Rodgers under fire as Steelers' offensive line struggles mount
The short version
- Aaron Rodgers was sacked four times in a 20-3 loss to the Patriots.
- Fumbles forced by pressure, including one returned for a touchdown by Elijah Ponder, proved costly.
- Mike McCarthy said the protections were not clean and put responsibility on the coaching staff.
- Pittsburgh averages 74.5 rushing yards per game and ranks near the bottom of the NFL in run blocking.
- The Steelers host the Bengals, tied for the league lead with eight sacks, on Sunday.
Protection breakdowns, four sacks and turnovers in a 20-3 loss to New England have Pittsburgh searching for answers before Cincinnati visits Sunday.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are dealing with protection problems around quarterback Aaron Rodgers after a 20-3 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday. Rodgers was sacked four times, and miscommunication and missed assignments up front repeatedly left him under pressure.
One second-quarter sequence summed up the issues. Linebacker Christian Elliss arrived unblocked and combined with Robert Spillane to hit Rodgers, forcing a fumble that bounced backward 36 yards before Pittsburgh recovered, leaving the Steelers with a fourth-and-43. Rodgers lost another fumble when Christian Barmore beat Spencer Anderson, and Elijah Ponder returned it for a New England touchdown.
Coach Mike McCarthy acknowledged the protection was not clean and took responsibility for the staff not having the unit adequately prepared. Pittsburgh experimented with several offensive-line combinations during training camp, and Rodgers did not play in the preseason, limiting chances to build chemistry.
The early numbers reflect the concerns. Pittsburgh ranks 13th with a 52.5% pass block win rate, per ESPN Analytics and NFL Next Gen Stats, and sits near the bottom of the league in run-block win rate while averaging 74.5 rushing yards per game.
Next up is a home game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Cincinnati arrives tied for the NFL lead with eight sacks, adding pressure on the Steelers to fix their protection issues quickly.
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Written by the Matchday Live desk from reporting by Yahoo Sports.
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