Steelers "O" ranked 31st in total offense

[hawaiiansteel]

No 'O' in Steelers

by: Mike Bires Beaver County Times
Tuesday September 21, 2010 12:02 AM


PITTSBURGH — Due to on-going quarterback issues, the Steelers’ offense ranks among the NFL’s worst.

Not counting statistics from Monday night’s New Orleans-San Francisco game, the Steelers are 31st in the league in total offense, 31st in passing offense and 31st in touchdowns scored.

After Sunday’s 19-11 win in Tennessee, coach Mike Tomlin acknowledged that he’s concerned about the lack of offense. He also acknowledges that the Steelers’ have played in two low-scoring games dominated by the defenses and that they’ve used Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch at quarterback.

“It does concern me, but we won so it was enough,” Tomlin said of an offense that produced just seven first downs and 127 total yards against the Titans.

“We’re leaving a lot of offense on the field,” Batch said. ‘One thing you want to do as an offense is put seven points on the board.”

The Steelers have only scored one touchdown on offense so far. That was Rashard Mendenhall’s 50-yard run that ended the 15-9 overtime win over Atlanta in the season opener.

Kicker Jeff Reed leads the NFL with seven field goals. But as Batch noted, Reed’s opportunities have come because the offense has bogged down in the red zone.

In addition, the Steelers have been conservative on offense due to Dixon’s inexperience and the overall injury situation at the QB position.

On a positive note offensively, the Steelers’ running attack ranks 10th in the league. Individually, Mendenhall ranks fourth in the league with an average of 94.5 rushing yards per game.

Obviously, the main reason for the offensive struggles is star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger missing from action, serving a four-game suspension. Also, Byron Leftwich, who was expected to start in place of Roethlisberger, missed the first two games with a sprained knee.

For Sunday’s game in Tennessee, the Steelers actually released Leftwich due to a shortage of defensive linemen. With nose tackle Casey Hampton out with a hamstring pull, Steve McLendon was promoted from the practice squad to give the Steelers six D-linemen.

Leftwich was re-signed Monday and may play this week at 2-0 Tampa Bay.

Dixon, a third-year pro, has started the first two games but left in the second quarter Sunday with what first appeared to be a minor knee injury. Batch came in and finished the game.

However, after further testing Monday, Dixon reportedly suffered a torn meniscus and could be out several weeks.

Today, Tomlin will update the condition of Leftwich and Dixon and may even name a starting QB. But this week with Dixon out, the new starter will either be Leftwich or Batch.

http://www.timesonline.com/sports/sport ... elers.html (http://www.timesonline.com/sports/sports_details/article/1424/2010/september/21/no-o-in-steelers.html)

[Oviedo]

Likely to remain in that area until Ben comes back. Really the stats are meaningless as the offense we are seeing now is a "don't lose" offense versus a "win" offense.

As long as we get one more W before Ben returns I could care less about the rankings.

[SteelTorch]

Likely to remain in that area until Ben comes back. Really the stats are meaningless as the offense we are seeing now is a "don't lose" offense versus a "win" offense.

As long as we get one more W before Ben returns I could care less about the rankings.
Nice to see you have standards. :wink:

[Oviedo]

Likely to remain in that area until Ben comes back. Really the stats are meaningless as the offense we are seeing now is a "don't lose" offense versus a "win" offense.

As long as we get one more W before Ben returns I could care less about the rankings.
Nice to see you have standards. :wink:

I also live in the real world :wink:

[SteelTorch]

Likely to remain in that area until Ben comes back. Really the stats are meaningless as the offense we are seeing now is a "don't lose" offense versus a "win" offense.

As long as we get one more W before Ben returns I could care less about the rankings.
Nice to see you have standards. :wink:

I also live in the real world :wink:

Which one? Cause it certainly isn't earth. :P

[RuthlessBurgher]

If you ain't last, you're first. :lol:

[rpmpit]

I'm actually surprised we aren't last. Thanks, Bills! :D

[focosteeler]

I'm actually surprised we aren't last. Thanks, Bills! :D
:Agree

[Crash]

Run the ball!

[hawaiiansteel]

Run the ball!




Arians has never produced an effective running offense, he much prefers to throw it.

[proudpittsburgher]

Run the ball!




Arians has never produced an effective running offense, he much prefers to throw it.

It doesn't matter if Emperer Chaz were calling the plays . . . you can't run the ball any more effectively than we have done when the defense knows you ain't gonna pass. Knowing what they do, I actually think our running game has been above average up to this point.

[JTP53609]

i bet if big ben was playing we would be 32nd...right doug gotlieb you doucher

[Flasteel]

Run the ball!




Arians has never produced an effective running offense, he much prefers to throw it.

It doesn't matter if Emperer Chaz were calling the plays . . . you can't run the ball any more effectively than we have done when the defense knows you ain't gonna pass. Knowing what they do, I actually think our running game has been above average up to this point.

I completely agree. The problem was also compounded by the QB situation on Sunday. There is nobody we could legitimately trust under center behind Batch...and we know his recent fragility was in the back of every coach's mind.

It simply wouldn't be fair to judge the ground game or play-calling in last week's game...at least not to me. It's not an excuse for going full-french vanilla on offense this week. Unless Lefty is not fully healed, we better open the play book a little and mix things up.

