Steelers' once-promising offense already looks like a disaster
Winning is all that really matters in the NFL, and the Pittsburgh Steelers did that Sunday against the New England Patriots 21-14. How you win also matters, however, and that is where Pittsburgh failed to impress despite the big road victory.
The defense forced five turnovers on a day where it seemed like somebody had greased up the football, with four of those takeaways coming via fumbles. They were still leaky in the secondary, but they made enough plays to keep the Patriots off the scoreboard most of the day. Overall, it was a step up from what they looked like in their first two games.
The offense was another story. After an encouraging debut against the New York Jets that featured 34 points and a four-touchdown day from Aaron Rodgers, the offense has sputtered to the tune of just 38 points and 470 total yards combined in Weeks 2 and 3. Things look bleak, and the answer to their struggles is less than simple.
Pittsburgh Steelers' offense is stuck in the mud after a red-hot start
This week's game was a great example of how disjointed the offense has been to start the 2025 season. Pittsburgh scored 14 points by the beginning of the second quarter, which sounds fantastic until you realize they didn't score again until just over two minutes left in the contest. In between their second and third touchdown drives were six possessions that totaled 27 yards.
There is no need to panic about the Steelers' full-season outlook offensively just yet, but back-to-back poor showings are hard to swallow. Adding Rodgers alongside DK Metcalf, Jonnu Smith, and rookie Kaleb Johnson was supposed to bring more explosiveness offensively, but the results have been underwhelming to say the least.
Unlike last year, when the offense started slow, the defense hasn't played up to its usual level to offset it. This year's offense has actually outproduced last year's through three games, but not by as much as fans were expecting.
If you had told me before the season that the Steelers would be struggling to produce offensively, I would have assumed it was due to Rodgers playing poorly. Instead, he might be the best thing the offense has going for it. His numbers don't jump off the page outside of his Week 1 performance, but the players around him have been the more glaring issue.
The offensive line has been a major disappointment for the most part, the receivers have been inconsistent, and the rushing attack has been among the worst in the entire league. The former MVP cannot continue to be the best part of this offense if the Steelers are going to make a playoff push, but there aren't any signs of that changing any time soon.
Browns Make Joe Flacco Decision After Beating Packers
The Cleveland Browns made their stance on Joe Flacco clear following a gritty 13-10 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
Cleveland’s offense sputtered for much of the afternoon, failing to score until late in the fourth quarter. Andre Szmyt broke the drought with a 35-yard field goal at the 3:38 mark, and a Grant Delpit interception set up rookie Quinshon Judkins for a 1-yard touchdown plunge.
Green Bay nearly had the final say, lining up for a potential game-winning kick with under a minute left. But the Browns blocked it, giving Szmyt one more chance. The rookie kicker delivered, drilling a 55-yarder as time expired to secure the dramatic victory.
Despite the win, Flacco’s play remained a central storyline. The 40-year-old struggled to move the offense, finishing 21 of 36 for 142 yards with an interception — his fifth turnover in three games.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski acknowledged the offensive inconsistency but said he never considered benching Flacco in favor of rookie Dillon Gabriel to provide a spark.
“I’m just focusing on doing what I think is best for the team,” Stefanski said of his reasoning to stick with Flacco.
Stefanski emphasized that injuries along the offensive line, particularly at tackle, only magnified the challenges of going up against a stout Packers defensive front.
“That’s a great defense. I’m confident saying that’s a great defense. We had injuries early to our tackles,” Stefanski said. “They made life really hard.”
Browns QB Joe Flacco: ‘It Wasn’t Pretty’
The game was not an offensive showcase. Neither side cracked 230 total yards. Flacco admitted playing in that type of game isn’t easy, but he’s focused on playing his role.
“It’s hard. It’s hard to go out there and play in games like today,” Flacco said. “But that’s what football is sometimes. With the type of defense we have, it’s about going out there and capitalizing on turnovers and not making mistakes. It wasn’t pretty today. It was tough and there were times down the field where guys were open but I just didn’t make it happen. You feel for the group as a whole. Everyone wants to go out there and perform and put up numbers, points, yards, all that stuff. Part of your job as a quarterback is to get that done. But also, your job is to win a football game and play your role.”
The Browns’ offense was showered with boos in the second half as the scoreboard stayed stuck at zero. Even in his 18th season, Flacco acknowledged the noise still gets to him.
“You’re a person. You’re human. It hurts you a little bit and you want to react to it. But you can’t,” Flacco said. “Being a pro and being in this sport, you can’t be that guy. You will not survive. We’re all human and it affects people. But you have to be able to rally, at least fake it, and bring it to life.”
Browns Considered Starting Dillon Gabriel Against Packers
Through three games, Flacco has passed for 631 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions. He also had a fumble returned for a touchdown against the Ravens during a 41-17 blowout.
The Browns at least considered making a chance to Gabriel in the week leading up to the Packers game, per Brad Stainbrook.
“Earlier this week, Kevin Stefanski and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees spent much of Monday in meetings weighing whether to hand the job to rookie Dillon Gabriel, per league sources close to the situation,” Stainbrook said. “The staff ultimately decided to stick with Flacco for another week, but the leash is short.”
The Browns head to Detroit next week with a chance to move to .500. Coming off the win, Cleveland will likely continue rolling with Flacco.
