There is no doubt that the Pittsburgh Steelers were lacking physical football during the 2020 season. Although they did go 11-0 the Steelers ended up fading away toward the end of the season. One of the reasons why the Steelers faded away is because they became one-dimensional in regards to their running game. Not only were the Steelers one-dimensional, but they were getting mauled on the offensive line. It looked like the Steelers knew they couldn't run so instead they started playing the pass instead of the run.
All across the board, the Steelers were getting beat physically on the offensive side of the ball late in the season. It looked like the Steeler's fall started around week 14 when the Buffalo Bills played more physically than the Steelers. Even Mike Tomlin said after the game when they looked at the tape the bottom line was the Bills played more physically than his team did in Week 14. After that game that seemed to be the biggest narrative coming from Tomlin.
Mike Tomlin on the Buffalo Bills Game: “When I really look at the tape, you can go through some of the minutia and things of that nature, but the bottom line is they were the more physical football team.” Tomlin stated. “It can be highlighted in terms of their front and our inability to run the ball, but just in general, I thought in all elements of play, they were the more physical group. They’re a physical football team in general, so they are capable of that. For us, regardless of circumstance, we don’t want to make that common. The comment is true as it pertains to that matchup. We have to be accountable to that, and we are. We have to make sure that we are not saying that moving forward. There haven’t been a lot of situations where we can say that definitively, but I thought they were the more physical group not only in the box and in box play but in some of the perimeter play."
It seems like the Pittsburgh Steelers have walked into the 2021 NFL draft and are looking to bring physical players to the offensive side of the ball. Najee Harris is a power runner who plays extremely aggressively when he runs. Pat Freiermuth can not only catch, but also block like a lineman while running the ball like an old-school tight end.
Kendrick Green who could be potentially the Steeler's new center says he is the nastiest player in the NFL draft and when you watch his tape you can see he is nasty on the football field. The guy has a god of war tattoo for god sake. Ultimately I believe the Steelers are looking to bring in skill players on the offensive side of the ball, but the Steelers want to get back to their hard-nosed football that the City of Pittsburgh is known for. All 3 new Pittsburgh Steeler players will bring physical football back in 2021.