After an off-season that created an aversion to diversions, the Steelers report to training camp today at St. Vincent College in the hopes that they can finally focus on football.
Truth be told, they could use another distraction.
That won’t be a problem this weekend, when Latrobe can expect to encounter a carnival-like atmosphere surrounding Ben Roethlisberger’s arrival after accusations of sexual assault this past spring were followed by a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal-conduct policy.
When the focus returns to the football field, the Steelers have some serious concerns. They start with finding a suitable starting quarterback while Roethlisberger misses the first four games of the regular season, and that’s only if his penalty is reduced by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
But they certainly don’t end there.
While much of the attention has been focused on a defense that dipped from first in the league to fifth after blowing five fourth-quarter leads last season, the Steelers have much bigger problems on the other side of the ball.
The offense is a mess, and that’s putting it politely.
Start with the quarterbacks: Not only do coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Bruce Arians have to judiciously split repetitions between Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich, but they also have to find ways to get backups Charlie Batch and Dennis Dixon ready in case Leftwich is injured.
The theory goes that Leftwich figures to be fine, considering he acquitted himself well in Roethlisberger’s absence during the 2008 season. But the offense Leftwich is inheriting nowhere near resembles the one that rallied the Steelers past the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII.
The Steelers traded Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes to the New York Jets, allowed running back Willie Parker to leave via free agency and lost right tackle Willie Colon to an Achilles injury. So, they will be without their receiving yardage leader, second-leading rusher and best offensive lineman.
What’s worse, the Steelers don’t have proven replacements for them. Mike Wallace can start at split end, but would have to double his 39 catches as a rookie to match Holmes’ production. Even if Antwaan Randle El matches his 50 catches for 530 yards for Washington last year, he doesn’t figure to be as effective a third receiver as Wallace was.
And that’s asking a lot from a second-year receiver who will no longer draw the nickelback in coverage and a ninth-year veteran who never had more than 47 receptions or 601 yards in his first four seasons with the Steelers.
Parker lost the starting job to Rashard Mendenhall last season and wasn’t going to get the money or carries that he wanted with the Steelers, but third-down back Mewelde Moore is the only bona fide backup on the roster and has never logged more than 155 carries in a season.
Yet Colon’s season-ending injury was the biggest blow for an offense that was ordered to return to emphasizing the running game by team president Art Rooney II. The Steelers ranked 19th in rushing yards and 31st in sacks allowed last season, but were third in rushing first downs and rushes for 10 yards or more on the right side, where Colon was the anchor.
They addressed the offensive line by drafting center/guard Maurkice Pouncey in the first round and signing veteran left tackle Flozell Adams.
Is it realistic to expect an improvement on last season’s 9-7 record?
If there is hope, it’s that the NFL did the Steelers a favor by scheduling a bye in Week 5. That, coupled with a reduced suspension, would allow Roethlisberger two weeks to rediscover his rhythm before playing Cleveland Oct. 17 at Heinz Field. Another bright spot is that only three opponents — New Orleans, Cincinnati and New England – had 10 or more wins last year, and the Steelers don’t play any of them until after Roethlisberger returns.
The good news is that, with the healthy returns of Troy Polamalu and Aaron Smith and acquisition of Bryant McFadden, the defense should be improved.
With the way the offense is looking, it better be.
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