All four Bs on field is a priority
Since 2014, the Steelers have employed some of the top offensive players in the game, but they haven’t played together enough for the Steelers to get to a Super Bowl. Whether it has been injuries or drug suspensions, the Steelers haven’t reaped the full benefits of their star quartet for very long during the current three-year playoff streak.
Just call the Steelers starcrossed. The Big Four haven’t been together on the field since Nov. 1, 2015. That was the day Bell injured his knee and was lost for the season in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Heinz Field.
The most recent time they played a full game together? Well, you have to go all the way back to Dec. 21, 2014. The Steelers beat the Kansas City Chiefs, 20-12, at Heinz Field. The next week, in their AFC North Divisionclinching victory against the Bengals, Bell was lost for the season with a knee injury.
When they were all healthy in 2014, the Steelers offense was nearly unstoppable. Once Bryant was inserted into the lineup in Week 6 and before Bell was injured, the Steelers had some of their most prolific offensive performances in franchise history. In that 10game stretch, the Steelers went 8-2. In those 10 contests the Steelers averaged 31.2 points per game. They scored 30 points or more five times in that stretch, including a season-high 51 in a lopsided victory against the Indianapolis Colts.
In addition to the Big Four reuniting, the Steelers are excited about the possibilities for the offense for other reasons. The slot receiver on that 2014 team was Lance Moore and the third receiver was Markus Wheaton. It’s easy to see why there is so much anticipation about what the 2017 Steelers offense might do with Eli Rogers and JuJu Smith-Schuster replacing them.
The only position on offense where the Steelers are weaker in 2017 is tight end. Heath Miller was still a very productive player in the 2014 season. Jesse James has proven to be solid in his stint as a starter, but no one is comparing him to Miller, the franchise’s best tight end in team history.
But really, that’s it. One can make an argument the Steelers are as strong or stronger at every other skill position as well as the offensive line.
The Steelers will be smart in how they approach the preseason. They won’t expose their Big Four to many snaps in meaningless games or practices.
Sometimes, teams learn the hard way. In August 2015, the Green Bay Packers and Steelers played a preseason game at Heinz Field. The Steelers lost All-Pro center Maurkice Pouncey for the season and the Packers lost receiver Jordy Nelson for the season.
The Steelers and Packers made the playoffs and each won a game as wild cards, but could not advance past the divisional round of the playoffs. Who knows what would have happened if two of the league’s premier players were healthy.
The Steelers have Super Bowl aspirations in 2017. They can’t protect their stars in the regular season, but they can pack the bubble wrap and bring it to Saint Vincent College in Latrobe.