Play to your offensive strengths

In overall offensive philosophy, I agree with what the Steelers are doing. Look at the talent (or lack thereof) -

Strengths

• A whole bunch of young, speedy wide receivers, who recently have gotten the dropsies, but are overall a pretty talented group. No real #1, but several #2s.
• A QB who likes to throw and can sling it pretty well
• An offensive line who seems to be able to keep their QB upright

Weaknesses

• An average starting running back, and a decline in talent from there
• An aging offensive line with no punch or road grader (grater? greater?)
• A QB who likes to survey the field from the shotgun and not take snaps under center
• For some reason, an inability to use a fullback (this one is a mystery).

With these characteristics unlikely to change (I think these are talent based, not scheme), you play to your strengths - throw it 50 times a game and hope your receivers can hold onto the ball.

What is needed now is some adjustments to the passing scheme. First bunch of games the jet sweeps were working and defenses adjusted and quashed those. Now the underneath slant routes have been figured out, and the receivers seem to be worried more about yards after the catch rather than the catch itself. So a new wrinkle is needed to get the ball into the hands of our playmakers - the receivers.

So sling it, Ben, and hope the receivers can hold on. One or two less drops and we are 12-0 with several blowout wins.

 

They are just keeping the real playbook under wraps before unleashing hell in the playoffs

On a serious note, would love if they could work the middle of the field and those intermediate routes more. We should have the personnel to do it like you say. The short passing offence isn’t working so I expect to see Ben take a few chances down the field next week.

We must remember he couldn’t practice last week and the quick turnaround gave them little time to work on anything anyway. I know that just sounds like an excuse but they have to make adjustments now and I think they will.