Just a few weeks ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers were 6-6 and had plenty of doubters. Those critics ranged from the fans to the national media, and even some former Steelers. Now, the tide has changed. Pittsburgh has won two straight and has looked much more poised while doing so. The Steelers’ latest win, a beatdown of the Miami Dolphins on Monday night, could be something for the team to build on, according to former Steeler Merril Hoge.
“They really didn’t do a lot offensively against the Ravens. They finished some drives, they scored, but they didn’t really control the game. There was nothing that you left going, boy, that was a building block. This game was a building block. The play calling, how they went about the process. But what I thought was most impressive is how well our offensive line is playing together,” Hoge said Tuesday on the Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger podcast. “I thought everybody played sharp, from the tight ends to the wide receivers, to the backs. The build that I saw here, from play calling to execution, was probably as good as I’ve seen it all year.”
The Steelers’ win over the Dolphins was definitely more dominant than the one over Baltimore. In that game, the Ravens caught fire in the second half. But that win certainly was a building block of sorts. The Steelers hadn’t completed a pass with more than 20 air yards in the month before that game, but they hit several deep balls against the Ravens.
A lot of that came against man coverage or cover 3 with one safety deep. The Dolphins didn’t utilize those looks often early in Monday’s game. However, as time wore on, the run forced the Dolphins to keep more defenders in the box. And that’s when the Steelers took advantage and built off the progress they made against Baltimore in the deep passing game. Aaron Rodgers’ touchdown to Marquez Valdes-Scantling is a good example.
The Dolphins have one deep safety, and with DK Metcalf and Valdes-Scantling running deep crossers, one of the two is bound to be open. But another really encouraging aspect of this play is the offensive line. Rodgers isn’t standing in the pocket all day, but he clearly isn’t rushed either. He’s able to sit, relax, read the defense, and deliver an accurate ball. The Steelers have tried to hit these looks earlier in the season, but didn’t have the same kind of pass protection.
That, plus an improved run game, really gave this offense life. The Steelers only ran for 34 yards against Baltimore. But they picked up 135 on the ground against Miami. If that run game can stay consistent, and the line can continue to give Rodgers time, this offense could actually be scary before the playoffs roll around, assuming the Steelers make it there.
It goes without saying that this Steelers team is inconsistent. It’s had several impressive wins this season, only to follow them with demoralizing losses. The game against Detroit next week will be a good barometer of where this team truly is. For now, there were some encouraging signs in the dominant win over Miami.