New Stat Highlights Steelers Putrid Offense –– and Defense
The Pittsburgh Steelers stink in 2022.
To some degree, this was to be expected. After losing Ben Roethlisberger to retirement and reigning Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt to injury for the early part of the season, many thought the Steelers might struggle on both offense and defense.
They were right.
But I’m not sure anybody expected the dropoff to be this severe.
Through eight games, the Steelers stand at 2-6, holding down last place in the AFC North. They’re in line to receive the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, which would be their highest pick since 1970.
That year, they took Terry Bradshaw No. 1 overall. That worked out OK, I’d say. The year before, the Steelers had the No. 4 overall pick, and they used it on “Mean” Joe Greene. Also not bad.
But right now, nobody can think about starting a dynasty. This Steelers team is limping toward the finish line of the 2022 NFL season –– and a new stat from Warren Sharp really brought the team’s struggles to life.
Check it out:
yardage of longest 2022 TD scored:
98: BUF
79: BAL
75: LAR, WAS, ATL, CAR, HOU
74: SEA
67: DEN
66: NYJ
65: NYG
61: CHI, JAX
60: CIN, MIA, NO
58: LV
57: SF, DAL
53: PHI, MIN
51: DET
45: KC
44: NE
41: CLE
38: ARI
37: GB
32: IND
29: TEN
28: TB
23: LAC
8: PIT— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) https://twitter.com/SharpFootball/status/1590489624518234112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>November
9, 2022
That’s tragic.
You wanna see it? Here it is, in all its glory:
That’s it. That’s the most explosive touchdown of the Steelers’ season: Mitch Trubisky to Pat Freiermuth from eight yards out in a loss to the Patriots at Acrisure Stadium.
Yikes.
Statistically, this season for the Steelers on offense couldn’t get much worse.
The team ranks:
- 28th in yards per game, with 299.0
- 23rd in passing yards per game, with 204.1
- 27th in rushing yards per game, with 94.9
- 31st in points per game, with 15.0
But it’s not enough to simply highlight the team’s struggles on offense under offensive coordinator Matt Canada.
The Steelers’ defense ranks 29th in yards allowed per game at 395.1 and 23rd in points per game allowed with 24.6.
Remember that stat up there from Mr. Sharp? Investigate it more closely, and the Steelers’ defense takes a hit, too.
The longest touchdown of the year, a 98-yard bomb from the Bills’ Josh Allen to Gabe Davis, also came against the Steelers:
GABE DAVIS. 98 YARDS. ?
?: https://twitter.com/hashtag/PITvsBUF?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#PITvsBUF
on CBS
?: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/5bVODjrAl5 pic.twitter.com/hfkMpMKH7Z— NFL (@NFL) https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1579156202369404928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>October
9, 2022
And that 44-yard strike for the Patriots?
Yep, also against the Steelers. Mac Jones to Nelson Agholor for six:
Nelson Agholor just Moss’d Ahkello Witherspoon for a 44-yard TD pic.twitter.com/rCIkyqtv9U
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) https://twitter.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1571564318201712641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>September
18, 2022
It’s a bad look for the team on both sides of the ball.
The Steelers will have the chance to improve in this area Sunday at Acrisure Stadium, when they host the 3-6 New Orleans Saints.
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