Since Ben Roethlisberger rode off into the sunset, the Steelers have lacked that “wow” factor on offense. Their strategy of slowing the game down and winning with death by a million cuts rendered their offense boring, predictable and lazy.
While some of that can be attributed to former offensive coordinator Matt Canada, Kenny Pickett and the carousel of quarterbacks behind him didn’t exactly do much to help the cause. They were inconsistent with their accuracy, often too content with checkdowns in favor of big-play hunting.
That seems guaranteed to change in the 2024 season with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields the Steelers’ top two quarterbacks. In fact, both passers rank near the top of the league when it comes to deep-passing success.
According to Pro Football Focus, Wilson slotted in as the ninth best quarterback in the NFL when attempting a deep pass, which it defined as any attempt further than 20 yards. Last season, Wilson posted a 92.3 grade for 855 yards.
Wilson has always been known for his ability to press the ball down the field with his patented “moonball.” Just look at his heat map from his time in Seattle.
That’s a whole lotta red in the deep parts of the field, a tradition that will likely continue, especially with jump-ball artist George Pickens on the team.
More impressive, Fields graded out even better than Wilson in 2023, coming in with the fourth-best grade in the NFL at 96.7. Only Brock Purdy, Matthew Stafford, C.J. Stroud had a better overall grade. Fields, like Wilson, has been surgical with his long ball, recording a career 60.3 completion percentage on passes over 20 yards.
For Arthur Smith’s offense, one that prioritizes the deep attack following play-action, it seems tailor-made for both Fields and Wilson.
If you’re wondering why Fields wouldn’t be in “pole position” to be the starter after posting a better grade, look no further than Wilson’s intermediate passing grade.
PFF rated Wilson as the 10th best in the NFL when attacking the intermediate areas of the field (10-19 yards) with an 88.5 grade.
If Wilson can parlay his intermediate success to shots over the middle of the field, something he has historically shied away from and which Smith requires in his offense, he should be set for a big comeback in 2024.
After comparing those figures to Pickett and Mason Rudolph, whom didn’t even place in PFF’s rankings, you start to understand the significant improvement the Steelers seem to be adding at quarterback.
