Fansided

5 ways to fix the broken Pittsburgh Steelers

By Rucker Haringey

DENVER, CO - NOVEMBER 25: Head caoch Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers watches from the sidelines as his team plays the Denver Broncos at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on November 25, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - NOVEMBER 25: Head caoch Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers watches from the sidelines as his team plays the Denver Broncos at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on November 25, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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PITTSBURGH, PA -DECEMBER 02: Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner (30) celebrates after a touchdown during the NFL football game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 02, 2018 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA -DECEMBER 02: Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner (30) celebrates after a touchdown during the NFL football game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 02, 2018 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

3. Run the football

Scoring points wasn’t a problem for the Steelers last season, but their lack of balance on offense was an issue. This is a team that finished 31st in the NFL by rushing for just over 90 yards per game in 2018.

No one is suggesting the Steelers bog their offensive down in the mud and start running the ball 80% of the time. Instead, they should look to find some balance. That means James Conner needs to find a way to start grinding out more yards inside the tackles.

If Pittsburgh can establish the run, it should go a long way towards making up for the loss of Brown on the outside. JuJu Smith-Schuster should be able to step up and have a big season, but he can’t be expected to fully replace what Brown gave this team last year. Part of the calculation for Tomlin and his coaching staff must be getting more yards on the ground.

It’s even possible the Steelers might want to draft a running back to help with this cause. Conner is a terrific receiver, but he got banged up last season. Don’t be shocked if Pittsburgh goes out and finds a more physical back on Day 3.

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