Short passing game that has worked for Steelers will be tested by Browns defense

No quarterback has released the ball quicker this season than Aaron Rodgers.

No team has gained more yards after the catch than the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Steelers have used the short pass efficiently enough to craft a 3-1 record coming out of their bye week.

Rodgers, for one, sees no reason to change, especially considering the types of defenses the Steelers offense faced in the first four weeks of the season.

“Teams are playing Cover 2,” Rodgers said Wednesday. “If you are playing Cover 2, there aren’t going to be a ton of big shots down the field. Until we can get them one high, it’s going to be precision passing and (throwing) short of the sticks.”

Rodgers expects the Cleveland Browns, the Steelers’ opponent Sunday afternoon at Acrisure Stadium, to play the type of defense under coordinator Jim Schwartz that forces him to make precision throws.

Despite a 1-4 record, the Browns have allowed the second-fewest yards per game and the least among teams that have played five games. Opponents are averaging 247.8 yards against the Browns defense, which doesn’t bode well for a Steelers offense that is ranked No. 29 at 263.5 yards.

Schwartz was the Detroit Lions head coach from 2009-13 when Rodgers was in his heyday with the Green Bay Packers, so the 41-year-old passer is aware of what awaits him when he looks across the line of scrimmage Sunday.

“It’s how many ways they can get eight guys in the box and still play coverage,” Rodgers said. “That’s the staple of a Jim Schwartz defense.”

The Steelers set a season high with 131 rushing yards in their most recent win against Minnesota in Dublin. The Browns have yielded the fewest rushing yards through five weeks, and that could put a premium on Rodgers relying on his 21 years of NFL experience to keep the Steelers offense on track.

“That’s all I’ve got at this point,” Rodgers said, perhaps only half-joking.

Rodgers combined with wide receiver DK Metcalf for a 31-yard gain on a screen in the season opener. They also hit for the biggest play of the season when Metcalf turned a short crossing route into an 80-yard touchdown against Minnesota.

“He’s seen a ton of football, a lot of defenses,” Metcalf said. “He pretty much knows what the defense is going to do before they do it. He’s definitely going to get us in the right look, and he’s going to find the right person.”

Rodgers would like to take more chances throwing the ball downfield, but he’s been willing to take what the defenses are giving him underneath.

“If you’re playing Cover 2, there’s not going to be a lot of shots open down the boundaries,” he said. “We’re just trying to be efficient.”

His top receiver also understands the lack of deep shots produced through four games.

“Every time we step on the field, we’re trying to score,” Metcalf said. “Whether it comes in one play or 10 plays, that’s just the way the cookie crumbles.”

Rodgers is releasing the ball at an average of 2.52 seconds, giving him the quickest release in the NFL this season. His attempts are averaging an NFL-low 4.9 yards beyond the line of scrimmage, and his completions are averaging 2.7 air yards, also the fewest in the league.

Such quick passing could come in handy against the Browns considering that former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett will be lining up on the right edge.

“Get the ball out, for sure,” Rodgers said when asked the key to facing Garrett.

After being sacked seven times over the first two games, Rodgers was dropped just twice in wins against the Patriots and Vikings. He also was hit just three times in each game, another testament to Rodgers’ quick-release ability that has helped fuel the Steelers’ run to the top of the AFC North.

“You look for opportunities to push the ball down field,” quarterbacks coach Tom Arth said. “Sometimes they come down in man-coverage situations. At the end of the day, our job is to play the play and allow our progression to dictate where the ball goes. If a team wants to play two high safeties and really prevent big plays, we have to be comfortable taking completions, allowing our playmakers to run with the ball in space. They have done a great job of it, and we’ll continue to try to take advantage of it.”