Steelers run game offensive line
Steelers run game offensive line
The Pittsburgh Steelers have invested heavily in their offensive line through recent drafts. However, as Week 1’s win over the Atlanta Falcons showed, the unit still has plenty of room for improvement. While the team has options to shuffle its starting combinations, most notably with rookie first-round pick Max Iheanachor waiting in the wings, the ultimate solution relies on better execution from the entrenched starters.
As one of the established starters, left guard Mason McCormick knows that the Week 1 performance was subpar but also presents an opportunity for growth.
“We have a ton of faith in the guys that we have, and so we’re excited to go out there and just continue to be better,” McCormick said via Sportsline with George Von Benko on WMBS Radio. “Last week wasn’t up to our standard necessarily in a few areas and we’ll look to improve on that. We definitely wanna get the running game going more than we did last week. And we’re excited for another opportunity. Glad we came out with a win. We’ll be better.”
The win against Atlanta marked McCormick’s first game at left guard since moving from the right side in the offseason. After strong play on the right side last season, both McCormick and tackle Troy Fautanu were moved to the left side, with the aim of protecting Aaron Rodgers’ blindside.
McCormick has plenty of left guard experience from his college days at South Dakota State, but the NFL is a different beast. He allowed four pressures against Atlanta. While much of the outside criticism has targeted the play of the tackles, McCormick also has strides to make at his new position.
As McCormick pinpointed, the running game needs to be better than it was against the Falcons. Pittsburgh rushed for just 58 yards on 21 attempts. A strong running game is imperative to McCarthy’s offense, and a dominant offensive line would go a long way to making that a reality.
Week 2’s matchup with the New England Patriots will be a test for McCormick and the interior of the offensive line as they attempt to keep Milton Williams and Christian Barmore in check. Adding to the challenge of the offensive line in general is the health of Fautanu, who is officially questionable with an ankle injury.
If Fautanu is unable to play, the much-anticipated debut of Max Iheanachor could come early. Regardless of Sunday’s injury report, it feels like only a matter of time before the talented rookie sees the field, especially if Dylan Cook struggles to cement himself at right tackle.
Despite the looming challenge, McCormick’s confidence signals a locker room that isn’t panicking. There’s plenty of room for improvement from what we saw in Week 1, but the Steelers have the pieces in place; now, it is simply a matter of execution.