How good will the Pittsburgh Steelers be in 2025? Effectively, two-time Tremendous Bowl champion QB Ben Roethlisberger believes the Steelers are all-in on this season. Analyst Dan Orlovsky isn’t so positive. However what he does know is that there are three key questions the Steelers should reply with the intention to be a extremely good soccer crew this 12 months.
Unsurprisingly, all three points are on the offensive facet of the ball.
“The season comes down to 3 issues, actuality relating to the final word objective,” Orlovsky mentioned Wednesday on The Pat McAfee Present. “One, that is the largest query mark: can the offensive line not solely get improved however keep wholesome for an prolonged time period? This isn’t Rodgers of 4, 5, six, 10 years in the past, the place he can transfer and canopy up for that stuff. This was a really poor offensive line final 12 months when it got here to cross safety. So, can that offensive line take an enormous leap?
“If that’s the case, then I feel this offense has an opportunity to be good.”
Orlovsky isn’t joking that the Steelers’ offensive line struggled in opposition to the cross in 2024. Defenses sacked quarterbacks Justin Fields and Russell Wilson a mixed 49 instances in 17 regular-season video games. Now, that’s not all on the offensive line, in fact. Each Fields and Wilson are infamous for holding on to the ball too lengthy.
However that doesn’t absolve the offensive linemen utterly, both. Final 12 months’s beginning left sort out, Dan Moore Jr., is now not with the crew. And Professional Soccer Focus graded him as being chargeable for 12 of the crew’s 49 sacks. He additionally dedicated 5 penalties and acquired a cross blocking grade of 66.2, the Sixty fifth-ranked sort out out of 140 graded.
However Moore’s possible alternative, Broderick Jones, fared even worse final 12 months. Jones performed proper sort out, which isn’t his faculty place. However PFF gave him a 54.6 cross blocking grade, 97th out of 140. And PFF graded him as giving up 10 tackles whereas being flagged 10 instances. Maybe taking part in at his pure left sort out place will end in an enchancment. However Verify The Mic’s Sam Monson thinks Jones’ efficiency will sink the Steelers’ season if he doesn’t enhance.
Quite a lot of eyes can be on OT Troy Fautanu this offseason. He was slated to begin at proper sort out, however he solely performed one recreation final season, Week 2 in opposition to the Denver Broncos. He missed the remainder of the season because of knee points. Fautanu says he’s absolutely wholesome proper now, which is unbelievable. However the Steelers are relying on him in a giant approach for 2025. When Orlovsky talked about staying wholesome on the road, Fautanu’s identify needs to be on the prime of the gamers you’d be involved about.
Orlovsky’s second level carefully aligns together with his first level: Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers’ well being. The offensive line’s efficiency can be a giant a part of that. As Orlovsky mentioned, this isn’t the identical Rodgers who was successful MVP awards with the Inexperienced Bay Packers. He’ll flip 42 in December. He can’t cowl up offensive line points like he used to together with his mobility and athleticism. If he’s unable to remain fairly wholesome all through 2025, his efficiency and, due to this fact, the efficiency of the whole crew will endure.
Rodgers additionally components into Orlovsky’s third main level. However it’s extra concerning the psychological a part of the sport and his relationship together with his offensive coordinator.
“The third factor would be the actuality of him and Arthur Smith when issues go poorly,” Orlovsky mentioned. “Him and Arthur Smith are each sturdy personalities… When issues go, perhaps hit lows, once they have some moments of wrestle, when there’s some lack of continuity, how do they work collectively and determine it out for the massive scheme of the offense?”
The NFL common season is lengthy. The Steelers clearly hope to be taking part in for much longer than the 17 regular-season video games. Which means there can be adversity, there can be struggles. That’s the truth of life within the NFL. It’s not about avoiding these moments, although all of us need to. It’s about how they’ll reply. Will Aaron Rodgers proceed to embrace a brand new (last?) chapter in his profession, one keen to not be in full and utter management?
And can Arthur Smith be keen to construct his offense with Aaron Rodgers in thoughts? If the reply to each of these questions is sure, they’ll work collectively simply effective. But when Rodgers acts like many individuals assume he does, or Smith doesn’t present flexibility in his scheme and playcalling, then the season might spiral uncontrolled once they hit turbulence.
But when the Steelers can navigate these three issues effectively, Orlovsky thinks this can be 12 months.
“These three issues will decide how good this offense and crew can be,” Orlovsky mentioned. “I nonetheless discover it to be soccer crew now that they’ve made their last strikes.”
The Steelers don’t need to be only a good soccer crew, although. They need to be nice this 12 months, they usually assume these strikes will make it occur. Orlovsky doesn’t.
“I don’t consider this can be a Tremendous Bowl-winning crew,” Orlovsky mentioned.
Solely time will inform.
