Welcome to your weekly Pittsburgh Steelers “stat pack,” five numbers you need to know to get ready for the upcoming game. They could relate to the opponent or the Steelers themselves and could involve an individual, unit, or something else. All to help you become the smartest fan for gameday.
62.5
The percentage of snaps that the Steelers blitzed Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen in last year’s 38-3 blowout loss. Allen went 10-of-19 for 186 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions with one scramble, a QB rating of 121.8. That included his 98-yard touchdown pass to WR Gabe Davis (who will not play in this game because of a knee injury).
Blitzing to constrain and constrict Allen seems like a logical formula, but it didn’t exactly work well last time. We’ll see if Pittsburgh changes its approach in the playoffs.
6-3
Pittsburgh’s all-time playoff record when the temperature is 22 degrees or colder, with Monday’s expected temperature expected to be a bit below that mark. The Steelers’ last such game was a loss, the 2017 Divisional Round upset against Jacksonville, but they’ve won the two other such games under Mike Tomlin, the 2016 Wild Card win over Miami and the 2010 AFC title game over the New York Jets.
Only one of those nine games was played on the road, the 1993 Wild Card game against the Kansas City Chiefs, where the kickoff was 18 degrees. Pittsburgh lost that game, 27-24, in overtime.
One
The number of previous playoff games in NFL history with an over/under of 34 or less with a spread of 9.5 or more, the Steelers’ initial situation against the Bills (Ed. Note: this article was written prior to the game being postponed and since, the over/under has risen to 37.5).
Hard to get that kind of a spread with that low of an over/under. The other example came in 1985 when the Los Angeles Rams were 10.5-point dogs to the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship Game.
The Bears’ historically good defense did the job and proved why they were heavily favored, shutting out the Rams 24-0 and capping their win with a 52-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
61
Just in case you were wondering, given the conditions, the playoff record for most rushing attempts in a game by one team is 61. That belongs to the 1949 Philadelphia Eagles, who ran it all day in their NFL Championship win over the Los Angeles Rams, a 14-0 outcome. Hall of Famer Steve Van Buren did the heavy lifting with 31 rushes for 196 yards on the day as the Rams’ high-powered offense, led by QB Norm Van Brocklin and WR Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch, was held in check.
Weather also played a factor in the Eagles’ game plan. However, it was a heavy rain and muddy field that compelled Philadelphia to run the ball instead of snow. The game was nearly postponed due to conditions that impacted ticket sales, but NFL Commissioner Bert Bell said the game had to go on as scheduled.
If you’d like to watch highlights, you can find clips here. And if you’re wondering about the Super Bowl-era rushing-attempts record, it’s 59 by the New England Patriots in 1985. the Steelers are second on the list with their 57 attempts in their first Super Bowl win over the Minnesota Vikings.
Five, Six
Those were the red zone ranks of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense and the Buffalo Bills’ offense, respectively, in the regular season. Five and six. Something’s gotta give. Pittsburgh’s been a ball-hawking group with turnovers, not just stops. But the Bills’ offense is strong, and QB Josh Allen is a particular threat with his legs. If Pittsburgh is going to win this game, or at least keep it close, it has to lock down inside the 20.
