As one of nine unbeaten NFL teams, all while playing a backup quarterback, things are looking up for the Pittsburgh Steelers entering Week 3.
They’ve started 2-0 on the season while playing both games on the road, accomplishing that feat for the first time since the 1999 season. And they’re finding ways to win games while a new-look offense under coordinator Arthur Smith in his first year gets its feet underneath it.
Despite that 2-0 start, there are plenty of questions about the sustainability of the Black and Gold’s playing style.
“The Steelers are 2-0 despite scoring only one touchdown thanks to kicker Chris Boswell and an aggressive, ball-hawking defense. But the Steelers can’t rely on those things for an entire season and will need to find the end zone more consistently,” Brooke Pryor writes for ESPN.com, calling the Steelers’ start a mirage. “Justin Fields threw his first touchdown pass as a Steeler to TE Darnell Washington in the first half of the Week 2 win in Denver, but self-inflicted wounds have prevented other such scores.
“The Steelers are the fifth team in the Super Bowl era to start 2-0 despite scoring one or zero offensive touchdowns, per ESPN Research. The Steelers’ 2010 team, which went 12-4 before losing to the Packers in Super Bowl XLV, is among that group.”
Things haven’t been all that good offensively. The Steelers have scored just 31 points across their first two games, including that lone touchdown from quarterback Justin Fields to tight end Darnell Washington in Denver. Pittsburgh has called on kicker Chris Boswell eight times already this season, and while he’s been perfect, it’s not something the Steelers want to consistently lean on.
Of course the Steelers need to find the end zone more consistently. That’s obvious. You have to score points — particularly touchdowns — to win consistently in the NFL and compete for a Super Bowl.
The Steelers have done that just once so far this season, which is a bit of a concern. However, patience is required as the offense gets up to speed under Smith, all while dealing with injuries to starting quarterback Russell Wilson and starting guard Isaac Seumalo.
The fact that the Steelers have won two road games to open the season while scoring just one touchdown is remarkable. It’s not exactly a mirage, either. The Steelers are winning games based on the way the team is built: leaning heavily on a star-studded defense, which completely shut down the Falcons and Broncos, while running the ball well and taking some shots down the field in the passing game.
Finishing drives in better fashion will be huge. But so far, the Steelers are playing exactly how they want to. It’s working. There’s no mirage about that.
