The Pittsburgh Steelers struggled throughout their inter-divisional matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. Their defense did the best they could, but the offense was exploited throughout the game. It'll be interesting to see how the rest of the season plays out for Pittsburgh. It's time to continue our NFL takeaways series with a Steelers Week 3 takeaway.
Pittsburgh's defense played well, but when the defense is on the field as often as they were, they're going to give up points. The offense is a major liability for the Steelers right now and that was evident in their Week 3 matchup. We'll see if the coaching staff changes things up, as it's not looking good for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Even so, there were a couple of bright spots on the team on Sunday. Pat Freiermuth is shaping up as a nice prospect tight end with a bright future. Also, most of Najee Harris' production came through the air. Lastly, this offense is struggling and most of the blame can be put on Ben Roethlisberger. With that said, here are three Steelers Week 3 takeaways from their game against the Bengals.
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Steelers Week 3 Takeaways
3. Pat Freiermuth will develop into a legitimate starting tight end one day
He ended the day with just three receptions and 22 yards, but he did record the only touchdown on the day. The rookie was overshadowed by Kyle Pitts as a tight-end prospect, but Pat Freiermuth has all of the potential in the world. He's blocking well and serves as a solid possession receiver in the passing game right now.
Freiermuth's role should expand slowly as he adjusts to the professional level. It'll take some time, but he flashed his talents in this game against the Bengals. Look for Freiermuth to eventually become a major asset on the Steelers.
2. Najee Harris the top receiver on the team?
Najee Harris ended the day with 14 receptions for 102 yards. He led his team in both categories as Ben Roethlisberger continuously dumped it off to the rookie running back. It was expected Harris would be utilized in the passing game, as Diontae Johnson was ruled out prior to the start of Week 3.
After Juju Smith-Schuster fell to injury, Najee Harris became the best pass option on underneath throws. Chase Claypool still had a decent game, but Roethlisberger looked for Harris just as much as he did his top wideout.
This type of production from Harris is great for fantasy football, but this is not ideal for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Hopefully, Johnson and Smith-Schuster bounce back to improve the passing attack.
1. Ben Roethlisberger needs to hang it up
Okay, Ben Roethlisberger threw for 318 yards and one touchdown today. But he had 58 attempts and two interceptions against a mediocre Bengals defense (or so we thought). Big Ben is immobile in the backfield and doesn't have the legs under him to extend the play.
Additionally, the offensive line is one of the worst in the NFL, which doesn't help Roethlisberger in the slightest. He looks old and uncomfortable in the pocket and it's likely time Mike Tomlin looks elsewhere for a starting quarterback. This team is bound to draft a rookie next offseason, but we could see either Mason Rudolph or Dwayne Haskins under center soon.
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