On the Steelers: Offense needs to improve
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Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall has accounted for the team's only offensive touchdown this season.
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The Steelers' offense has gone through more quarterbacks than goal lines after two games, and one of these days it would like to lend a hand to the rest of the team that has delivered two victories.
"I'd like to score a touchdown, one of these games," coordinator Bruce Arians said.
The Steelers have scored one, Rashard Mendenhall's 50-yard run on the team's first offensive play in overtime to win the opener against Atlanta. Last Sunday, the Steelers scored none. The team's only touchdown came on rookie Antonio Brown's 89-yard opening kickoff return.
Sunday in Tampa, quarterback Charlie Batch will start for the first time since 2007 and try to lead the offense into the end zone a time or two.
"We'll have to produce," Hines Ward declared. "There's no question we have to produce. We're at the bottom of the league in a lot of categories."
At least they hug the bottom. The Steelers are next to last in passing yards per game (116), next to last in total yards (240.5) and in a last-place tie in touchdowns scored with two, but they are the only offense in the league that has just one touchdown. They also are third from the bottom in sacks allowed at seven.
One area on offense in which they have improved is the one Art Rooney, their president, prodded them to do better -- on the ground. The Steelers, who ranked 19th in the NFL in rushing last season, are 10th after two games.
With the way their defense has smothered their first two foes, the offense has gotten away without Ben Roethlisberger and with little production.
"For us, there's nothing wrong with punting the ball," Ward said. "We know we haven't scored a touchdown. We have a lot of prideful guys. I don't like to be at the bottom of the list. At the same time, you have to be smart about things.
"We're 2-0 right now without our starting quarterback. We have two more games. We just have to find a way to try to pull it together in these next two games."
The offense has been good at protecting the ball with just two turnovers in two games while the team's defense has forced eight. Yet Arians does not want them to be so conservative as to go into a shell.
First Published September 24, 2010 12:00 am
