The Pittsburgh Steelers and their fans didn't envision being in this position from the get-go, as they currently hold an improbable 6-3 record. They enter a pivotal AFC North matchup against the Cleveland Browns in Week 11 on Sunday. As troubled and wildly inconsistent as they've been all year, the odds continue to be defied. Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh's 2022 first-round draft pick, has been winning football games despite his concerning pedigree and under-polished skill set that has constantly plagued him this season.
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Steelers' Kenny Pickett loads up to throw against the Baltimore Ravens during Week 5 in 2023.
The criticism only keeps mounting, but Pickett keeps winning and turning the ball over at a very shallow rate. It's a weird position to be in, as he boasts six fourth quarter comebacks, seven game-winning drives, and a 13-8 record as a starting quarterback. But Pickett hasn't looked the part of a player who can elevate himself to the next level in year two just yet.
Winning with ugly quarterback play hasn't been the only thing that's shockingly benefiting the Steelers right now. Despite winning six games thus far, they've been outgained offensively in every game (yes, you read that right). Through nine games, Pittsburgh has yet to outgain a single opponent. They've accomplished something literally no other NFL franchise has done in history, and that's every victory of theirs looking lopsided on the stat sheet and box score in the opponent's favor.
Traditionally speaking, NFL teams do not win like this at all, nor do they continue to do so. It's almost unprecedented for one to achieve so much with so little in terms of goods, and that neatly fits who the Pittsburgh Steelers are right now. How is it possible for a team to rank as a bottom-tier offense in rushing and passing win so consistently? The answer: Mike Tomlin. Playoff success has been harder to come by for the long-tenured head coach as of late, but there's no denying regular seasons are a strength of his when it comes to coaching.
Tomlin's specialty thrives in late-game scenarios, where the Steelers can seal the deal with a suffocating defense, an offense that doesn't turn the ball over, and a running game that churns out a ton of yards on the ground. It's not a sexy recipe for success, but it's still a recipe for success nonetheless. Looking ahead, the Steelers' schedule lightens up a bit in matchup difficulty as both the Browns and Cincinnati Bengals, respectively, lost their starting quarterbacks for the season.
How The Steelers Can Keep Winning
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Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is an incredibly difficult player to replace on defense due to his do-it-all talents.
First and foremost, every Steelers' key to victory starts and ends with the defense. While many like to win with high-powered offenses, it's the defense that puts you in a position to win games. According to Lineups.com, Pittsburgh stakes claim as top 10 defense in points scored, interceptions, turnovers, points allowed, passing completions, rushing touchdowns, touchdowns allowed, red zone attempts, red zone touchdown percentage, and fourth down percentage. It's safe to say the Steelers are dominant in these areas when on the field, but they need to greatly improve with how many rushing touchdowns, third down conversions, total yards, passing yards, and rushing yards per game they give up on a weekly basis.
They'd convincingly win the majority of their games if they weren't so vulnerable in these particular stats. It can become frustrating for Steelers fans to watch them get gashed upfront or in the open field due to how much zone coverage they run, and hopefully, this changes moving forward if they want to make a serious run at the playoffs. A healthy Minkah Fitzpatrick will make a big difference in these categories in the near future, once he returns from his hamstring injury.
Offensively, it couldn't be any more polar opposite of the defense than they already are. They are, at best, the 27th-worst-ranked offense in points per game, plays per game, yards per game, passing yards, passing attempts, passing completions, passing touchdowns, total touchdowns, red zone attempts, red zone touchdowns, first downs, and fourth down completion percentage. Even if the last few games on the schedule have been better to some extent, it's still horrifically bad to the point where they will, in all likelihood, let Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada go on an expiring contract in the offseason. Nobody is expecting this offense to experience a 180 turnaround, but if they can be just average down the stretch against numerous backup quarterbacks, that should suffice.
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Steelers Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada stares into the distance prior to a 2022 regular season game at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.
Overall, the Steelers need to clean up in pass and run defense, because a bend but don't break philosophy will only get you so far. On top of that, their offense cannot expect to win solely off not turning the ball over and winning fourth quarters alone. They must produce at a more efficient rate that will translate into a complete game of consistency in moving the chains, converting on scoring chances, and involving their better weapons more like George Pickens and Diontae Johnson. Winning ugly is great, but winning more at ease is even better.
What are your thoughts on the Steelers' upcoming schedule and chances in the future? Are you confident in them finally overcoming their long playoff drought this year, or will it have to wait another season? Let us know in the comments below.
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