Study: The Steelers Are Getting Crushed In The Field Position Battle

The Pittsburgh Steelers have won most of their games this season in a similar fashion. The defense holds opposing teams’ scores down to keep each game competitive, and the offense does just enough late to win. This model can work, the Steelers have proven as much, but winning the field position battle is paramount to its success. In the 2023 season, the Steelers are not winning that battle. They are among the NFL’s worst teams in starting field position on both sides of the ball.

On offense, the Steelers start their average drive at the 27-yard line. That is tied for the third-worst starting field position in the league. On defense, the Steelers’ opponents start their average drive at the 29-yard line. That is tied for the ninth-worst starting field position allowed. Their differential is negative two, tied for the seventh-worst differential in the league. It might not seem like much, but when you consider the number of drives a team has throughout the season, that small deficit adds up quickly.

Just look at some of the company the Steelers keep toward the bottom of the list. Conversely, look at the teams toward the top of the list. It isn’t perfect, but it is a pretty solid correlation between a team’s performance and its starting field position differential.

This number has many, many factors that feed into it. The basic performance of the offense and the defense has an obvious effect on the overall field position battle. With the Steelers having the second-best turnover differential in the league, they should in theory be winning the field position battle. The other teams at the top of the turnover differential list? The San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, and Cincinnati Bengals. All are much higher on the field position chart above.

There are three things that are really killing the Steelers with their field position: special teams penalties, punting, and punt returns. I posted a recent deep dive into the Steelers’ special teams penalties issues. Since 2020, the Steelers have the most penalties against their special teams as any team in the league.

The punting game isn’t helping matters either. Pressley Harvin III is currently tied for the seventh-fewest net punting yards per attempt with 39.7. The Steelers used a seventh-round draft pick on Harvin in 2021. He has moments where he performs really well but has been inconsistent overall. This is made even more aggravating when you see Braden Mann toward the top of the list. The Steelers signed Mann as competition for Harvin in training camp this year. and he even made the initial 53-man roster. Here is a chart that shows each punter’s average net yardage (min. 15 punts.)

On the other side of the punt game, Calvin Austin III and the return unit are providing very little. Once again, the Steelers find themselves near the bottom of the list with a 6.6-yard average return. A disappointing season for Austin, both as a receiver and as a punt return specialist. Hopes were high following his 54-yard punt return versus the Buffalo Bills in the preseason. Now 13 games into the season, the average has barely improved over last year’s group, which was the very worst in the league.

Any way you slice it, the Steelers’ special teams units have been a drag on the overall team. The bend-don’t-break defense and the play-it-safe offensive philosophy that the Steelers have been employing is not viable if special teams are consistent culprits in losing the field position battle.