Steelers Offense Will Still Be Lethal Without Bryant
The situation is not new. The Pittsburgh Steelers have faced adversity before. Losing Martavis Bryant for the entire season is a huge blow. His emergence as a playmaking receiver helped the Steelers become one of the most potent offenses in the league. The Black and Gold will be able to navigate the storm without him. He’ll be missed. For the Steelers, the mantra is always “Next Man Up.”
Bryant had some truly amazing moments, during the 2015 campaign. One of those incredible moments was an 88-yard pass play against the Arizona Cardinals. Landry Jones found Bryant on a simple slant route. After the catch, he turned on the afterburners. He slithered and weaved his way through a slew of defenders. Bryant picked up a few blocks, but was virtually untouched, on his way to the house. A second-and-eight reception gave the Steelers a 25-18 victory.
In a Week 10 blowout of the Cleveland Browns, Bryant had another stellar performance. After “coming off the bench,” Ben Roethlisberger made Bryant a main target. Per the Pittsburgh Steelers site, Big Ben and Bryant hooked up six times for 178 yards and a touchdown.
Adversity was the theme for the Steelers. As reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Steelers fans were witness to a slew of injuries that could have easily turned the season into a nightmare. Yet, they were able to depend on the drive and passion of other players to make the year a success.
With Bryant gone, the Steelers will have to continue the Next Man Up mentality. The Steelers have three remaining speedsters that can get the job done.
Antonio Brown
Stepping up will be no problem for one of the best receivers in the game. In that Week 6 win over Arizona, Brown burned the Cards defense for 139 yards and two TDs. That was nothing compared to other games. In Week 2, the Steelers trounced the Niners 43-18. Brown ran free in that game and shredded San Francisco for 195 yards.
In a Wild West-style shootout, Steelers fans watched Brown tear through the Oakland Raiders for 284 yards. His abilities speak volumes. No need for concern there.
Expect to see Wheaton have more plays designed for him, as a result of losing Bryant. When the Steelers were without Bryant for the first four games of 2015, Wheaton was the backup plan. Unfortunately, the chemistry between Roethlisberger and Wheaton wasn’t right. Of 15 targets, Wheaton was able to grab eight.
Now, with Bryant suspended for the whole year, this will be Wheaton’s opportunity to step up. He had a spectacular game against the Seattle Seahawks. Although the Steelers lost, Wheaton hung 201 yards on the Seahawks. Given more time to work with Big Ben, the chemistry issues should fade.
Sammie Coates
In six games, he caught one pass for 11 yards. The Steelers weren’t desperate to see what Coates could do. This could be his opportunity to shine for the Black and Gold. Wheaton has a leg up with his experience. But, the raw speed and strength of Coates will surely make the elite cornerbacks take notice.
“Sammie grew as the year went on,” Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said. “He had to make some changes into a more of a conventional offense and learn how to run more of a route tree than he was exposed to in some of the spread offenses they run in college.”
The Steelers’ offense will be ready for 2016, with or without Bryant. It’s just a matter of who shows the strongest desire to step up.
[Photo by Jack Dempsey/AP]
