Throughout the season, I, like everyone else, has taken turns whacking at the piñata that is the Pittsburgh Steelers offense. It’s easy to do. They’re bad in a comical number of ways. But for one day, or at least one post, we’ll take a glass-half-full view of this almost-empty cup. What does the Steelers offense do well? Or at least not suck at. If we put our heads together, we can come up with something, right? Right?
After mulling it over, here’s what I’ve come up with.
1. They Take Care Of The Football
Largely speaking, the Steelers have gotten good at not giving the ball away. This year, Pittsburgh has turned the ball over just six times. Since Week 10 of last year, the Steelers have just 11 giveaways. That’s third best in the NFL only behind the Detroit Lions (nine), and San Francisco 49ers (eight), two of the best teams in the NFL this season.
Some of that is thanks to the Steelers’ often hyper-conservative nature. They’re well-aware they can’t turn the ball over and win so they do everything in their power not to, but still, they don’t do it. They’ve gotten good at least not losing games.
Credit to the running backs especially. Their ball security is important and underrated. RB Najee Harris has fumbled the ball three times in his career, all coming last season. Jaylen Warren hasn’t been as clean but still has just two fumbles in 111 career carries.
2. They’re Not Highly Penalized
Something else they cleaned up post-bye last year, the Steelers don’t get flagged too often. While a look at the team overall, our Jonathan Heitritter noted last week that Pittsburgh was the least-penalized team in football. According to our charting, the Steelers’ offensive line has only four accepted penalties against it this season. Three from RT Chukwuma Okorafor and one from LG Isaac Seumalo. It falls under a similar but separate umbrella of the team not turning the ball over. They don’t hurt themselves.
3. George Pickens Wins Contested, Diontae Johnson Gets Open
If there’s two traits the Steelers’ receivers have locked down, it’s George Pickens’ ability to win contested and Diontae Johnson’s ability to get open. Pickens is a great one-on-one receiver who showed those skills in the 17-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens. King of the back-shoulder fade, he makes some unreal plays when there’s little separation.
Last year, Johnson was consistently rated as one of the NFL’s most “open” receivers and his route-running is excellent, one of the best in football. He has his flaws but separating isn’t one of them. They’re useful skill sets for a team’s top two outside receivers.
4. Not Letting Star Players Define The Game
Here’s one that doesn’t get talked about often. Take Cleveland Browns’ DE Myles Garrett. He’s had some great games against the Steelers. But you wouldn’t know it. Even in their Week Two matchup this season, Garrett was consistently winning against LT Dan Moore Jr. But the Steelers schemed it up to where QB Kenny Pickett was getting the ball out quick and they married the protection to the scheme. When Garrett was chipped, doubled, or off the field, the Steelers took shots. When they knew Moore would be on an island, the Steelers kept it short and quick. Garrett won reps but he didn’t define the game. He didn’t write the headline the way T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith did that day.
It’s hard to quantify but it’s not often you hear a defensive star play like that. Sometimes, sure, it happens. But generally speaking, the Steelers are able to scheme and plan so that guy isn’t taking over. And that should be commended.
5. Four-Minute Offense/Scoring Late
A little specific but work with me here. We talk a lot about the four-minute offense late in games. Trying to mount a late comeback or close a team out. The Steelers have done well here. Since 2022, over the final four minutes of the fourth quarter, the Steelers have produced points on 26.3 percent of their possessions. That’s fourth best in football only behind the Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. An odd collection of misfit toys but still, top five!
They’re not just kicking field goals either. Their touchdown rate in such moments is also fourth best so they’re finishing some of these off. That’s certainly been highlighted by late-game heroics by Kenny Pickett and company.
