The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking for answers for what happened to their offensive line after the first two weeks. The failure to protect up front has been the primary reason why the offense is unable to move the ball forward and get any sort of scoring drive going. Only two games have been played, but it wouldn't be surprising if panic sets in. This level of play could lead to Pittsburgh getting a top pick, as opposed to making Aaron Rodgers' final ride end on a high note with a postseason win.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike McCarthy watches from the sideline during a Week 2 game against the New England Patriots in 2026.
There are a lot of changes that need to be made for this line to improve. While making an appearance on 93.7 The Fan, Nick Farabaugh mentioned one change that could be made: benching the supposed weak link.
"[Spencer] Anderson has not been good at all in the first two weeks, and honestly, has probably been their worst offensive lineman through two games," Farabaugh said.
There were a lot of high hopes for Spencer Anderson at right guard, as he is easily the most versatile lineman on the team. In his first three years, he has played well wherever he was needed, whether that was at swing tackle, offensive tackle, or guard. He won the starting job somewhat convincingly in training camp, so this seemed to be a great move for Pittsburgh to help keep Rodgers upright.
That has not been the case at all. The whole line has played poorly, but Anderson seems to be the worst of the group. He entered the season with the expectation that he was playing for a nice contract on another team. Now, he's back in competition for the starting job, as it's hard to imagine that he stays in the game if he keeps playing at the level that he has in the first two weeks.
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Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Spencer Anderson (74) during 2026 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Many fans and media members have been clamoring for Brock Hoffman to see some reps. He can't make the situation much worse than it already is, so it's not like there is a lot of downside to this experiment. Priority number one is making sure that Rodgers has time in the pocket and doesn't get annihilated anymore. If the Steelers can't do that, it's hard to imagine the 42-year-old being able to play every week.
Sometimes, players are better as backup/reserve players. That could be the case for Anderson. He does have some starts under his belt, but the value he brings off the bench is immense. In 2025, he was a key piece to the offense as the sixth offensive lineman, as those jumbo sets helped to open up more rushing lanes and protect the quarterback. Pittsburgh may have to try that again.
Steelers Seem Disinterested In Making Drastic Changes
On the other hand, the Steelers' coaching staff did not appear to be open to the idea of benching anyone. Mike McCarthy spoke about how everyone just needs more reps, and it will all work itself out. That could be the case, but that begs the question of how long that would take. With how brutal the back half of the year is, this team can't afford to start the season 1-3, especially with how good the AFC North looks to begin the season.
The Steelers tried a bunch of different offensive line combinations throughout training camp and preseason before deciding to make everyone switch sides. The problem with that is it messes up the communication, which is a clear problem with the unit. There's also no comfort due to all the limited time in these new roles. Maybe they do need more reps, but again, how long would it be until everyone is in a good spot?
What do you think about the Steelers possibly benching Anderson for Hoffman, as well as the idea that everyone just needs more time to work out all the kinks? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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