Steelers rushing total keeps rising, but so do sacks of Kenny Pickett

The evolution of the offensive line took a step forward Sunday when the Pittsburgh Steelers had their highest rushing total in six years in a 20-10 victory against the New Orleans Saints.

Led by Najee Harris’ season-high 99 yards and a career-best 51 from rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett, the Steelers totaled 217 yards on the ground, the most since they rushed for 240 at Buffalo late in the 2016 season.

Yet, for all of the good work produced in the Steelers’ run blocking, the pass protection didn’t enjoy the same measure of success.

For the second game in a row, Pickett was sacked six times. That matches the number of times Pickett was sacked in his first four appearances.

Pickett accounts for 18 of the 27 sacks against Steelers quarterbacks. That figure is tied for eighth in the NFL and is a sharp contrast to two years ago, when Ben Roethlisberger made 15 starts and was dropped just 13 times in his penultimate season.

Coach Mike Tomlin was asked about the rising sacks total Tuesday at his weekly news conference and said the offensive line is only partly to blame.

“Sometimes Kenny gets Kenny in trouble,” Tomlin said. “That is the nature of being a young guy.”

Sacks were problematic for Roethlisberger early in his career. He was dropped 30 times as a rookie when he played 14 games. Two years later, that number increased to 46.

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Having a quarterback with mobility — as evidenced with Roethlisberger early in his career — can factor into the equation. Pickett ran eight times for positive yardage and was on the move other times when he was brought down behind the line of scrimmage against the Saints.

Such give and take also is occurring in Chicago. Justin Fields has rushed for 147 and 178 yards in the past two games, and his 749 rushing yards are sixth in the NFL and tops among quarterbacks. Fields also has been sacked an NFL-high 36 times — or about 15% of all pass attempts.

“Every time I say quarterback mobility, I always say the prudent use of quarterback mobility, and I do so intentionally because there is risk associated with that,” Tomlin said. “Risk is something that we all weigh, and I think any of us that have mobility at the quarterback position, I just think that that’s a component of it each and every week.

“Mobility is a good thing, but when and how to use it while managing the risk component of it is also an element and will always be.”

Tomlin also didn’t absolve the offensive line of responsibility.

“We’re continually sharpening our sword and developing skills relative to positions, to all positions, whether it’s a collection or people that have things creep up in their game,” he said. “That is why we work every day. The skill development component of practice is significant.”

The development has produced more positivity in the running game as evidenced by what transpired against the Saints. Signs began to emerge before the bye week when the Steelers rushed for 144 yards — at the time a season high — in the 35-13 loss at Philadelphia.

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The progress is such that the Steelers rank No. 22 in rushing. It might not be a cause for celebration, but it is the team’s highest ranking of the season.

“We’re just going to keep our head down and keep working,” Tomlin said. “They’re not a group that looks for acknowledgement. They understood the tension that was going to be on them because so many of them were new, and the collective development was going to be a process in the midst of that.”

Free agents Mason Cole and James Daniels were added at center and right guard, respectively, joining holdovers on a line that included Kevin Dotson, Dan Moore and Chuks Okorafor. Dotson and Moore are second-year starters, and Okorafor is in his third year starting with the Steelers.

It also has helped the cause that none of the starting offensive linemen has missed a start. Dotson left practice early Friday with an abdominal injury but played the entire game against the Saints.

“Availability is a big component of it, no doubt,” Tomlin said. “When those guys have an opportunity to log snaps together and they have shared experiences, there is a benefit to that. When they don’t and you’re moving people around and including different people, then obviously it slows down progress.”