Can Pittsburgh Steelers Offense Carry Defense in 2014?

The roles have reversed for the offensive and defensive units for the Pittsburgh Steelers. No longer can the defense keep the Steelers in the game by shutting down the opponent. Instead, the offense must light up the scoreboard if Pittsburgh is going to be competitive on a weekly basis.

Perennially one of the best defenses in the league, the Steelers began to slip in 2013 when they finished in the middle of the pack in points allowed (13th) and total yards allowed (14th), per Pro Football Reference.  They may bottom out this year after two dismal performances against the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens to start the season.

Brian Hoyer carved up the Steelers defense for 230 yards and a touchdown, while Joe Flacco looked like an All-Pro quarterback as he threw for 166 yards and two touchdowns in Baltimore's 26-6 victory. But it wasn’t just the pass—the defense couldn’t stop the run either.

Cleveland was able to come back from a 24-point halftime deficit behind a powerful ground attack, which produced 183 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries. Do the math, and you’ll find out that the Browns averaged 6.1 yards per carry. Yes, 6.1 yards per carry.

The Ravens did not match those totals but were nearly as good with 157 rushing yards with an average of 4.4 yards per carry.

In the end, the stats are meaningless. It is the points that matter, and that is where the Steelers need to be concerned. Over the last six quarters, Pittsburgh’s defense allowed 53—an unacceptable total for a team that expects to compete for a playoff spot.

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The last six quarters are much more likely to represent PIT's season than the first two IMO.

— Cian Fahey (@Cianaf) September 12, 2014"

Until Pittsburgh proves otherwise, this type of performance by the defense should be expected on a weekly basis. The only way around it is for the offense to score at least three or four touchdowns per game.

The offensive production was a big part of the Steelers’ strong finish to 2013 when they won six of their final eight games, while they averaged nearly 29 points per game—versus just over 20 points allowed over this stretch.

After the first two quarters of the season, it appeared as though the offense could be even better in 2014.

Ben Roethlisberger helped lead the Steelers to a 27-point output in the first half against the Browns. His 278 passing yards were the highest of his career, per Jim Corbett of USA Today.  However, it was not enough to coast to an easy victory, as it took a last-minute drive to kick a field goal as time expired to defeat the Browns by three points.

If your defense cannot maintain a 24-point halftime lead against a team with Brian Hoyer at quarterback, then your defense officially stinks, and you had better have an all-world offense ready to back it up.

As the defense faltered against the Ravens, the offense could not do its job to keep up. Whether it was a fumble by Justin Brown, a holding penalty on Darrius Heyward-Bey or a misfire by Roethlisberger, the Steelers offense did not do enough to keep the team competitive against its biggest rival.

The offense simply made too many mistakes and did not capitalize on drives with touchdowns. Field goals are not going to cut it when the defense allows nearly 30 points on a weekly basis. As much potential as this group of players has, it clearly is not ready to join the ranks of the elite quite yet—but it can get there.

What will it take for the Steelers offense to be one of the top scoring units in the league? Well, a few things.

The offensive line must keep Roethlisberger clean and healthy. That means Marcus Gilbert can no longer get bull-rushed by defensive ends and linebackers. Whenever Gilbert is flat on his back, nothing good will happen to Roethlisberger

Speaking of Roethlisberger: He must get the ball in the hands of his receivers.

Antonio Brown is one of the top receivers in the league based on his production in 2013, when he finished with 1,499 yards. He had an outstanding preseason and opened the year with 116 yards and a score in his first game. Add in Markus Wheaton, who has established himself as the No. 2 option, and the Steelers have a formidable duo.

Finally, as good as the passing offense can be, Le’Veon Bell is too good of a player to ignore. He had 1,259 total yards as a rookie and already had 197 total yards in the season opener. He was terrific against the Ravens as well, with 59 rushing yards on 11 carries and five receptions for 48 yards.

Bell needs to touch the ball upward of 25 times per game for the Steelers offense to truly be a dangerous threat. Anything under that number and Pittsburgh will be off its game.

The season is just two games old, but it is clear the offense must carry the defense, and the potential is there to do so. However, until this unit becomes more consistent, there will be a lot of frustrating moments and potentially another year without a playoff appearance.

Note: Unless otherwise noted all stats are courtesy of ESPN.com, and all roster information is courtesy of Steelers.com.  

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