Where's The "RUSH"!

Two games into the season thus far and the Steelers are lacking a "rush" in two different areas.  The team has only two sacks thus far into the season.   I don't know if we can be a defensive "force" with one sack a game unless we are creating a lot of "hurries".  The sacks in recent years were obtained  mainly from dominate players like Harrison and Woodley.

Woodley is now in his prime and a true "stud" of a player with great size, strength, and tenacity to the ball. Woodley is getting "chipped" a lot by backs coming out of the backfield which kinda' neutralizes his initial surge; but the guy does keep coming.

Woodley is massive!

 Woodley in his "grill"

James Harrison is "Mr. Nasty!" and my personal favorite player.  Harrison likes to bring the "pain" reminiscent of the great Steeler defenses in the 70's.  However, Harrison is now is a few years beyond his prime and thus gets "nicked up" a bit now because of the tenacious type of player he is but when he is on the field you know it.

Let me at 'em!

Ready for the attack

The other "rush" we need is a reliable running game.  The Steelers are a victim of their own fortune here I think.  Because we "always" are contenders we are never high in the draft selection where a premier back can get selected.  However, Mendenhall had the promise to be the featured back but injuries in the previous season have kept him out thus far.  So in two games we have less than 200 hundred yards rushing.

Some teams use screen packages and design flat passes to compensate for their lack of rushing, but at the end of the game who wants to throw the ball.  Last week against the Jets, the running game gritted out enough yards to prolong a 10 minute plus scoring drive that really secured the game.  I look forward to see what Tomlin will implement to boost this part of the Steeler game against the Raiders.