Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley had a message for all of his young players who received their first extended exposure to the NFL in the first half of the season: The honeymoon is over.
“I told the young guys during the week they’re not young guys anymore,” Haley said. “It’s time. We need you.”
That goes for young tight ends Jesse James and Xavier Grimble. That goes for second-year receiver Sammie Coates. And that especially goes for first-year receiver Eli Rogers, who finally reappeared in the offense with the first 100-yard receiving game of his career last week against the Baltimore Ravens.
Rogers caught six passes for 103 yards, all in the fourth quarter when the offense finally awoke from its slumber.The Steelers weren’t expecting 100-yard games every week from Rogers, but they certainly were expecting more than they were getting.
Rogers was the talk of training camp again this summer and caught six passes for 59 yards and a touchdown in his NFL debut against the Redskins. But from Weeks 2 through 7, Rogers managed just seven catches for 76 yards while sitting out three games with a turf toe injury and a disciplinary issue.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is Rogers’ biggest backer and is hoping his favorite slot receiver turned the corner with his performance in Baltimore.
“I thought he did some really good things,” Roethlisberger said. “I thought his conditioning looked better. His route running was better. He made some plays down the middle of the field when they were taking away the outside. That’s what we need from him.”
The Steelers desperately need a more consistent threat in the middle of the field. Defensive coordinators continue to double- and sometimes triple-team All-Pro receiver Antonio Brown. And because the Steelershaven’t been consistent running the ball Roethlisberger is seeing a lot of two-deep safety looks, which takes away deep routes designed for Coates.
“Eli did a great job getting down the middle of the field,” Brown said. “If teams are going to come out in two-high safety, getting up the hash to cover me, the middle of the field will be open. He did a great job in that department and we’re going to need that as a team.”
“When they’re going to take away A.B. and the deep balls that opens it up for the tight ends and the slot receiver,” Roethlisberger added. “Some of our biggest plays were down the middle. That’s what we need to tighten those safeties and get the linebackers back a little bit.”
Tight end Ladarius Green could be added to the 53-man roster for the Cowboys game, which would give the Steelers another threat over the middle. But even if Green does play the coaches are likely to slowly work him into the game plan.
That leaves Rogers with an important role against the Cowboys, who will have reserves playing in the secondary because of injuries to two starters.
“They’ll have two or three guys in some instances on A.B.,” Rogers said. “That will leave the middle of the field wide open. When they have two guys on A.B., I feel like a lot of things are open.”
The Cowboys have a strong front seven that ranks fourth in the NFL against the run. They’re middle-of-the-pack against the pass and with two reserves in the starting lineup they’re likely to copy the game plans other defensive coordinators have thrown the Steelers’ way — stop the run, double cover Brown and play two safeties deep.
When defenses take that stance the secondary skill players such as Rogers have to step up and make plays.
“I think our offense thrives on big plays,” Haley said. “What we have to be better at is when teams are taking away the big play is being able to move the football down the field. That takes patience. That takes consistent execution. You can’t have one guy off on one play and get it done.
“To me, that’s our focus. I know big plays will come. We obviously thrive when those are occurring. But we have to be better when those aren’t happening. It can’t be fold up the tent and go home. We have to show that we want to be thought of as a great offense, not just an average one.”
