The Pittsburgh Steelers finished the season 9-8, which is by no means underwhelming considering they started it 2-6. The team has the youngest core they have had in years, and there was much to build upon towards the end of the season. With the season in the books, here are seven notable stats from the season.
3.3. Steelers had 3.3 YAC (yards after catch) per completion, tied for third lowest from any team since it started being recorded in 2018. The Steelers struggled with getting anything going after the catch, and it showed throughout the year. This must be a point of improvement for next season, as many modern offenses successfully optimize YAC.
2.1. The Steelers’ quarterbacks threw a touchdown pass on a mere 2.1% of throws in 2022, which is the third lowest mark in franchise history and the lowest since 1945. Kenny Pickett and Mitchell Trubisky threw a combined 12 touchdowns on 571 passes, and did not find the end zone often.
29.4. The Steelers attempted 29.4 runs per game which ranked tenth in the NFL. This is their highest ranking since 2010, when the team ranked eighth. With a young running back duo and improving offensive line, the offense has proven a commitment to the run game, which will likely continue regardless of who is the offensive coordinator.
2.7. The Steeles’ commitment to the run game was not without good reason. They also had 2.7 yards before contact per run, their highest mark by far since the stat began being recorded in 2017. The next highest mark the team had in recent years was in 2018, when they had 2.3 yards before contact. The team’s offensive line improved throughout the season, and this speaks to that.
3.00. A habit that Pickett had coming out of college was holding onto the ball, which some viewed as alarming. This habit carried onto his rookie season, as he took an average of three seconds to throw per dropback, which was the eighth highest mark in the NFL according to PFF. When he took longer to throw, his stats were worse. Indeed, on snaps that he took over 2.5 seconds to throw, his passer rating was 65.1, compared to 92.3 when he threw it quicker. There are a few things that Pickett will need to clean up going into his sophomore year in the NFL, and this may be one of them.
14.53. The Steelers’ lack of a top corner showed throughout the year, especially on their poor defense against big plays. The team’s secondary allowed 14.53 yards per catch to wide receivers, which is the highest mark in the NFL according to CBS Sports. The team has a few positions they need to target in the offseason, and a top corner is certainly one of them.
119.1. When targeted in the slot, Steelers’ cornerback Arthur Maulet allowed a 119.1 passer rating, the fifth highest mark among slot corners in the league according to PFF. Maulet also allowed 403 from the slot, which ranked seventh in the league. The Steelers’ pass defense did not rank well this season, and this was certainly a part of it. While Maulet is a good player to have on the roster, the starting slot corner role is one the Steelers need to improve upon.
