Home 2014 Season Pass? Run? Why Can’t the Steelers Do Both?

Pass? Run? Why Can’t the Steelers Do Both?

by Steeldad

The argument is a never-ending one. “The Steelers need to pass more!” “The Steelers need to run more!”

What I don’t understand is why can’t they do both?

Where both sides of the argument head is not a secret. Some claim that because the NFL is built around passing the ball more than ever then that is the way the Steelers must proceed. It’s a tough claim to deny because every season passing numbers grow larger and larger. This season is going to be even more prolific should it stay on its’ current pace.

Toss in the tightly enforced rules on defensive backs and linebackers using their hands too much and you’ve got yourself a passing league!

Those on the other side of the aisle will point to last year’s Super Bowl winners who used a punishing defense and a power running game to win the World Championship. They will argue that running the ball is still the most vital and effective way to beat your opposition and they would point to last Monday night as evidence.

What I don’t understand is why can’t there be a happy medium? While it pains me to say so, the winningest team over this century, the New England Patriots, have been successful with a formula that has relied heavy on both the run and the pass depending upon the situation. What they’e learned is what I’ve preached for years in that it isn’t the amount of carries per game, it’s the quality of those carries that matters.

If you’re running the ball the way Le’Veon Bell was against Tennessee, you’re going to win a lot of football games as he was averaging 6.2 yards per carry. The problem is that came on 33 carries out of 36 total rushing attempts. Know who had the other three attempts? QB Ben Roethlisberger.

Honestly? It was a great performance by Bell but I for one do not believe he can sustain that level carrying the ball that many times every week.

The Steelers must find balance and they must find the ability to get more efficient and more effective rushing attempts on a consistent basis rather than use the ole’ plow horse mentality.

The weapons Ben Roethlisberger has at his disposal are well-known and make for easy pickings against many NFL defenses, or at least they should right? We know Big Ben has penchant for hanging on to the ball too long in an effort to make a play. This is the sword we must choose to live or die by with him but just like running the ball, the offense can find efficiency and effectiveness in passing it too.

I will always believe in the idea that the pass will set up the run in the NFL today more than ever before. Points are now so crucial because defenses just can’t play the way they once did and if you are going to have an offense that is “run-first” then you better have a darn good defense when it comes to getting off the field on third down and in creating turnovers.

Obviously things will change a bit with LeGarrette Blount no longer here but again, it isn’t about quantity, it’s about quality and the Steelers can achieve both with their passing and rushing attacks if they really set their minds to it.

Marc Uhlmann writes for and co-owns www.steelcityblitz.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteelDad and the website @SCBlitz. Check us out on Facebook at facebook.com/steelcityblitz and on Fancred.com. You can hear him weekly during the season on game day on the Trib-Live Radio Steelers Pre-Game

photo courtesy pittsburgh.cbslocal.com

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2 comments

steelbydesign November 21, 2014 - 5:45 pm

The Steelers have (in my humble opinion) the best “big 3” in football right now. That is QB-RB-WR. It’d be a tragic mistake not to take advantage of all 3.

Ben has been one of the most dangerous play-action quarterbacks in the league over his career. It all goes hand in hand.

Vittorio Di Stazio November 21, 2014 - 8:37 pm

I would rather see the Steelers form there identity the way other teams do and not the way the Pats do it. Yes the Steelers have good WR’s but other than AB, Moore and Miller there other 2 guys are rookies or in the case of Wheaton a 2nd year rookie, and no I’m not saying run Bell into the ground I am merely saying build the identity the way other teams not name the Patriots run there offense. If the opponent has a bad run defense like the Titans attack that weakness, if the other team is more vulnerable to the pass then go after them aggressively and stay with it for the whole game. There is no medium for this offense no matter what the Pats have done with there offense. This teams strength is the pass for 65-70% of the time and it runs on a average of 30-35% of the time. Make no mistake about it there is no room for error in the last 5 games of the season not 1 error is to made. This team will go as far as Ben takes them and not some philosophy of having a medium in the offense. If you feel differently by all means tell me why you feel that way but I’m not changing my answer.

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