The most important player to every AFC teams’ playoff hopes
By Joel Deering
Pittsburgh Steelers (8-5-1)
Most important player: RB James Conner
RB James Conner is the most important player to this AFC team’s playoff hopes for the same reason Sony Michel is the most important player to the Patriots. Ben Roethlisberger isn’t the type of QB who can beat you often by throwing 50+ passes.
Roethlisberger throwing that many passes is actually a formula for the Steelers losing. Big Ben often gets himself into trouble when he throws the ball too many times. He’s had four games this season where he’s thrown multiple INTs. His lowest pass attempts in any of those games was 34. The other three games he had at least 40 pass attempts.
Big Ben has also had some games where he’s thrown the ball a lot and hasn’t thrown INTs, but you can see how this could get the Steelers into trouble. This is why Conner is their most important player moving forward.
Conner is dealing with an injury right now and is questionable to play this week. If Conner isn’t there, what I’m about to say goes just as much for whoever’s stepping in for Conner. Conner has to get to the run game going early and often to take the attention off Roethlisberger in the passing game.
Everyone knows Ben has Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster to throw to. They know he wants to get them the ball. That’s fine, but he needs to let the running game develop first. When Conner has rushed for 60 yards or more, the Steelers have a record of 6-1-1 this season. Pittsburgh must first establish the run game before letting Big Ben sling it around.