The Pittsburgh Steelers know they must get off to faster starts. To do so, they need to play the right people. What seems so simple and obvious proved difficult for the offense in their loss to the Cleveland Browns last Thursday. An open and honest Arthur Smith copped to one of many mistakes made before and after the snap in a 19-point showing, beginning with a third-and-short on the opening drive.
“There’s some substitution things,” Smith said in team-provided audio speaking with reporters Thursday. “But again, you don’t wanna call the timeout. And you gotta trust the guy’s got a helmet.”
To reset the scene. It’s 3rd and 3 on the Browns’ 32. Pittsburgh has effectively moved the ball early thanks to a 15-yard run by RB Jaylen Warren and 22-yard completion to TE Pat Freiermuth. On the edge of field goal range in windy conditions, a conversion is key. The Steelers sent out 13 personnel, one running back, one receiver, and three tight ends.
TE MyCole Pruitt and WR Ben Skowronek were among those in the huddle. They became the No. 1 progression on the play, the Steelers calling a pass and running “Mesh/Sit” with Pruitt and Skowronek running crossing routes. Neither got a lick of separation.
With few athletes and route runners on the field, nothing was open, and QB Russell Wilson took a costly sack.
Instead of burning a timeout, the Steelers hoped those on the field would make a play. The only ones who did were wearing Cleveland brown.
It’s another issue we noted in our early-week review of Smith’s scheme. Evidently, this thankfully wasn’t by design, but the fact that Pittsburgh had the wrong personnel in such a weighty moment is just as troubling.
“You wanna be transparent, here’s what happened. But then sometimes it sounds like an excuse and certainly need to be better. But yeah, I mean, that was not the intent, if that’s what you’re asking,” Smith said of the play.
The sack pushed Pittsburgh to the brink of field goal range. More confusion seemed to ensue with K Chris Boswell late to take the field for a long 58-yard attempt. He missed for just the second time this season.
Couple that miscue with Smith’s regrettable fourth-down QB run of Justin Fields and there was plenty of bad in this game. The Steelers will need to be smoother and smarter if they want to knock off the Cincinnati Bengals on the road this weekend.
