James Conner is a good story and all, but...

[Mojouw]

In his chat today, P-G reporter Ray Fittipaldo noted the problems with the running game have not suddenly arisen this month.

There is a lot of attention being paid to the lack of the running game. And rightfully so, it's been bad. But I wrote about the run-game struggles last December. This isn't a three-game slump. This has been going on for a much longer time.

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...s/201909240111

He linked back to an article he wrote last December after the Raiders game debacle.

The Raiders were giving up 153.3 yards per game. The Steelers gained 40 yards on 19 carries....

There is plenty to dissect from the Raiders game, and we’ll get to those gory details later. But it’s important to note the problems with the line can be traced back to the Jacksonville game.

The Jaguars are the NFL’s 26th-ranked rush defense. The Steelers ran for 26 yards on 11 carries.

The next week, the Steelers faced Denver. The Broncos are 21st against the rush. The Steelers ran for 75 on 16 carries.

Notice a trend?

The Steelers are 29th in the league in rushing (89 yards per game). They’re 25th in yards-per-carry average (4.1).

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...s/201812100103

So there is more going on than just the loss of Mike Munchak.

I have been of the opinion for several seasons now that the o-line is a fantastic pass-blocking line and an average at best run blocking line. I further believe that their prominent national rankings by pundits and NFL Twitter or whatever is largely due to the predominance of passing in offenses across the league.

I think Munchak and others associated with the offense have had one over-riding mandate for several years now, keep the franchise QB unbloodied and upright. All other concerns on offense were secondary.

It isn't, for me, a question of whether that was the right or the wrong approach - simply an observation that it was the approach.

[86WARD]

Their pass blocking this season has been rather piss-poor as well. Last weekend, Bosa beat AV all day.