:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67181861/1188986910.jpg.0.jpg)
In a virtual interview Monday with local Pittsburgh media, Steelers All-Pro right guard David DeCastro answered a variety questions about the upcoming season. Although he seemed excited for the opportunity to move forward with games this fall, DeCastro did mention how the offensive struggles in 2019 paid its toll on everyone. According to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, DeCastro acknowledges how rough of a season the Steelers had offensively.
DeCastro asked a question about having a new o-line coach:
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) August 10, 2020
"I don't know man, last year sucked. I already forgot about it. It wasn't fun to play as an offense. You lose confidence and it snowballs."
"It was a pretty tough year. It falls on everybody."
To say the Steelers struggled offensively in 2019 would be a massive understatement. The team ranked 30th in the NFL in yards per game with 276.8 yards and 27th in points per game with 18.1 points. It was a far cry from the Steelers 2018 season when they ranked 4th in yards per game with 403.3 yards and 6th in points per game with 26.8 points. With the emergence of the Steelers defense in 2019, being the unit which was dragging the the team’s success down was something the unit hadn’t experienced in a long time.
While DeCastro said the lack of production fell upon the entire offense and they all felt the pressure, it’s difficult for those critiquing the Steelers to not attribute the offensive struggles to the lack of playing time of Ben Roethlisberger due to his season-ending elbow surgery.
Whether or not Rothlisberger will be able to return to his 2018 form has yet to be seen. But having Rothlisberger commanding the Steelers huddle, just from a leadership position alone, will bring a spark back to the Steelers offense. According to NFL networks a Aditi Kinkhabwala, DeCastro says there’s absolutely a big difference having Roethlisberger back commanding the Steelers offense.
#Steelers RG David DeCastro says there’s absolutely a difference w/ Ben Roethlisberger back, saying he, like Maurkice Pouncey, “demand your best when you’re out there.” Says “you kind of fall in line” when superstars “force you to play better.”
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) August 10, 2020
Entering his ninth season in the NFL, David DeCastro had only played a handful of games in his NFL career without Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback prior to the 2019 season. As with many veterans on the line, the return of their franchise quarterback gives a lot of hope going forward with the 2020 season.
Stay tuned to Behind The Steel Curtain for breaking news, player updates, reports from training camp, and all things Pittsburgh Steelers.