At this point however, the offensive stats mean very little to me.

[BURGH86STEEL]

Run the ball!




Arians has never produced an effective running offense, he much prefers to throw it.

2007 the Steelers overall rush offense was 3rd in the league. They averaged 4.2 per carry and that was tied for 7th in the league. Does that appear pretty effective to you?
That was the last time they had 2 pro bowl players on the Oline. This is what I mean by being fair to BA.

[BURGH86STEEL]

Run the ball!




Arians has never produced an effective running offense, he much prefers to throw it.

It doesn't matter if Emperer Chaz were calling the plays . . . you can't run the ball any more effectively than we have done when the defense knows you ain't gonna pass. Knowing what they do, I actually think our running game has been above average up to this point.

I completely agree. The problem was also compounded by the QB situation on Sunday. There is nobody we could legitimately trust under center behind Batch...and we know his recent fragility was in the back of every coach's mind.

It simply wouldn't be fair to judge the ground game or play-calling in last week's game...at least not to me. It's not an excuse for going full-french vanilla on offense this week. Unless Lefty is not fully healed, we better open the play book a little and mix things up.

If the defense and special teams play well and keep it close, they will give themselves a chance to win. We all know that Lefty is not fully healed. We also know Batch is fragile. We know the Oline is hurting. I really don't know how much they can open up the play book and mix things up. It's difficult to say how well they can execute a competent offense with the concerns and players they have. There's no easy answers right now.

I can't say that I ever remember a team having to deal with the issues at QB and Oline that the Steelers have this season.

[Crash]

Run the ball!




Arians has never produced an effective running offense, he much prefers to throw it.

So when Willie Parker was leading the league that wasn't effective?

People wanted us to run more. Get away from pass happy eveil Ben's offense and get back to the way it was in the 70's with Franco and the 1990's with the Bus.

Arians is giving people what they asked for.

[hawaiiansteel]

Run the ball!




Arians has never produced an effective running offense, he much prefers to throw it.

2007 the Steelers overall rush offense was 3rd in the league. They averaged 4.2 per carry and that was tied for 7th in the league. Does that appear pretty effective to you?
That was the last time they had 2 pro bowl players on the Oline. This is what I mean by being fair to BA.


ok, I should never say never. :Cheers

Bruce Arians's rushing offenses have been mediocre to bad 5 out of the 6 years he has been an OC, or 83.33% of the time. Arians was the OC for the Browns for 3 years (2001, 2002, 2003) and has been our OC for 3 years (2007, 2008, 2009) making it a total of 6 years he has been an OC.

let's take a look at how his rushing offenses have done:



In 2007, the Steelers ranked third in rushing yards and averaged 24.6 points per game.

In 2008, the Steelers ranked 23rd in rushing yards and averaged 21.7 points per game.

In 2009, the Steelers ranked 19th in rushing yards and averaged 22.5 points per game.


Now let's look back at the numbers from Arians' only other time as offensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns:


2001 Browns: 17.8 points per game, 31st in total offense, 31st in rushing offense, and 28th in passing offense.

2002 Browns: 21.5 points per game, 23rd in total offense, 23rd in rushing offense, and 18th in passing offense.

2003 Browns: 15.9 points per game, 26th in total offense, 20th in rushing offense, and 25th in passing offense.

[RuthlessBurgher]

It's not an excuse for going full-french vanilla on offense this week.

Never go full French vanilla.

http://atouchofmelancholy.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/tropic1.jpg

:wink:

[feltdizz]

Cowboys are 0-2 but it's OK.... they rank higher than us on offense.
Vikings are 0-2 but no worries... they have a higher ranked offense.

Pats are 1-1 but fear not... they have a higher ranked O than us...
Colts are 1-1 but it's groovy... they have a higher ranked offense than us...

The AFCN contenders each have a loss but it's ALLLLL GOOD!... they have better offensive production than we do.

8)

[Iron Shiek]

Cowboys are 0-2 but it's OK.... they rank higher than us on offense.
Vikings are 0-2 but no worries... they have a higher ranked offense.

Pats are 1-1 but fear not... they have a higher ranked O than us...
Colts are 1-1 but it's groovy... they have a higher ranked offense than us...

The AFCN contenders each have a loss but it's ALLLLL GOOD!... they have better offensive production than we do.

8)


I feel your thoughts felt, but I didn't interpret the mood of most of the posts on this thread touting the fact that just because we are ranked so terribly, it equating to us being bad. Its merely a trend sort of thing. We've had some fortunate outcomes given the lack of productivity on the offensive side of the ball. I don't think that can be sustained for much longer. I, like everyone, really hope Ben is the savior of the offense and things turn around with him under center, and I'm confident they will. But its still alarming to see such a $hitty ranking.

[SteelTorch]

Cowboys are 0-2 but it's OK.... they rank higher than us on offense.
Vikings are 0-2 but no worries... they have a higher ranked offense.

Pats are 1-1 but fear not... they have a higher ranked O than us...
Colts are 1-1 but it's groovy... they have a higher ranked offense than us...

The AFCN contenders each have a loss but it's ALLLLL GOOD!... they have better offensive production than we do.

8)
They also don't have a defense which holds teams to less than 14 points a game.

I love when BA apologists stupidly point to our 2-0 record as if he's the reason. :nono