Steelers Rank 25th in Scoring at 17.5 Points as 32% Third-Down Rate Exposes Offense
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Oct 6
Steelers Rank 25th in Scoring at 17.5 Points as 32% Third-Down Rate Exposes Offense
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Oct 6
Summary
17.5 points per game has left Pittsburgh 25th in scoring through a 2-2 start, with Mike McCarthy saying the offense needs a self-scout after four uneven games.
40.2% man-coverage rate against the Steelers—the NFL's highest—has exposed both receiver separation and protection, helping drive a 27th-ranked minus-0.22 EPA per dropback versus man.
13 sacks and 65 pressures have compounded the problem for a young line, while Aaron Rodgers has taken a league-worst seven sacks against man and is holding the ball 2.76 seconds on average.
32% on third down ranks 28th overall, but the sharper issue is third-and-medium: Pittsburgh has converted just 2 of 19 chances from 4 to 6 yards.
63.8% usage of 11 personnel and a 68.4% pass rate suggest a scheme mismatch, with the Steelers far better under center than in shotgun and more efficient targeting tight ends than receivers.