Steelers 2024 Offensive Charting – End of Season

The 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers’ season is over, so it’s time to revisit our weekly offensive charting and pull out the numbers for the season. We’ll go through the final ten games and the full season and share any numbers that stand out or might seem interesting.

The offense was on the field for 1,206 offensive plays. They averaged 68 plays per game before the bye week and 66.1 in the final ten games. That includes kneeldowns (15) and plays negated by penalty (76).

There were 538 running plays. That number includes kneeldowns and scrambles. There were 586 passing plays that included all attempts, sacks, and spikes. Six plays were aborted on fumbles by the quarterbacks. Seventy-six plays were negated by a penalty.

Personnel Groupings

In year one with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, the majority of plays focused on just three personnel groups. Those three (11, 12, 13) accounted for 96 percent of the plays.

With the team’s troubles down the stretch, that meant more passing plays. Eleven personnel grouping was used 50.4-percent prior to the bye week. It increased to 53.5-percent in the second half. The twelve personnel group was used at 26.8-percent in the first eight games and 22.4-percent in the final ten. Thirteen personnel dropped from 20-percent to 11.2.

Quarterbacks

This season was broken down into three groups for the quarterbacks: the Justin Fields era in the first six games, the Russell Wilson good half, and the Wilson bad half.

Overall, the quarterbacks were a nice improvement when it comes to touchdowns compared to 2023. However, they were unable to improve on the record, and the overall numbers were similar.

2023 – Kenny Pickett, Mitchell Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph – 3,163 yards passing, 13 touchdowns, nine interceptions, 6.47 average yards per attempt

2024 – Justin Fields, Russell Wilson, and Kyle Allen – 3,264 yards, 21 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 7.53 yards per attempt.

An increase of eight touchdowns and 3 fewer interceptions.

Play Action

First eight, the Steelers ran 83 plays. They are 46 of 67 (68.7-percent) for 523 yards and two touchdowns. They scrambled nine times for 37 yards and were sacked seven times.

Final ten, there were 72 plays. They were 37 of 58 (63.8-percent) for 468 yards and 2 touchdowns and one interception. They scrambled twice for 7 yards and one touchdown and were sacked 9 times. Three plays were nullified by penalties.

Facing a Blitz

First eight, over 60 plays against the blitz, they went 34 for 49 (69.4-percent) for 495 yards and three touchdowns. They scrambled three times for 20 yards and were sacked eight times.

Final ten, they were 51 of 74 (68.9-percent) for 690 yards and 3 touchdowns. They scrambled twice for 15 yards and were sacked seven times.

No Huddle

First eight, there were 97 plays with 32 carries for 155 yards (4.84 YPC). When passing, they were 36 of 57 (63.2-percent) for 464 yards and one touchdown. That is 12.9 yards per completion. There was one spike, one scramble for three yards and five sacks for a loss of 25 yards.

Final ten, 168 total plays. The team ran the ball 48 times for 235 yards (4.9 YPC). When passing, they were 55 of 92 (59.8-percent) for 564 yards and 3 touchdowns and one interception. That was a 10.3-yard per completion average, down over two yards from the first eight games. Six plays were negated by a penalty. The QB’s ran nine times for 81 yards and were sacked 12 times.

Pre-snap Movement of any Kind

In the first eight, there were 342 plays or 62.9-percent.

In the final ten, there were 273 plays 58.6-percent.

Man in Motion at the Snap

In the first eight, they ran 85 plays (15.6-percent) while running the ball 65.9-percent of those plays.

In the final ten, they ran 108 plays (16.3-percent) while running the ball on 58.3-percent of the time.

Empty Formation

In the first eight, they ran 28 plays, going 13 of 21 (61.9-percent) for 125 yards (9.6 yards per completion). There were also four designed quarterback runs for 33 yards and two scrambles for 23 with one sack.

In the final ten, the ran 35 plays going 15 of 26 (57.7-percent) for 164 yards (10.9 yards per completion). There were two designed runs for minus one yard, one scramble for eight yards, one play negated by penalty and five sacks.

Where Do They Throw It?

Here is a look at the dispersal of dropbacks pre and post bye week.

In the first eight games, only 29.6-percent of the throws were inside the numbers. In the final ten, that number increased to 37.8-percent.

Now, here is a look at where the throws went based on depth.

Not a lot of variances in the depth of target from the early part of the season to the back half.

