After being penalized nine times in Week 1 and 10 times in Week 2, the Pittsburgh Steelers are the second-most penalized team in the NFL. The Cleveland Browns lead the pack with 24, via data put together by Joseph Hefner of KC Sports Network.
Clayton Eckert broke down the number of penalties and yards against that each team has given up through the first two weeks of the season.
Luckily for the Steelers, their penalties haven’t been all that costly, as they’ve gained +20 yards in net yardage off penalties. That comes on the strength of two long defensive pass-interference penalties, with a 27-yard gain and a 37-yard gain against Denver on pass-interference calls.
The chart doesn’t account for potential yardage lost due to penalties though, so it’s not accounting for what would have been a 51-yard gain on a pass from QB Justin Fields to WR George Pickens that was wiped off the board due to a holding penalty against Broderick Jones.
In Week 2, the Broncos were penalized nine times, one less than the Steelers, but due to the PI calls, their penalties accounted for 124 yards while the Steelers’ penalties only accounted for 78 yards.
Still, it’s an issue that needs to get cleaned up, particularly on offense, as it’s affecting Pittsburgh’s ability to get into a rhythm. Even though they’ve benefitted more from penalties than been hurt by them, it’s a bigger issue that the Steelers’ offensive efforts have been continually marred by pre-snap penalties or holding calls.
CB Joey Porter Jr. and OT Broderick Jones accounted for 50% of Pittsburgh’s Week 2 penalties, as Jones had three accepted penalties while Porter had two. With Porter, his grabbiness and penchant for getting penalized was a bit of a problem during his rookie season. Still, he does such a good job taking away top corners that it’s something the Steelers might have to live with. He had a defensive-holding penalty and an illegal-use-of-hands penalty that were both accepted. Another defensive holding call was declined.
It’s something that the Steelers will work to fix, and they’re going to bring officials into practice all week to help cut down on penalties.ย Hopefully, they play cleaner football in Week 3. Outside of the 51-yard gain that would’ve put the Steelers inside the Denver 10, they also had an offensive-pass-interference penalty against Van Jefferson that wiped out a touchdown at the end of the first half although that call was questionable. But when the penalties are costing the Steelers points, it’s an issue, and it’s one they’ll undoubtedly look to clean up this week.
