The Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive line has continued to ascend as the season has gone on, and after a strong performance in Week 9 against the Indianapolis Colts, the Steelers have cracked the top ten of PFF’s offensive line rankings. The Steelers moved up five spots from No. 14 to No. 9 in the latest rankings ahead of Week 10.
PFF had particular praise for OG Isaac Seumalo, who didn’t finish the game due to a pectoral injury, but didn’t allow a single pressure when he played, giving him an 86.7 pass-blocking grade. As a whole, Pittsburgh’s 92.3 pass-blocking efficiency tied for third in the NFL.
The Steelers have invested heavily in their offensive line, spending first-round picks on Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu in the 2023 and 2024 NFL Drafts, while also taking C Zach Frazier in the second round last year and OG Mason McCormick in the fourth. The investment has paid off for the Steelers this year, and while Jones is still a little bit shaky, he’s gotten better as the season has worn on.
Meanwhile, Fautanu has developed into one of the better offensive tackles in the league, and Frazier continues to excel at the pivot for the Steelers. There were some questions about how this offensive line was going to play after the first few weeks, but it’s a group that seems to have found its footing and is getting better with each week.
In Week 10, the Steelers face off against an offensive line going the other way. The Los Angeles Chargers are the 30th-ranked offensive line in football, dropping three spots after OT Joe Alt suffered a season-ending injury and Bobby Hart suffered a knee injury. The Chargers’ offensive line gave up 13 pressures last week, and they’ll have an uphill battle on their hands against a talented Steelers’ pass-rush.
For Pittsburgh, the offensive line has to continue to play at a high level. While Aaron Rodgers has shown off better-than-expected mobility, especially over the last few weeks, he’s still a 41-year-old quarterback and can’t be taking hits. The run game wasn’t as good in Week 9, but in the weeks prior, the Steelers found some momentum when it came to running the football, and the offensive line play can help the Steelers be a complete offense.
After years of struggling with consistency, it’s a positive to see the Steelers’ offensive line finally look like one of the better units in the league.
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