Steelers Writer Doesn’t Think Offensive Line Will ‘Substantially Change’ This Season

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive line faced challenges in their Week 1 victory against the New York Jets. According to The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo, he doesn’t expect the performance of the offensive line to improve significantly as the season goes on.

“The Steelers’ young offensive line took its lumps on Saturday, and I don’t think that’s going to substantially change,” DeFabo wrote Friday. “Pittsburgh has invested heavily in the trenches with a pair of first-round picks at tackle (Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu) and a second-round pick at center (Zach Frazier).

“However, that group opened a few rushing lanes and failed to keep Aaron Rodgers upright. The Steelers managed just 53 rushing yards and 2.7 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Rodgers was sacked four times and hit seven times in total. What was supposed to be a strength of the offense by now remains a weakness. They may show growth at times this year, but I expect the offensive line will continue to be inconsistent.”

Pro Football Focus ranked the Steelers with the 11th-highest pass-blocking grade among 32 teams in Week 1, despite allowing five total pressures. However, their run blocking was rated 24th.

The Steelers rushed the ball 20 times for 53 yards, which is concerning since the running game opens up the rest of the offense.

Suppose Pittsburgh’s offensive line struggles to create rushing lanes. In that case, they will likely struggle to win in their division against the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, and Cleveland Browns, all of which boast strong defensive lines.

The Steelers return to action Sunday for a Week 2 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.

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