Will we ever see the Steelers' star-studded offense in full force?
The Pittsburgh Steelers roster contains likely the most fire power of any team in the NFL - but we still haven't seen it all working together.
Other than a Week 3 hiccup against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Steelers were rolling through the 2016 season before Ben Roethlisberger tore his meniscus against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. With surgery scheduled for Monday, his timetable for a return is unknown - he may be out for the year or just a short period, depending on the elected surgery.
Either way, Roethlisberger is going to be missing in action which has to further frustrate all those Steelers fans who have drooled over the roster in the offseason only to be disappointed when the campaign begins.
Over the last two years, the Steelers have lost star, after star, after star to injuries and suspensions, yet they've still managed to produce one of the league's best units.
| Player | Games missed since '15 | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| RB Le'Veon Bell | 13 | Suspension (5) & Injury (8) |
| QB Ben Roethlisberger | 4 | Injury |
| WR Martavis Bryant | 21 | Suspension |
| TE Ladarius Green* | 7 | Injury |
| C Maurkice Pouncey | 16 | Injury |
| WR Markus Wheaton | 3 | Injury |
*Ladarius Green was signed by the team in the 2016 offseason, but has yet to debut. WR Antonio Brown (1 game) and RB DeAngelo Williams (2 games) also missed time in the 2015 playoffs.
With Brown and Le'Veon Bell being arguably the best players in the league at their respective positions, and Roethlisberger's big-play ability, the Steelers have a rare opportunity to put on a reincarnation of "The Greatest Show on Turf".
Speedsters like Sammie Coates, Darrius Heyward-Bey, and Eli Rogers can all contribute greatly in depth roles.
Williams is one of the best backup runners a team can hope for, on top of being a world-class teammate. If they could get in the lineup, red-zone monsters Green and Martavis Bryant are surprisingly fast for their large frames.
It's all there, just never at the same time.
Landry Jones will take over next week for the Steelers with Roethlisberger sidelined. He'll probably hit Brown for some big gains and hand it off to Bell before some phenomenal rushing highlights. He'll also throw a bonehead interception or two, and take several unnecessary sacks while Steelers fans mumble "Ben wouldn't have done that".
It seems that the Steelers and their fans can't help but find themselves in situations that force posing the wonder of what could have been.