Paul Zeise: Steelers and Pitt will win games on the ground this …
Paul Zeise: Steelers and Pitt will win games on the ground this, Kenny Pickett was the guest of honor today. Earlier this week, we had Mitch Trubisky. A few days before, Mason Rudolph was making headlines.
A new quarterback will seize the spotlight on Wednesday, and he will be the one who has “took the lead in the quarterback race.”
Pitt
When it comes to the quarterback position at Pitt, Kedon Slovis and Nick Patti are locked in a head-to-head competition. When Slovis got hurt recently, it was a setback, but it might also be a non-issue.
Everyone seems to want to talk about quarterbacks these days, and everyone appears to have an opinion on who will win the position for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the University of Pittsburgh Panthers, respectively. At least those discussing Steeler’s position struggles have some sense of what is going on because practices are open.
In order to get any information about Pitt’s quarterback situation from state-run media, which is controlled by the team and sports information department, the public and media alike are barred from Pitt’s practice facilities. Whether or not they’re telling us the truth, they’re most likely just manipulating the narrative by providing us with the facts they want us to hear.
Fans of both teams are talking about quarterbacks, but the offensive lines should be the primary topic of conversation for fans of both teams. Last year, neither team ran the ball very efficiently or successfully, and both teams are determined to change that this year.
Ultimately, the success or failure of both teams is dependent on the offensive line and the running game. If neither team improves greatly in their ability to set up and run the ball right at defenses, it doesn’t matter how well their quarterbacks perform.
In order for this season to be a success, Najee Harris needs to be the Steeler’s offensive MVP. For me, whether it’s Trubisky or Rudolph or Pickett that leads the Steelers to the playoffs is irrelevant.
As a result, the offensive line has been completely redesigned for them. They added James Daniels and Mason Cole and are hopeful that Kevin Dotson can stay fit and in shape and become the road grader they hoped he would be when they drafted him.
Also, Ben Roethlisberger was no longer a part of their team Matt Canada, the team’s go-to guy for running the ball may now call the offense whatever he wants. No longer will he be subjected to the wishes and constraints of a Hall of Fame quarterback.
Because of that, I expect the Steelers to use a wider range of looks and ball carriers in their running game in order to improve their overall dominance.
Panthers
It is reasonable to assume that Pitt will be able to run efficiently right from the start of the season. All five of the Panthers’ starting offensive linemen are back, and the team has three talented running backs, each with a unique set of abilities. Straight ahead, the Panthers are capable of lining up and executing. Aside from running around the perimeter, they’ll also be able to complete screen passes, which are essentially running.
Frank Cignetti replaced Mark Whipple as Pitt’s new offensive coordinator, and that’s why the Panthers saw the most change. Even though Cignetti is a fan of the run game, he is a little old-school in his belief that it sets up and then enhances the passing game.
His frank criticism of Whipple and his offense for relying too heavily on the passing game sparked a backlash from Pat Narduzzi. Bringing Cignetti to the Panthers is a way for Narduzzi to get the squad back on track as a dominant running team.
It’s clear to me now why the quarterback competitions are so popular. While it’s true that football has evolved into a passing game, I still believe that traditional offensive notions like the balanced approach and running to set up the throw are outmoded in today’s data-driven environment.
It all makes sense to me, yet I’m still sceptical of much of it. Teams that are strong in the running game have a leg up on their opponents on both the physical and mental fronts. An effective ground game can go a long way in aiding teams who have recently acquired a new quarterback.
Both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Carolina Panthers are capable of dominating the running game and winning games on the ground. Even if you don’t care about who plays quarterback, you definitely have spent too much time discussing the position on both teams.
The struggles on the offensive line and at running back will have a far greater impact on the success of both Pittsburgh and the Steelers than the quarterback situation.