Steelers News: Rumbling Ben Roethlisberger a crucial key to the Steelers’ red-zone success

With all of the Steelers’ 2019 offseason workouts in the rear view mirror, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ fan base has to suffer through the dog days of summer until the boys of fall return to the gridon. In the meantime, don’t think the news surrounding the black-and-gold is over. As the team disperses for the summer, we continue to provide you with features, commentary and opinions to tide you over until training camp!

Today in the black-and-gold links article we take a look at how Ben Roethlisberger using his legs in the red-zone has been a huge factor in the Steelers’ success in that area.

Let’s get to the news:

• Think back to Ben Roethlisberger’s early years. Remember all the times he would be flushed out of the pocket, scan the field and then tuck the ball and run? After time he stopped doing that as much, but in 2018 his rushing was a huge benefit to the team’s red-zone offense.

Classroom: Ben’s mobility a red-zone boost

By: Chris Carter, DKPittsburghSports

The Steelers’ red zone production skyrocketed from 2017 to 2018 because Randy Fichtner diversified the offense’s attack by spreading out the different options defenses had to cover. The offense went from ranking at No. 18 scoring touchdowns on 53.03 percent of red zone possessions to ranking No. 1 with 73.47 percent in 2018.

But one of the last threats any defense prepared for against the Steelers was what Ben Roethlisberger would do with his legs. As Dale Lolley reported last summer, Roethlisberger lost weight for training camp and that helped him score three rushing touchdowns after only scoring one rushing touchdown in the previous four seasons combined.

To read the full article, click HERE ($$)

• Is there a better ambassador for the NFL game over season than JuJu Smith-Schuster? The answer is NO.

London lit for NFL ambassador JuJu

By: Dale Lolley, DKPittsburghSports

Much like the Steelers as they prepare to head to training camp at the end of the month, Big Ben is under construction.

JuJu Smith-Schuster learned that while in London as an ambassador for the NFL Academy there this week.

The Steelers’ star receiver was one of several NFL players who were in the capital city of the UK to help with a combine-style tryout for the first-ever class at the NFL Academy, which will be run out of the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium there.

”It’s my first trip to the UK,” Smith-Schuster told me via a conference call. “I did get to see Big Ben, but it’s under construction. I took a picture of it and sent it to Ben (Roethlisberger).”

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Did Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell leaving actually make the Steelers’ locker room closer? James Conner thinks so...

James Conner: Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell departures made us closer

By: Mike Florio, ProFootballTalk

The Steelers will move forward in 2019 without receiver Antonio Brown or running back Le’Veon Bell. The team hopes that it will be addition by subtraction.

“I think only time will tell,” Steelers running back James Conner told #PFTPM on Monday. “I think we became closer maybe because of everything. Throughout OTAs and minicamp, it was fun to see the guys. You know, come into the facility, excited to be there, the interactions and the relationships. They’ve all been great so far. Great vibes within our organization. We’re excited about the future, man.”

The future will include constant external comparisons between what the Steelers are doing without Brown and Bell, and what Brown and Bell are doing without the Steelers. The current Steelers players won’t be paying attention to that.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

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