The Pittsburgh Steelers managed to win their season opener despite plenty of struggles offensively. They weren’t able to overcome similar issues this week in a tough 31-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. One of the bigger problems offensively was their lack of blocking, which included their second-year right tackle Troy Fautanu.
Speaking to reporters after the game, he acknowledged his frustration with the way he played Sunday in the Steelers’ home opener.
“It just took me too long to settle in,” Fautanu said on the KDKA Extra Point Show. “I’ve got to be better.”
It wasn’t the easiest day for Fautanu. The 2024 first-round pick had some tough moments, including this holding penalty.
This wasn’t the most complicated rush for Fautanu to handle either. The defender gets some leverage against Fautanu’s outside shoulder and just forces his way into veteran QB Aaron Rodgers. It doesn’t result in Rodgers getting hit, but the penalty was called anyway.
Unfortunately, those weren’t the only issues for Troy Fautanu. He was part of the reason Rodgers got hit as much as he did.
“Obviously it’s frustrating,” Fautanu said. When asked if the line needs to protect Rodgers better, Fautanu said, “100 percent. Frustrating personally, just as a group. Obviously we don’t want any of that to happen. We gotta do a better job.”
Fautanu gets beat here, and this time it’s just a lack of lateral quickness for him. The rusher steps outside and then cuts back inside, and Fautanu simply can’t catch up. It’s not a particularly great move from the pass rusher either, which is a little concerning. Especially since LT Broderick Jones has been struggling with lateral quickness this season as well.
That’s not a great problem for both your tackles to have when your quarterback is 41 years old. The Steelers did run the ball better against Seattle than they did against New York, but their pass-blocking problems are still there. Rodgers managed to will the Steelers to a win last week despite those issues, but he couldn’t overcome them today. The game proved how unsustainable it is for the Steelers to win with Rodgers being hit as much as he has been.
There’s still a long season to go. But the improvement needs to come quickly. The Steelers don’t have time to mess around during these next few weeks with a brutal back half of their schedule looming. And Rodgers may not last the season if Jones and Troy Fautanu aren’t able to do a better job keeping him upright.
