Don't ask OC Arthur Smith what the Steelers' identity is, because to him, it's an empty question non-football people ask. That's not exactly the phrasing he used, but he might as well have. Players even talk about "identity," but generally, it's a shorthand for "figuring out what we're good at." Speaking to reporters on Thursday, he talked about offensive identity and the run game.

"If you're looking to be efficient, explosive, it may come in the run game or run alerts or screen game, check-downs, however you get to it," Smith said via transcript from the Steelers' media department. "The key is obviously to score, drive efficiency, and trying to hit chunk plays. How you get to that, you can certainly do it with the run game."

Through two games, Arthur Smith's Steelers have the sixth-most pass attempts and 31st-most rush attempts. That is very much against the general concept of his preferred offense's identity. Game circumstances can dictate what is necessary, however, and the Steelers have needed to play catch-up in their first games. But the broader point is that an offense needs to be able to do whatever it needs to do.

"If you're talking about identity," Smith said, "just, it's not me. You'll never hear me say my offense. I don't want to be labeled as a guru or give some cute title to it. We want to be balanced, and we want to be efficient; we need to score points. That's the best way I can answer that."

So far, the Steelers rank eighth in points under Smith this year. That's thanks largely to the 34 points they put up in the season opener, bolstered by a 3-for-3 showing in the red zone. However, they only went 1-for-2 last week with a turnover in that area. Aaron Rodgers ranks tied for the third-most touchdown passes with five, but the Steelers don't even have a rushing touchdown.

As Smith mentioned, the Steelers' offense is more concerning because it lacks efficiency. Despite the sixth-best starting field position, they rank 29th in time, plays, and yards per drive. One might think the starting field position is limiting their numbers, but 19th-ranked red-zone opportunities speak to the contrary. They only have one explosive-play touchdown, so their low red-zone presence isn't due to scoring from distance.

If there is one "identity" for an Arthur Smith offense, which has followed him from the Titans to the Steelers, it's his belief in the function of the tight end position. Or rather, the many functions, as he also likes tight ends who can do many things. Although the Steelers are using their four-deep tight end room this year, it's not showing up much in targets. Jonnu Smith is the only high-volume target so far, but he only sees underneath passes.

I have no concern over whether Arthur Smith gives his Steelers offense an identity, so long as it works. So far, there are encouraging signs, but the offensive line is holding things back more than anything else. Until they regularly win the line of scrimmage, any concept of identity will be purely academic.

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