Steelers all-but abandon the running game, but that’s OK

The running game has long been sacred for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Absent a running game, the Steelers offense -- indeed it’s entire football philosophy -- just didn’t work. Until now. Until Big Ben Roethlisberger, wise and wily in his 17th season and seeing the field like never before, can dump off the football at will. Until these four Horsemen of the Apocalypse for NFL defenses. I’m talking about the wide receivers who make the most of every catch, no matter how short the so-called pass travels in the air. This is the Steelers running game now: Ben seeing the field, making the snap decision and unloading the ball to his plethora of playmakers. It’s the short pass, the yards after the catch, and this talented group of hands guys who also have great feet to turn Ben’s dump-offs into big plays. All of it was on display in the Steelers convincing 36-10 win over the Bengals. But bigger than that, it forms the blueprint for how these “Not Your Father’s Steelers” could go all the way to the Pittsburgh promised land of the Super Bowl and a mythical 7th Lombardi Trophy. The only question is: Do you believe? Well listen up, as I have all of the stats and all of the best takes on whether this team has what it takes to win it all – or whether the hamstrung Steelers’ running game will prove to be a fatal flaw. It’s all here in a fleet-footed edition of your Steelers Update Podcast from PennLive. So let’s get right to it!

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