5 Keys to Potent Pittsburgh Steelers Ground Game in 2015
Years removed from the “three yards and a cloud of dust” approach to the ground game, the Pittsburgh Steelers have entered the 21st century with a dangerous aerial attack. Despite this, they will enter the 2015 season by placing an emphasis on the ground game.
Most would expect Ben Roethlisberger to sling the ball all over the field to his talented receiving weapons, but that would be ignoring one of the best offensive players in the NFL—Le’Veon Bell.
Bell established himself as one of the premiere running backs in the league with 2,115 all-purpose yards. As a true three-down back, he was named the Most Improved Player of the Year by the Pro Football Writers of America and was named team MVP.
With such a dangerous option in the backfield, the Steelers want to get the ball in Bell’s hands as much as possible. As offensive line coach Mike Munchak enters his second season in Pittsburgh, the blocking should be much better as should the depth at running back with the addition of DeAngelo Williams.
Between the upgrades with the personnel and adjustments to the offensive scheme, here is a breakdown of why the Steelers will have a potent ground game in 2015.
Continued Improvement of Offensive Line
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After years of high draft picks, the offensive line finally began to come together last season under new offensive line coach Mike Munchak. Not only did it do a better job protecting Ben Roethlisberger, but it also helped pave the way for one of the league’s best running backs.
Pittsburgh’s ground game improved by 369 yards and 0.6 yards per carry between 2013 and 2014 as the line developed into one of the better units in the NFL. Football Outsiders ranked the Steelers’ offensive line sixth in the league, according to Adjusted Line Yards.
However, the Steelers will not be satisfied after moving from No. 27 in rushing to No. 16 in just one season. Maurkice Pouncey told the media he believes the team can develop into a top-10 attack, per Teresa Varley of Steelers.com:
“We have really been working at it. We have some great running backs,” Pouncey said. “Coach Munchak is doing a great job teaching us some different techniques and honing in to our base run game. We did a great job with it. Hopefully we have been watching a lot of film and we can build on it.”
One area that the offensive line—and offense in general—must improve is in the red zone. Offensive coordinator Todd Haley believes that the Steelers left too many points on the board last season and consistent rushing attack deep in the opponent’s territory will only help, per Josh Yohey of DKonPittsburghSports.com:
“We need to run the ball more consistently,” Haley said. “And we need it to help us get more points when we’re down there.”
Given the development that we saw from the offensive line in just one year under Munchak, there is reason to believe that this unit will be even better in 2015. That will only mean good things for the ground game moving forward.
Production from Backups
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A suspension will keep the Steelers’ 2014 MVP off the field for the first three games of the season, so it will be up to Bell’s backups to carry the load until he returns.
DeAngelo Williams will get a bulk of the work as Bell’s primary backup and his current teammate—and former teammate in Carolina—Mike Mitchell believes that he up for the task, per Teresa Varley of Steelers.com:
“He is someone I believe can really help us,” said Mitchell. “The only focus we have here in Pittsburgh is to win a Super Bowl. When you come here you really understand that and want to do anything you can to help.”
Williams will play a crucial role in the Steelers’ success early in the season. Without Bell in the playoffs, the offense was unable to fully establish a rhythm, and it proved to be a disaster. However, a veteran presence in the backfield should alleviate that problem.
Over his nine-year career, Williams averaged at least 4.1 yards per carry in eight seasons. Working out of a two-back system in Carolina, he will share the load to help keep Bell fresh throughout the entire season. Besides what he can do on the field, he will also provide leadership for Pittsburgh’s young stable of running backs:
“DeAngelo has a great attitude and can provide some leadership,” said Mitchell, per Varley. “His personality is great. His main thing is he is a leader and passionate. I think he still wants to show people he has some gas left in the tank and I believe he does. “
Williams will work alongside second-year running backs Josh Harris and Dri Archer, who both still have a lot to prove. The combination of veteran experience and youth leaves the Steelers in good shape in terms of their depth chart.