Here are the direction numbers broken out pre and post bye week.

A deep pass is anything thrown 16 or more yards downfield.

Deep passes averaged 4.88 per game prior to the bye week and increased slightly to 5.7 after the bye.

Short throws accounted for an average of 22.25 in the first eight. In the final ten games, the average was 25.4 per game.

Running Backs

Once again, the Steelers came into this season as a ground-and-pound team. The infusion of youth along the offensive line showed some improvement before the bye week, helping Najee Harris hit the 100-yard mark in three consecutive games before the break.

The second half was not as kind. Harris averaged nearly a full yard less per carry and a yard less per reception. He did double his touchdown production.

Harris

Jaylen Warren dealt with injuries early in this season, limiting him to six games. After the bye, he doubled his carries, averaging nearly a yard more per carry, and added three yards per reception.

Warren

For the second consecutive year, no Steeler running back caught a touchdown pass.

Rushing success rate is based on percentage of yards gained per down. It is 40-percent on first down, 60 percent on second down and 100 percent on third down and fourth down.

In the first eight, Harris is at 46.3-percent success rate and Warren is at 34.1-percent. Warren finished at the same number while Harris finished at 43.7-percent.

The receiving success rate is based on the same percentages with Harris at 37.5-percent and Warren at 28.6-percent. At the end of the season, Harris improved to 45.8-percent. Warren also finished with and increased number at 46.8-percent.

Here is a look at yards gained by the direction they run. This includes carries by Cordarrelle Patterson, Aaron Shampklin, and Jonathan Ward and designed runs by the quarterbacks and receivers.

Prior to the break, the averages were good other than left tackle and right end.

After the bye week, there was a nice improvement on the left side and, surprisingly, on runs outside to the right. Every other direction decreased with runs over the right tackle completely collapsing.

Wide Receivers

George Pickens had his first season as the top dog in the wide receiver room. He missed three games after the bye week but still finished with over 100 targets.

The deep targets were nearly the same, with one less after the bye week, but the yards were down by 99. They just do not throw the ball deep over the middle to Pickens. There was a heavy usage of throws to the left later in the season.

Behind Pickens, it has been a struggle most of the season. Van Jefferson’s numbers were consistent. Twenty targets for 139 yards in the first half for him. Calvin Austin’s targets went up by ten, and his yards went up by 59 after the bye.

Austin gets the targets deep over the middle with nine total on the season for 133 yards.

Here are their second-half targets.

The addition of Mike Williams was a dart throw to help the receiver room. It produced ten receptions on fifteen targets across nine games, just 132 yards, and one game-winning touchdown. Seven of those targets were of the deep variety.

Tight Ends

Arthur Smith loves his tight ends. He has many on the roster, puts them in the lineup a lot but doesn’t throw them the ball as much as you might think or hope.

Pat Freiermuth is the main recipient, finishing second on the team in targets and leading the team in receptions and touchdowns. Freiermuth’s targets went up from 32 in the first eight games to 50 after the bye. He was also the only player to catch a pass from Kyle Allen.

Darnell Washington was utilized more as a receiver, but there is still a lot of meat on that bone. He set career highs in targets, receptions, yards, and touchdowns. He had twelve targets and 120 yards prior to the bye week.

Here are their targets after the break.

Last season, Connor Heyward had 35 targets and 24 receptions in the season. In 2024, eight and six, respectively, for 40 yards and one touchdown.

MyCole Pruitt had just two receptions on three targets prior to the bye week and he had four receptions and ten targets post bye week. That included his lone touchdown of the season.

Offensive Line

The offensive line dealt with a lot of injuries and that has led to a lot of players getting snaps and valuable experience for two rookies.

Here are the snap counts at each position. The Other column is for when they line up at the tight-end position.

Let’s look at the accepted penalties.

• Frazier had two accepted penalties: One hold and one tripping penalty.
• McCollum had two. One hold and one false start
• Scharping had two. One hold and one false start.
• Moore had four. Two holds, one illegal formation, and one false start.
• McCormick had two: one false start and one hold.
• Anderson did not have any penalties.
• Seumalo had five accepted penalties, four of which were false starts.
• Anderson has a false start and an unnecessary roughness call.
• Fautanu was not flagged for a penalty.
• Jones led the linemen with nine penalties: two false starts, five holds, one offensive facemask, and one illegal formation.
• Daniels had one false start and one hold.