Pittsburgh Steelers QB Kenny Pickett credited the team’s ability to stay on schedule with successful first-down plays to help the offense put out their best performance of the season, a 23-18 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. In his postgame press conference, Pickett said that it allowed them to be aggressive in second-down situations.
“Staying ahead of the chains and being able to be aggressive in second-and-short situations when you have a successful first down run or pass, it’s huge and you’re able to get to the playbook that we haven’t been able to get to these past couple weeks. So it was awesome to be able to go out there and show all the stuff that we know we can do and that we have in our playbook,” Pickett said via the team’s YouTube channel.
The success Pittsburgh had moving the ball on first down is highlighted on their scoring drives. The 72-yard touchdown pass to WR Calvin Austin III notwithstanding, each of Pittsburgh’s scoring drives had successful plays on first downs. With 12:23 left in the first half, Pickett hit TE Pat Freiermuth for a 14-yard gain on first down, and the team ended that drive with a field goal. They also had another successful first down later in that drive on a six-yard run by RB Jaylen Warren, but they failed to capitalize on second-and-third-and-short.
Their next scoring drive also ended with a field goal, but it kicked off with a Pickett 13-yard completion to WR George Pickens. An 11-yard scamper by Warren later on that drive was another successful first down play, while Pickett hit Allen Robinson II for four yards to set up a second-and-six later in the drive, and the team later converted on third down.
In the second half, Pittsburgh picked up eight yards on another completion to Robinson on their first offensive play of the half, and their lone second-half touchdown drive was jumpstarted by a 23-yard completion from Pickett to Pickens, and 14-yard completions to TE Pat Freiermuth and a 17-yard gain by RB Najee Harris also occurred on first downs during that drive.
Honestly, it’s not so much as using first downs to set up second downs, but instead being more aggressive on first downs to push the ball down the field. That’s where the Steelers had the most success on Sunday night, although there were instances where they were able to make something happen in second-and-third and manageable situations.
One instance occurred on the second-half touchdown drive, when a four-yard Warren run let the Steelers go into the playbook for a screen pass which Warren turned into 16 yards. Those are the plays that Matt Canada and the offense are a lot more comfortable calling and running when it’s second-and-six instead of second-and-nine or second-and-ten.
Having success on first downs just allows the Steelers to do more with their offense, and if tonight was any indication, it’s a precursor to success later in the drive. First-down success helps Pickett gain confidence and helps the offense get in rhythm, and that’s what they need a lot more of going forward.
Tonight was the offense’s best performance of the season, and it’s a good performance to build off with the Houston Texans on tap next week. The success on first down was a big component of the overall success as a whole, and it’s something that we need to see more of going forward.
