The Pittsburgh Steelers signed LeGarrette Blount on March 28 with the hope that he could find the same success as he did with the New England Patriots last year. Blount became a household name towards the end of 2013 with his crushing tackles and speed in the open field.
Blount was a hot commodity and one that the Steelers desperately needed in their backfield. He’ll pair with Le’Veon Bell, who showed flashes of a great running back in his rookie season with the Steelers last year.
With the 250lb. Blount and the 244lb. Bell helping create a strong run game for the Steelers, will quarterback Ben Roethlisberger improve as a result. Last season, Roethlisberger posted the lowest Quarterback Rating since 2006 while his primary back, Bell, suffered behind a weak offensive line.
Roethlisberger threw 14 interceptions in 2013, the third-highest total in his career and ninth-most in the NFL. This could be a product of a weak run game, which forced him to make throws he wasn’t comfortable with.
This hasn’t always been the case, as Roethlisberger has thrown three times in his career. Let’s look at the running backs in those seasons to see if they had any effect on Roethlisberger’s numbers.
In 2005, Roethlisberger had Willie Parker, a young running back who had a breakout 1,202-yard season for the Steelers. Roethlisberger threw only nine interceptions (Granted, it was 12 games) en route to the Super Bowl win, which included a 75-yard touchdown run from Parker.
Not to mention, the duo won another Super Bowl in 2008.
In 2010, Roethlisberger threw a career-low five interceptions in another AFC Championship season. This time, he had a resurgent Rashard Mendenhall, who ran for 1,273 yards and 13 touchdowns. Roethlisberger led the team to the Super Bowl, where Aaron Rodgers showcased his brilliance.
The 2012 season was an enigma in terms of Roethlisberger’s numbers. Roethlisberger threw just eight interceptions in 13 games, but he didn’t have a run game. Jonathan Dwyer led the team with 623 yards, but that wasn’t anywhere close to Parker’s or Mendenhall’s numbers.
Maybe that was the factor that led to the Steelers finishing 8-8 and missing the playoffs for the first time in three years. Without a run game, the Steelers could not sustain their success, no matter how strong the defense was.
Roethlisberger needs a run game just like any other quarterback, but it seems that he greatly improves when he has a strong running game. With Bell and Blount, a duo that combined for 1,632 yards and 15 touchdowns last season, Roethlisberger could see the same type of success he did with Parker and Mendenhall.
That doesn’t mean it will translate to a Super Bowl, though. The Steelers’ offensive line still needs help and the receiving corps lack any type of depth. Roethlisberger will struggle with those parts of the game, but with Bell and Blount in the backfield, they might not seem as bad.
The Steelers have a chance to make the playoffs in a surprisingly weak ACF North in 2014, and Le’Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount could be the key pieces to that run.