The Pittsburgh Steelers are 2-0 but they have just one touchdown through their first two games. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is confident that points will come as he told reporters today that he’s seen some progress out of Pittsburgh’s offense.
“This thing’s so long, you have like four lifetimes in an NFL season, you really do,” Smith said via 93.7 The Fan on Twitter.. “These guys study, the other side has a say, there’s smart coaches and players on the other side. It’s a constant work in progress, but I’ve definitely seen more progress. But we need more points clearly, and we’ll get there.”
Smith noted that “injuries happen” and that players can develop throughout the season. Pittsburgh’s offense might look different if Russell Wilson was under center, but Justin Fields had less than a week to prepare to start Week 1, and the Steelers have relied on ball control and the run game.
The offense hasn’t been bad, as the Steelers are among the best teams in the league in time of possession, ranking sixth in the NFL, per teamrankings.com.
But the lack of points is a little bit of a concern as the Steelers can’t rely on their defense to completely shut down opposing offenses week in and week out. While Pittsburgh’s defense is one of the best units in the league, eventually the offense is going to have to do more when the team moves into the more difficult part of its schedule in the second half.
The results thus far have been fine, as they’ve leaned on their run game and been able to chew clock and move the sticks. But scoring more points is something that has to happen. Pittsburgh would’ve had two touchdowns against the Denver Broncos in Week 2 if not for a questionable offensive pass interference call against WR Van Jefferson that wiped out a score by WR George Pickens. But the offense was stagnant in the second half, and that’s something that can’t continue to happen.
Ultimately, the more comfortable Fields gets, the better the offense will be, and if Wilson returns and can unlock more of Pittsburgh’s downfield passing game, that’s going to be a positive as well. But for now, Fields has done what’s asked of him, and as long as he’s the starter, it’s fair to think that the offense could get better each week going forward.
