Broderick Jones has struggled in his first two starts at left tackle for the Steelers.
A week after allowing three sacks and four pressures against the New York Jets, Jones didn’t take many steps forward on Sunday. Against Seattle, Jones was credited with allowing another sack and two additional pressures on the quarterback.
PFF handed down a 47.9 overall grade for Jones’ performance on Sunday, the lowest of all five of Pittsburgh’s starting offensive linemen. Troy Fautanu (50.1), Isaac Seumalo (53.5),
and Mason McCormick (58.1) all ranked below 60, and even Zach Frazier (66.2) played below his usual standard.
“That game was just like a shitshow, basically, for us,” Jones told the media on Monday.
The Steelers managed just 17 points against a banged-up Seattle defense, and Aaron Rodgers was sacked three times. Through two games, that puts the veteran quarterback on pace to be sacked 60 times this season.
“Just as a whole, we got to continue to get better and lock in each and every day and listen to what Coach T (Tomlin) is telling us,” Jones said. “Coach T is always emphasizing the little mistakes in team meetings.”
Rodgers was constantly under pressure and moved relatively well for a 41-year-old quarterback who has recovered from a major lower-body injury, but the offense stalled after halftime. After the break, the Steelers managed just three points and committed two costly turnovers.
Jones owns a 54.5 overall grade and a 46.8 pass blocking grade this season, ranking 40th of 53 qualifying tackles in the passing game.
He’s even worse in the running game, where his 40.8 grade ranks 46 out of 47 qualifying tackles. The Steelers rushed for under 100 yards in each of the past two games and averaged 3.4 yards per carry against the Seahawks. Not all of that is on Jones, but he’s clearly part of the problem.
Pittsburgh travels to New England to play the Patriots on Sunday, looking to find an identity on offense and protection for their veteran quarterback.
