With the Pittsburgh Steelers halfway through the 2014 season, one question lingers about this team that suddenly finds itself in a first place tie with the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals:
Who are these guys?
These are the new Steelers, with a new brand of Steelers football that may have just allowed its franchise quarterback to catch up with some of the best in the league.
Ben Roethlisberger threw for 522 yards and six touchdowns last Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts. He fell 32 yards shy of the all-time record for yards in a game, and is the only quarterback to throw for over 500 yards twice.
Many have debated about whether or not Ben Roethlisberger is an elite quarterback. His supporters usually point to the Super Bowl championships as evidence while his detractors will cite his inability to make the playoffs or win games without a stout defense while posting average numbers. After all, Roethlisberger has never thrown more than 32 touchdowns in a season and has only eclipsed 4000 yards three times.
Those numbers might change in the second half of this season, along with the rest of the offense.
With Ben Roethlisberger at the helm, and a full complementary of weapons, the Steelers have become the unthinkable to old-school football fans in Pittsburgh: a high powered offense.
“We got guys who make plays at any point in the game. Even if the play isn’t executed perfectly or the X’s and O’s aren’t right, we still make plays,” said Le’Veon Bell who currently sits third in the league in rushing yards.
While Bell has had a tremendous season so far, no one has exemplified making plays like Antonio Brown. Not Calvin Johnson. Not Julio Jones. Not Dez Bryant. Maybe Demaryius Thomas, but he hasn’t been as consistent.
Antonio Brown, or AB, is first in catches, second in yards, and fourth in touchdowns.
“I’ve never seen anybody utilize his hands and feet and eyes the way [Brown] does. Anytime you get the ball in his hands…literally a big play can happen anytime,” said Roethlisberger.
It’s certainly hard to fathom that Brown is on pace to put up career numbers for the second straight season despite losing Mike Wallace and Emmanuel Sanders back to back years.
And yet, a new threat has emerged in the offense in the last two weeks.
Martavis Bryant has 123 yards and three touchdowns on seven catches since suiting up for his first NFL game on Monday night against the Texans two weeks ago.
Bryant, a fourth round pick in May’s draft, is blessed with the size (6’4, 211 lbs) and athleticism to be a playmaker in the NFL. While character issues haunted him before the draft, the rookie out of Clemson struggled to pick up the playbook at the start of the season.
Since receiving a hat, however, he’s been a huge impact both to Ben and AB.
“The better he plays the more AB is going to benefit and other guys because he is a threat.”
Suddenly, the Steelers have their trio of receivers with Markus Wheaton flanking Brown and Bryant. They have a tight end that can catch the ball in the red zone as Heath Miller displayed against the Colts. They have a running back that can not only run between the tackles, but also line up in the slot on passing plays.
The offensive line has also been excellent over the last few games. Health is a big reason, as only Marcus Gilbert has missed notable time due to injury. His replacement, Mike Adams, has played great in his first six quarters since replacing Gilbert two weeks ago.
And last but certainly not least, the Steelers have Ben Roethlisberger; a player with an elite skillset, something that hasn’t been lost on Bell.
“I’m just glad to say I played with him because that’s greatness right there.”
This is not your typical Steelers team. The defense is going to be a major work in progress all season and there will be a lot of frustrating moments, particularly in the secondary. The offense will have to carry the load if the Steelers want to make the playoffs and win the division; something fans have been asking Ben Roethlisberger to do for some time now and something that’s certainly possible with an offense that finally has the pieces in place.
If you’re looking for 51 points and 500 yards a game, you’re probably going to be disappointed. But this is certainly a team that has the means to be an elite offense each week.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images
