Nov 20, 2020 5 min read

Do you really need to run the ball to be effective in today’s NFL? Is it necessary to run the ball to win a Super Bowl?

History suggests no.

The 2019 Kansas City Chiefs, for example, ranked 23rd in the NFL in rushing, averaging just over 98 yards per game. The 2011 New York Giants were 32nd running the ball. The 2011 Green Bay Packers were 24th. The 2008 Steelers were 23rd.

The Steelers have rushed for less than 50 yards in each of their past three games, winning all three. That makes them the first team since 1940 to accomplish that feat. And outside of the Steelers, NFL teams are 3-14-1 this season when they rush for fewer than 50 yards.

So, it is a concern. The Steelers do need to run the ball better.

“The only thing that’s perfect about our team is our record,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said earlier this week when referencing his team’s rushing attack. “We acknowledge that. There will always be things we need to work on.”

But in today’s NFL, throwing the ball is king. The rules are set up for that to happen. And with holding penalties way down – officials have called 1.80 per game this season as opposed to 2.74 in 2019 – there’s no reason to not keep throwing the ball.

The Steelers’ main receivers – JuJu Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, James Washington and tight end Eric Ebron – are better than any five defenders opponents can throw onto the field to try to stop them.

The Steelers are averaging 30.1 points per game, which would be a team record, if it holds up.

“We haven’t been stopped yet,” said Smith-Schuster of the team’s passing game. “You can play man-to-man across the board, but Ben (Roethlisberger) is going to put us in the best situation to get the ball. You can play zone, and we’ll get to the spot for spot balls. I don’t know. No one has stopped us yet. It’s our bread and butter. We’re just going to keep doing it.”

• So, high school basketball players and wrestlers will have to wear masks in order to compete this year in Pennsylvania? Yeah, that seems pretty realistic.

Sweating on each other and rolling around on a mat together won’t cause a transfer of COVID-19 since all the participants will be masked up.

Sounds like good science to me.

It’s about as realistic as expecting people to wear masks in their own home.

Fort Cherry High School graduate and McDonald native Marvin Lewis told

• The Athletic this week that he’d like another shot at being a head coach in the NFL.

At 63, Lewis should be enjoying his retirement, especially after 16 seasons in the NFL purgatory known as Cincinnati.

But Lewis posted a 132-121-3 record with the Bengals, making him the winningest coach in that franchise’s history.

Romeo Crennel is coaching the Texans right now at 73. Lewis has shown he can help a ridiculously bad franchise find its footing. The Bengals won 19 games in the five seasons before Lewis took over in 2003.

An NFL team could do far worse than giving Lewis a chance to coach again.

This week’s picks

Steelers (minus 11) over Jaguars: Anyone who thinks the Steelers are going to overlook or take the Jaguars lightly need only be reminded that Roethlisberger is 5-5 against them in his career. He’s well aware of that fact. He brought it up unprompted this week. All you need to know about this Jacksonville team is that the Texans and Chargers have four combined wins this season. Three of those wins have come against the Jaguars. They’re bad. And they’re starting a rookie quarterback. The Steelers are 25-4 against rookie QBs since 2004, which happens to be when Roethlisberger was a rookie. Take the Steelers, 34-13

Ravens (minus 5) over Titans: The Titans were squeaking by early in the season but have lost three of four. The Ravens are struggling a bit as well, but they’re at home. And they owe the Titans a little something for knocking them out of the playoffs last season. Lamar Jackson should get things going a little better offensively in this game. Take the Ravens, 31-21

Browns (minus 3) over Eagles: It’s time to give up on anyone in the NFC East beating anyone outside of that division. The Browns have COVID concerns this week, but who doesn’t? They’re playing at home and weather could be a factor in this one. In that case, take the team with the two-headed rushing attack. And that’s Cleveland. Take the Browns, 20-16

Bengals (off) over Washington Football Team: The Bengals have kept things close or even beaten some bad teams. They get blown out by good ones. The Football Team is not a good one. As long as the Bengals can block for Joe Burrow, they can win this game. Take the Bengals, 24-23

Colts (minus 1 ½) over Packers: Indianapolis’ defense will cause issues for Green Bay’s offense. And the Colts should be capable of running on the Packers – everyone else has. Davante Adams is banged up for the Packers, which makes things a lot more difficult on Aaron Rogers. If this game was in Green Bay, the Packers would be the pick. It’s not. And we’ll take the team with the better defense here. Take the Colts, 27-24.

Last Week: 1-4 ATS Overall: 25-22-3