before the season began. But a lack of power in the running game has consistently been on display and McCormick is bigger, stronger, and nastier than Anderson.
McCormick was the third offensive lineman the Steelers drafted this year, also taking OT Troy Fautanu and C Zach Frazier. Fautanu is on injured reserve due to a knee injury while Frazier has done well as the team’s starting center.
So far, Pittsburgh has struggled to win the line of scrimmage. Across the team’s first four drives, they have run the ball nine times for only 14 yards. QB Justin Fields is the Steelers’ leading rusher with 8 yards, including the team’s first rushing score of the season.
RB Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren have been bottled up by a physical and hard-hitting Chargers defense. Harris has four carries for 3 yards while Warren has one rush for 3 yards. It’s antithetical to how the Steelers are designed to win, needing a healthy and steady running game in order to find offensive success.
We’ll see if the Steelers choose to rotate Mason McCormick and Spencer Anderson the rest of the way or if McCormick will finish the game at left guard. Pittsburgh has done plenty of shuffling with its offensive line already this season. McCormick is the seventh lineman to play this year.
UPDATE (2:34 PM): McCormick stayed on the field for the team’s final drive of the first half. He was used as a sixth offensive lineman on the first play of the second half, but Anderson came in to play left guard.
Update (2:48 PM): McCormick is in for a full series in the second half, signaling a rotation between him and Anderson.
Seumalo could return for the team’s Week 4 game against the Indianapolis Colts though he’s yet to practice since getting hurt.
