Steelers' Mike Tomlin Gives Confident Answer For Offensive Line Concerns

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been dumping lots of resources into their offensive line in recent years. They have used two first-round picks and a second-rounder to try and load it up with high-end talent that can grow together as a collective elite unit. So far, it has not worked as well as Pittsburgh hoped. The run blocking has been a problem as of late, and they have allowed seven sacks through the first two games, although they were able to keep their quarterback upright in Week 3. Hopefully that becomes a trend and not a fluke.

During his weekly Tomlin Tuesday press conference, Head Coach Mike Tomlin was asked about the offensive line issues. Specifically, he mentioned earlier that injuries on defense held him back from doing certain things that he wanted to do on that side of the ball, so maybe he would have those same reservations for the other side as well.

"Are you at all being forced to hold back some of the things you might be able to do on offense because of some of the pass protection concerns," the reporter asked.

Tomlin did not think about that question for a second. He gave a very blunt answer about it and moved on.

"No," Tomlin said.

Tomlin is saying that the full arsenal of plays is open to use despite all the questions surrounding the offensive line's ability to keep Aaron Rodgers comfortable in the pocket. He could just be saying that to avoid throwing his players under the bus, but if he is being honest, there are a lot of concerns about how diverse the playbook truly is on that side of the ball. 

The Steelers have a major issue with the passing game that has been a constant for many years, despite the many changes at offensive coordinator and quarterback. That issue is the severe lack of usage of the middle of the field. Even with an established veteran that Tomlin coveted so hard, the team clearly seeks comfort with sideline routes and working away from the hashmarks. The more things change, the more they seemingly stay the same.

The play-calling once again seems to be very predictable, which would point to a coaching issue more than an offensive line problem. They were held to just over 200 yards of total offense in Week 3's win, as two of the five turnovers set them up with a relatively short field. For most of the game, that side of the ball had no answers for everything that the New England Patriots threw at them.

Steelers' Offensive Line Issues Could Be Overblown

Third-year offensive tackle Broderick Jones has been watched closely since training camp, as his development is a big key to success for the season. While his training camp tape was concerning, he has done well over the last two weeks. He has quietly been a major reason of Rodgers' early-season highlight reel. As long as he is staying up, this offense has a chance to thrive. 

The main issue with this unit has seemingly been right tackle Troy Fautanu, but he is essentially a rookie due to his season-ending injury right before Week 3 of 2024. He still needs to develop as the season goes on, and it's not like all of the offensive line issues are his fault in particular. If he can grow like Jones has done so far, no one will be questioning this unit for the rest of the season.

Obviously, this offensive line is still far from elite. However, it has taken massive strides from the dumpster fire unit that it once was. Week 3 was a big step in the right direction, but now they will face one of their toughest tests in Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings, who have arguably the best defensive mind in football calling the shots in Brian Flores.

What do you think about the offensive line not holding the coaching staff back from using the full playbook? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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