PITTSBURGH _ The Steelers got an unexpected week off thanks to the COVID troubles of the Tennessee Titans. It wasn't ideal, but the one thing it has done is given the Steelers a chance to get a few players healthy.
The most important one is Diontae Johnson, given his roles in the passing and punt game. Johnson seems to be a standout player waiting to break out, and the more opportunities he gets to play the more chances he will have to make an impact.
Johnson has a lot of ability and a skill set that would suggest he can become a big-play receiver for the Steelers. He is fast, athletic, has quick change ability and is excellent after the catch, and those are all the elements needed to be a playmaking receiver in the NFL.
He is only one of a number of playmakers the Steelers have, and that is exciting. The Steelers offense, like Johnson, has only shown glimpses so far of what it can be. The chemistry is still a work in progress and Ben Roethlisberger is still a little bit off.
But it is coming, and when it all comes together _ provided Roethlisberger can stay healthy and has no setbacks with his elbow _ it could be a lot of fun to watch. It could also become one of the most dangerous offenses in the NFL.
I'm not predicting this team is going to average 30 points per game offensively or anything like that. I just think that this offense is capable of so much more, and I don't think there is any one factor holding it back.
It hasn't been poor performances holding it back, which means the room for growth is there. The Steelers are going to get better simply by playing snaps with each other more every week.
Roethlisberger is only going to get sharper as he throws the ball more and plays in more games. He has mostly knocked the rust off after a year out of commission. But even he has talked about little things _ like his footwork _ that are still just a bit off.
Once he gets back to where he wants to be and gets on the same page with all of his weapons, the offense will take off. That's especially true now that the offensive line has been stabilized with Chuks Okorafor settled in at right tackle and David DeCastro back fully healthy.
Roethlisberger has more weapons now than he has had in a long time. He doesn't have Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell like he did a few years ago, but he didn't have much beyond those two then. This team has a lot of different players who are capable of making big plays in the passing game.
Chase Claypool is a rookie, but he has already made his presence felt and he has only played three games. Imagine what he will be like when he and Roethlisberger really develop some chemistry and get to know the nuances of each other's game.
Eric Ebron is another new addition to the offense that hasn't been fully utilized the right way yet. There is so much more the Steelers can get out of him, and that will come as he and Roethlisberger play more games together.
JuJu Smith-Schuster is having a bounce-back year, James Washington and Roesthlisberger still have room to grow as a tandem, and now we have seen what Anthony McFarland Jr. is capable of, and that is some incredible stuff, as well.
The Steelers offense has shown glimpses through three games. We have seen some evidence that it has the ability to be explosive and win games even when the defense is struggling. Roethlisberger is a great quarterback and now has a lot of choices in terms of people to throw or hand the ball to.
It may not happen this weekend against the Eagles because the Steelers have been off for a few weeks, but I do believe it is coming. I have seen enough already to know that the potential for the Steelers offense to be much better than it has been is there.
Roethlisberger just needs some more time to get to know the players he has around him. He needs a little bit more time with Claypool and Ebron and a lot more time with McFarland before they are all on the same page.
The Steelers defense will obviously lead the way this year because that is how the team is built. But don't be surprised if at some point the offense reaches a level that is on par with the defense and on some nights is asked to carry the load to win the game.
It has that capability. We just need to see it unleashed, and I think that is coming soon.
