The Pittsburgh Steelers offense, through two weeks, has simply not been close to what the team expected. It isn't clicking in the passing game or the running game despite a preponderance of weapons, and it has certainly not gone unnoticed in Pittsburgh or nationally.
But in the process of calling around to scouts and evaluators to get a handle on what's wrong with the Steelers' attack (timing, and simply getting more reps together should cure those ills), I came away with a deeper appreciation of what the team might be building on defense. Sure, they have only faced the Browns (and DeShone Kizer in his first NFL start) and the Vikings (forced to play journeyman Case Keenum with Sam Bradford and Teddy Bridgewater inured). And yes, truer tests are ahead. But it's probably going underreported just how improved this group might be.
It's not quite back to Blitzburgh standards, and there are still some holes, but this might finally be the year again that the Steelers have a menacing enough defense to more than complement what is generally an elite offense. Through two weeks it looks the part.
"Pittsburgh has an identity, which is more than I can say for most of the teams in the AFC," said one veteran personnel man/advance scout who has watched the Steelers closely on film. "They are getting back to what they were on defense. They have a chance to be really good. Cam Heyward is dominating. He is taking games over. I don't see many people with better tape than him through two weeks. [Rookie] T.J. Watt looks like a perfect fit in their scheme. They're better than a lot of people think. I really like Pittsburgh. That might be the team to beat in the AFC."
The Steelers haven't even needed to unfurl veteran James Harrison yet, able to save him for when they need the ageless wonder. He certainly still has five-to-eight sacks in him. Stephon Tuitt, who anchors the defensive line, escaped serious injury with a biceps scare and he'll be back soon. Joe Haden adds experience and depth to a secondary that has been leaky in recent years.
And the schedule could continue to favor the Steelers for a while as well. They should feast on Mike Glennon and an overwhelmed Bears offense this week. Then they face arch-nemesis Baltimore, but at a time with the Ravens having limited options in the passing game and an offensive line decimated by injury (guards Marshal Yanda and Alex Lewis are out for the year) and free agency (stalwart right tackle Ricky Wagner left for big money in Detroit). They are gifted Blake Bortles -– the gift that keeps on giving to opposing defenses -– assuming he's the Jaguars' starter in Week 5 (otherwise it's the immobile Chad Henne).
They could easily be 5-0 with three of their eight road games out of the way by mid-October. After that stretch, the speedy Chiefs loom in Week 6, and this defense will get a dose of Matthew Stafford, Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady down the road, but given how docile the rest of the AFC North looks on offense -- Ravens, Browns and Bengals -– it's not difficult to project Pittsburgh with a top eight defense come January ... and possibly the AFC's No. 1 seed as well.
Wentz a keeper; jury's out on Goff
Every week Carson Wentz seems to convert another skeptic in the scouting community -– not that too many of them seem to linger. Even in defeat this kid quarterback shows he has the stuff to win a lot of games and perhaps join the rank of those capable of being transcendent.
Wentz made a couple of youthful mistakes in a tough loss to the Chiefs. He was also the victim of a few weird bounces and the way he responded by rallying the Eagles when down two scores down late was admirable. He makes three to five plays every Sunday that very few people on this planet can make, and reminds me more and more of Ben Roethlisberger when Roethlisberger was at peak athleticism, strength and mobility. Wentz is going to be the best of what could end up going down as a very memorable 2016 quarterback draft class.
Of course, Jared Goff, the first overall pick last year, is always going to be compared to Wentz, fairly or unfairly. And while I remain dubious about how high the ceiling is for Goff, he is clearly making strides. Week 1 was a bit of an aberration as the Colts did not come to play in L.A., and things got markedly more challenging in Week 2 against a Redskins team that ain't exactly world beaters. But Goff looked much more up for the fight than a year ago, and there seems to be a little more fire in his eyes and less fear and uncertainty.
"He didn't play great, but he battled and his team stayed in the game," said one scout who watched the Week 2 film. "He didn't look like a deer in the headlights. It wasn't like last year."
Dispatches from around the NFL
The Ravens got back to some of the hallmarks of their offense from years ago -- back when Gary Kubiak was at the helm as coordinator -- Sunday. I suspect they try to continue that trend given the continued decay of their offensive line. Joe Flacco was exceedingly more mobile and less rigid in Week 2 then he was in Week 1 -- natural given that he missed all of training camp and the preseason with a back injury -- and he was able to move the pocket effectively on some boots and waggles. Baltimore also put the game away by getting back to an up-tempo outside zone running scheme in which rookie back Alex Collins, just elevated from the practice squad, excelled (seven carries for 42 yards). Given the shape of the interior of their offensive line, down both guards and with an unproven center, making things happen outside the tackle box in the run and pass game is going to be essential. ...
If Glennon keeps his job in Chicago past the first month of the season, I would be surprised. It hasn't been pretty and despite what the Bears paid him, they also drafted a quarterback No. 2 overall and this already has shades of the Rams situation a year ago -- the grizzled, defensive-minded head coach who appears on his last legs (John Fox reprising the Jeff Fisher role) is only going to be able to hold off change, and the unknown and all the ups and downs that come with a rookie passer, for so long. As noted, the Steelers are primed to give Glennon fits, and then the Bears go to Green Bay with a quick turnaround on Thursday in Week 4. And then comes a long respite -- and plenty of time to get a new quarterback some reps - with Minnesota coming to Chicago on Monday night in Week 5. If the Bears offense continues to look like this, you can be damn certain the fans will be screaming for Mitchell Trubisky and I suspect they would get just that in this circumstance. ...
Jay Cutler is going to surpass Ryan Tannehill's best showing with Miami's offense, and Adam Gase knows how to manage him -- and coach away the turnovers -- like no one else. It's super early, and injuries and Cutler's desire to keep playing in 2018 will be huge mitigating factors, but I could easily see a scenario where Cutler signs for two or three years back in Miami after the season. ...
It's a slow start for me this far against the spread, though I did stabilize in Week 2 (10-6) after a humiliating Week 1 (5-11). If you pay attention to such things, I would say avoid me in the prime-time windows, where I've been brutal (0-7). I can't say there are that many games that I truly love this week, though I do feel fairly strongly about the Broncos, Steelers and Colts.
