Stop me if you have heard this one before.
The Pittsburgh Steelers special teams units cost them big time in a meaningful game.
We have seen that with our own eyes as special teams’ breakdowns have cost the Steelers more than one playoff game throughout the years. And if they keep on heading down this path, they could do so again this season.
To call the Steelers special teams bad the past couple of seasons would be being kind.
However the simple truth remains and that is that this team can’t be considered serious contenders for a seventh Lombardi Trophy unless the special teams improve greatly.
They can’t kick. They can’t cover kicks. They can’t return kicks and they more often than not take penalties on those kicks that back the offense up.
Lately that has been no problem at all for Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers offense, but things are different come the postseason and needless to say the Steelers can’t afford these continuous breakdowns week after week.
When it comes to covering kicks, if Shaun Suisham doesn’t kick the ball out of the end zone, you have a feeling that bad things are going to happen.
Look back to Sunday night and the Steelers gave up a 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to Jacoby Jones after giving up a 25-punt return to Jones earlier in the game.
While Jones is certainly a potential game changer, the Steelers will see more of these types of returners the rest of the way, including possibly Percy Harvin Sunday afternoon when the Steelers take on the New York Jets.
Punt coverage is just as bad as the kickoff coverage.
A lot of that has to do with punter Brad Wing’s inconsistencies.
While Wing has had his moments this season, he also has had some costly punts as well.
Wing had a net average of only 36.5 yards on six punts Sunday against the Ravens, which included a low line drive punt that Jones returned 25 yards in the first quarter.
These type of things simply can’t happen.
When it comes to the Steelers returning kicks, you almost hope that the ball is kicked out of the end zone and the offense can start at the 20. LeGarrette Blount, Dri Archer and the rest of the Steelers returners have been incapable of reaching that point on any consistent basis.
And as much as I love Antonio Brown as a punt returner, does anyone else hold their breath every time he returns a punt? It is very risky having your best weapon offensively back there to take extra hits and risk injury.
But Brown returning punts and Suisham kicking field goals are the only parts of the Steelers special teams units that you have confidence in.
All other aspects of the special teams could prove costly if they don’t improve in a hurry.
What’s the answer?
Sadly there may not be many on this current roster, but Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin is taking measures to prevent at least one thing.
Tomlin says there won’t be any more dancing prior to kickoffs.
“Quite frankly, (it) was ridiculous,” Tomlin said of Jones’ touchdown return. “Guys dancing around and so forth before the ball is kicked and then getting one run back on them is unacceptable. You won’t see our kickoff team dancing anymore.”
While that is certainly true, I would rather see some improvements in execution across the board be the main focus.
Roethlisberger is not going to throw for six touchdowns every game to be able to mask the special teams’ issues.
If they don’t improve in a hurry, they could cost this team in a big way down the stretch.
Photo Credit: Pittsburgh Steelers