Expect the Steelers to use all of their backs to help ease the load on Bell and keep him fresh deep into the season. It is this “team mentality” that must resonate for the ground game and the offense to have a successful season:
“It’s the opportunity to take maybe one or two reps or whatever it takes to make this team better,” Williams said, per Varley. “That is what I will do. I want to make it to a Super Bowl and win it. I know this team has that potential, and they can do it."
Emphasis on Red-Zone Rushing Attack
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The Steelers scored a franchise-record 436 points last season, but they could have done even better. Ranked 19th in red-zone efficiency, Haley believes that the offense must do a better job punching the ball into the end zone:
“When we get in tight, when football gets tough, we have to get the ball in the end zone whether it’s running or throwing,” Haley said (via Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette).
According to Fittipaldo, “Goal line offense has been stressed in every practice, and that’s expected to continue next week at minicamp and next month at training camp."
Although they have the weapons to throw the ball effectively inside the 20-yard line, it is more important that Haley establish the ground game.
The inability to run the ball deep in an opponent’s territory is the direct result of which team controls the line of scrimmage. As talented as the Steelers are along the offensive line, they have lacked the physical presence needed near the goal line.
To develop into a truly elite offense, the offense must convert more possessions inside the red zone into touchdowns, not field goals. Considering the early emphasis on this phase of the game, we can expect better results in 2015.
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Commitment to a Balanced Attack
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For years, the Steelers used the run to set up the pass. The roles have reversed in recent seasons, but it is important that Haley implement a balanced offensive attack.
Rather than going with their strength and throwing the ball all over the field, a balanced attack will keep a defense on its heels. When the offense is dictating the tempo, odds of a big play through the air or on the ground increase and that is exactly what the Steelers want.
Last season, the Steelers threw the ball on 59.1 percent of their offensive plays. Their efforts paid off as they finished with the No. 2 passing offense in the NFL. Despite only ranking 16th with 1,752 yards, Bell was second in the NFL with 1,361 yards.
Even though there was a disparity between the passing and rushing attempts, the Steelers offense was well balanced. Head coach Mike Tomlin pointed this out during one of his press conferences last December, via Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:
“Again, I know I sound like a broken record, but I've said repeatedly, we seek balance,” Tomlin said. “I feel that we are, so that we do what it is we need to do to win.”
Balanced doesn’t mean that you have to have an equal number of passing and rushing attacks each week, but rather have the ability to attack the weakness of an opposing defense, according to Haley.
“Balance forces you to look at each defense and figure out what is the best way to have the best chance to win,” Haley said, via Kaboly. “When you can do both (run and pass), it's a positive.”
A balanced offense will keep defenses guessing and allow the Steelers to utilize their offensive weapons—including Bell—to the best of their abilities.
A Healthy Le’Veon Bell
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Le’Veon Bell was named Steelers MVP for a reason last season.
Sure he set numerous team records including yards from scrimmage (2,115), receptions (77) and receiving yards (774) for a running back all while finishing second in the NFL in rushing yards (1,341). But his value went well beyond the statistics.
Bell established himself as the best all-around running back in the NFL last year with his ability as a runner, receiver and blocker. Without him in the lineup, the offense becomes one-dimensional.
Against a formidable Baltimore Ravens’ defense in the playoffs last season, Pittsburgh’s ground game was anemic, and the offense mistake-prone. The Steelers only mustered 68 yards on 19 carries and turned the ball over three times.
This game only reinforced how important Bell is to the success of the Steelers’ offense. Over six months after suffering the knee injury, which kept him out of the playoffs, he is approaching 100 percent and should be in top condition in time for training camp.
As long as Bell is healthy, the Steelers will once again have a solid ground game to help power their offense. Combine his talent with another year of continuity for the offensive line and improved depth at running back and Pittsburgh will have a potent rushing attack in 2015.
Note: Unless otherwise noted, all stats are courtesy of ESPN.com and roster information is courtesy of Steelers.com.
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