When people talk about offensive balance, they often try to equate it with being 50/50 in a run-pass ratio.
But that's not exactly something that is sustainable -- or preferable -- in today's NFL.
The rules, despite an increase in both offensive pass interference and holding penalties, are set up for offenses to throw the ball.
The Steelers ran the ball 29 times in their 27-14 win Monday night against the Dolphins. They threw it 36 times -- 38 if you count a pair of sacks they gave up.
That's a 56-43 split, far preferable to the 67-33 pass-run split they had last season. Of course, that ratio was with Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback. With Mason Rudolph, that's not putting too much on his plate, while also putting enough on it to score in today's NFL.
And that was with Rudolph struggling mightily in the first quarter, when he started 1 of 7 for 14 yards with an interception. He completed 19 of 29 for 237 yards and two touchdowns the rest of the way.
That works.
Of course, it also helps to have the running game performing as it did in this one. The Steelers ran the ball for 158 yards, averaging 5.4 yards per attempt.
The Dolphins entered the game allowing 4.7 yards per carry this season. Next week's opponent, the Colts, allows an average of 4.8 yards per carry. So there's that.
• In the five games since acquiring Minkah Fitzpatrick, the Steelers are allowing opponents 293.2 yards and 16.8 points per game, including 230 and 14 Monday night to the Dolphins.
Yes, games against the Bengals and Dolphins have helped that average. But they've also faced, the 49ers, Chargers and Ravens in that stretch.
"He just loves football like I love football, and I can appreciate that," T.J. Watt told me. "He takes very good notes and practices like a true professional. He’s just very detail oriented. You can see it on game days."
The Steelers have forced 19 turnovers. Fitzpatrick has three interceptions and a forced fumble in five games. Devin Bush has accounted for six others. That's 10 turnovers in which those two new players have had a hand.
Add in the fumble recovery Steven Nelson got in this game, and that's 11 turnovers by the new guys.
"We’ve got a bunch of talent on this defense that can play different positions," Joe Haden told me. "We’ll see how it all fits, but the coaches can come up with a game plan and do whatever they want with us."
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