The Pittsburgh Steelers in 2023 realized they had a problem. They knew they could win close games thanks to their defense. However, they also knew they could not depend on a Matt Canada-led offense to help win games. So they did the unthinkable: they fired a coach mid-season.
However, the Steelers recognized that Canada was not the source of all their problems on offense. They brought in former Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith as the new offensive coordinator to replace Canada. But they also knew they needed better play at the quarterback position as well as on the offensive line. So, under general manager Omar Khan, they overhauled both rooms throughout the offseason.
So just how big of an impact will these changes make?
“In that style of offense that Arthur Smith runs with that defense, quite honestly, if the Pittsburgh Steelers score 20, 21 points a game, they’re gonna win 10-plus games this year,” Former NFL QB and current NFL Network analyst Chase Daniel said on Tuesday’s episode of the Rich Eisen Show. “So you gotta go in saying, ‘Hey, we gotta score three touchdowns.'”
In 2023, the Steelers scored under 21 points in 12 of their 17 games. They somehow managed to win five of those 12 games, which is pretty darn incredible. If they had scored 21 points in all 12 games, they would have added another two wins to their season total (and tied the New England Patriots in Week 14). Adding just two more wins to their season total would have put them in fifth place in the AFC playoff picture and a potential matchup with the Houston Texans in the first round.
Now, the 2024 schedule is much tougher than the 2023 schedule. Multiple analysts and media personnel have spoken about how bad the Steelers’ schedule is. That includes NFL.com’s Cynthia Frelund, who predicts the Steelers will miss the playoffs because of it.
Yet Daniel thinks that if the Steelers can get their offense playing well, they will win double-digit games. Smith brings hope for a modern NFL offense in Pittsburgh. Analyst Mina Kimes expressed the potential for the Steelers giving defenses trouble under Smith. If Smith can get either QB Russell Wilson or Justin Fields playing at a respectable level, the offense could be light years ahead of where it’s been the last few years.
But what Daniel said goes beyond the offense. It expresses belief in both head coach Mike Tomlin and the defense. The Steelers believe that the offseason additions of LB Patrick Queen and S DeShon Elliott will have a big impact. Perhaps the biggest impact could be on S Minkah Fitzpatrick, freeing him up to play farther away from the line of scrimmage and getting back to his playmaking ways.
What could have a huge impact on the defense is an offense that puts pressure on opposing teams. Having an offense that consistently scores points won’t allow opponents to grind games out with a lead. They’ll have to take more risks, which means more opportunities for players like Fitzpatrick.
And if that happens, maybe 10-plus wins despite the schedule isn’t far-fetched.
You can watch Daniel’s segment on the Steelers from the Eisen show below:
