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Offensive Struggles for Aaron Rodgers, Steelers Can Be Explained With One Stat
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- Offensive Struggles for Aaron Rodgers, Steelers Can Be Explained With One Stat
Offensive Struggles for Aaron Rodgers, Steelers Can Be Explained With One Stat originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh . Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Steelers fans may only be staring at a two-game sample size, but the reunion of head coach Mike McCarthy and quarterback Aaron Rodgers hasn't resulted in an offensive explosion.
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Pittsburgh escaped its season opener with a 20-13 win over Atlanta , but it finished with just 264 total yards (4.1 yards per play). In Week 2, the Steelers failed to score a touchdown in a 20-3 loss to the Patriots , marking the first time since 2010 that a McCarthy-Rodgers offense didn't reach the end zone.
One specific element has hurt the Steelers' ability to move the ball. Through two games, the threat of a deep pass is nonexistent.
Rodgers has nine pass attempts of more than 20 yards this season with no completions, putting him at the top of an ugly list.
At 42 years old, Rodgers simply doesn't have the athleticism to escape the pocket and find receivers for big gains like he did earlier in his career. As ESPN's Dan Graziano noted , Rodgers was 5-of-12 for 34 yards with four sacks when facing pressure against the Patriots, and he has completed 33 percent of his passes (3.5 yards per attempt) when pressured through two games.
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However, Rodgers shouldn't take all of the blame. The running game hasn't exactly been electric, and the offensive line needs to give Rodgers more time in the pocket.
"It's a team game. We've got to give Aaron better platforms to throw off of and have the opportunities," McCarthy said after the Week 2 loss. "I don't want to dink and dunk and play keep-away football. There's a place for that, maybe situationally, but that's not the philosophy. We have to attempt to get the ball thrown downfield."
The Steelers will have to quickly address those issues with back-to-back AFC North games on the schedule. Pittsburgh will face Cincinnati at home on Sunday before hitting the road for a battle against Cleveland on Oct. 1.
