Why ESPN Analyst Feels Steelers’ Offense Has Looked ‘Quite Bad’

Mina Kimes clearly isn’t impressed by the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense this season.

The Steelers have averaged 24.0 points per game through a 2-1 start, which included a Week 1 shootout win over the New York Jets. They also rank 30th in total offense entering a Week 4 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.

Kimes took Aaron Rodgers and the rest of Pittsburgh’s offense to task during Thursday’s “First Take.” ESPN’s NFL analyst thinks other observers are giving the unit more credit than it deserves.

“Aaron Rodgers hasn’t played well,” Kimes said. “I feel kind of crazy hearing folks say that the Steelers’ passing offense looks fine. It’s not fine. It’s quite bad, in fact. It’s all quick game.”

Kimes defended her point with numbers that show Rodgers’ struggles when he’s not making swift throws in a clean pocket. The “NFL Live” panelist also reasoned that the New England Patriots bailed out the Steelers by surrendering five turnovers in last week’s 21-14 loss, during which the Steelers mustered 203 total yards.

“When he’s pressured, he’s 28th in QBR. When he has to hold onto the football for more than two and a half seconds, he’s also 28th,” Kimes noted of Rodgers. “He has an average depth of target of five yards. That is dead last in the NFL. They should have lost, by the way, to the Patriots, who fumbled that game away. This offense isn’t good enough. What are people seeing in this offense?”

Dan Orlovsky argued that Pittsburgh’s offense has met his expectations, but the former quarterback apparently didn’t have high hopes for Rodgers and his supporting cast.

“I think it’s fine. This offense is exactly what I thought it would be,” Orlovsky said. “Rodgers will get the ball out quick. They’ll be fine in that. They can’t protect. They can’t run it. They can’t throw it downfield.”

“That is an extremely low bar you just laid out,” Kimes responded.

The Steelers will try to be more than just fine when facing the Vikings in Ireland this Sunday.

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