Steelers Now
If there’s anything we’ve learned about the NFL, it’s to expect the unexpected, and the Steelers-Jets matchup in week one was a perfect example of that. With eight months of preparation leading up to kickoff, both teams looked to put their best foot forward and gave observers a shootout that no one could have foreseen. Mike Tomlin’s club was able to do just enough to eke out a victory in the closing moments, but there were certainly some concerning takeaways in the process regardless of the final score. By far the most worrisome was that Broderick Jones struggled mightily in his return back to left tackle, allowing three sacks on the afternoon.
Overreactions running rampant are synonymous with the return of football in the fall, but in this particular instance, the cause for concern feels pretty valid. Only his now former teammate Dan Moore Jr. allowed more sacks last season, and as the sample size continues to grow, the results just haven’t been good enough. Year three is a critical turning point in a youngster’s career, with expectations rising as the player looks to hopefully position themselves for a contract extension the following offseason. Even if that growth isn’t always linear, some sort of development is to be expected. In Jones’ case, it’s difficult to pinpoint where those improvements even are at this point given that he still looks like the same player he was coming out of college as a raw prospect with limited experience.
Most of his losses in pass pro were rather uncompetitive and came in a variety of ways that highlighted some bad habits. His hands are still wide and late far too often, allowing rushers to access his chest, trying to catch guys rather than establishing first contact. He’s still prone to getting overextended and easily drawn off balance because of that lean, making him susceptible to inside counters. Arthur Smith dialed up a bevy of play-action concepts against the Jets, trying to take some of the strain off the offensive line, but Jones allowed a couple rushers to get on his edges on those as well.
“I’ve got to be better. I’ve just got to continue to focus. I can’t put that on tape,” Jones said on Wednesday. “I know that. Everybody knows that.”
Despite all of that, the offense was able to light up the scoreboard to the tune of 34 points on the road, a testament to their ability to overcome obstacles in a tough environment. However, everyone involved knows this isn’t a sustainable way to live. In his weekly press conference, Tomlin acknowledged that the quarterback was hit too often for his liking.
“Our quarterback got hit too much and [Jones] was a component of that,” Tomlin said.
Aaron Rodgers stood up for his teammates, accepting blame for his lack of escapability, citing back tightness that’s certainly believable for someone that turns 42 years old in December. In order for him to build on his impressive four-touchdown debut, Pittsburgh is going...
