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Diagnosing the Steelers Recent Offensive Problems
By Dutch | November 18, 2009
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense has done a lot of things very well this year, but not much went right last Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Bengals defense held the Steelers to only 3.6 yards per play offensively. Consider that the Steelers offense had been averaging 6.4 yards per play coming into the game. For the Steeler ‘O’, this is akin to going from the penthouse to the outhouse in short order.
So, while we should not forget the many positives we have seen this year from this group, let’s take a look at two areas where the Pittsburgh offense must improve.
Hall of Fame quarterback-turned-NFL analyst Terry Bradshaw said after Sunday’s game that he felt the Steelers didn’t have an identity on offense.
I disagree.
The Steelers identity offensively is Ben Roethlisberger. Teams specifically game plan to stop Big Ben, and rarely succeed like the Bengals did on Sunday.
They made the offense look beaten and bewildered throughout the game.
The Bengals’ cornerbacks prevented the Steelers receivers from getting much separation, while their defensive front did not allow Roethlisberger to escape the pocket to buy extra time for his targets to break free.
The Bengals defense took away the deep 20-25 yard strikes, and it was clear that the Steelers did not respect their ability to do so. After all, Roethlisberger had averaged 8.9 yards per pass attempt in the first go-around between these teams in September. He averaged only 4.4 yards per attempt on Sunday.
Cincinnati also did a tremendous job in limiting running back Rashard Mendenhall to only 2.8 yards per rush.
The problem isn’t an identity crisis. The Steelers are a pass-first team that were taken out of their rhythm by the Bengals, and were unable to find it during the course of the contest.
Not every pass can be a 20-yard completion, especially against corners like Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall. That tandem appears to be on the verge of becoming a top-notch unit.
Complicating the problem, the Steelers rank dead last in the NFL with the fewest passes to running backs.
This cannot continue if they plan to continue throwing the ball 40 times per contest. Great passing teams like the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots involve their running backs in pass receiving throughout the game. Even the great San Francisco 49er teams of the 1980s made a living throwing 5-yard passes to Roger Craig.
The Steelers began the game against Cincinnati by throwing a few quick passes out to the flat to the wide receivers, but they got away from that facet of their game as the afternoon progressed. These types of check-down passes to wide outs, as well as to running backs, frequently help keep an offense out of third-down-and-long situations and help keep an offense in a nice rhythm.
Despite the importance of the check-down, Roethlisberger loves to go downfield to his receivers. How can you argue with his success?
But, as Yahoo! Sports columnist Jason Cole told me, Ben might be making things too hard for himself, especially when he plays against a secondary that can match up with his receivers.
Roethlisberger is a much more cerebral quarterback than he is given credit for. He’s also a winner. He will make some adjustments, and the Steelers will be better for it going forward.
The other issue with the offense is one for which there may not be a quick cure.
Pittsburgh’s offense has moved the ball extremely well this year, and Rashard Mendenhall has breathed life into a previously-stagnant rushing attack (this last game notwithstanding). But the Steelers are leaving points on the field.
One of the main culprits is their inability to run the ball in their opponent’s red zone. Consider the following season averages for Rashard Mendenhall:
Mendenhall’s yards per rush by field position:
Own 1-20 yard line = 8.0 yards per rush.
Own 21-50 yard line = 5.2 yards per rush.
Opposition’s 49-20 = 7.3 yards per rush.
Red Zone = 1.9 yards per rush.
Mendenhall has done a fabulous job running the ball until he gets inside the red zone. His yards per carry average collapses.
The Colts have a struggling running game, but once they get inside their opponent’s 20 yard line, they get the job done. Joseph Addai averages 3.5 yards per rush and has rushed for six touchdowns and 12 first downs inside the red zone.
Pierre Thomas of the New Orleans Saints is rushing the ball for 3.7 yards per carry in the same category, and the Patriots’ Lawrence Maroney is also averaging over three yards per rush.
Mendenhall’s 1.9 yards per rush in scoring position is simply unacceptable for an offense that ranks in the league’s top five in yards-per-play average.
The offensive line must take some responsibility here as well, but whatever needs to be done, this dearth of quality running in the red zone cannot continue if the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to remain a contender.
Topics: NFL, Sports, Steelers | 14 Comments »
November 18th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
Did you account for the fact that rushes in the redzone can only go a maximum of 20 yards in coming up with your averages by field position?
November 19th, 2009 at 12:42 am
the same rules apply for the other three backs as well…
November 19th, 2009 at 1:28 am
Dutch … great article.
The YPC stats you posted from from their own 20 down to the red zone tell the tale of Arian's ineptitude IMO. It's all about scheme …
The reason Mendenhall is a lot less successful in the red zone because everyone and their mother know's we're running the ball with those garbage 3 TE single back sets that Arians uses. Not only does he not fool anyone because they're terribly designed plays, but he takes the element of surprise away regarding what we're going to do, run or pass thus making us one dimentional in the red zone.
November 19th, 2009 at 3:36 am
Bengal fan here but great article. I too was wondering on Sunday when the Steelers were going to pound it in with Mendenhall in the Red Zone. I am guilty of not watching the Steelers play every week so I had no idea the struggles the running game had in the Red Zone. I do know in years past that is what I hated about watching the Steelers play the Bengals. They always got it done by pounding the football for 4,5 and 6 yds a carry at will.
Is it that Mendenhall is great in space and not so great in the confines of the 20 or is the line just failing on that part of the field?
(for the record I clicked this link from the Grizlr.com Bengals page, not a fan trying to troll.)
November 19th, 2009 at 3:51 am
Matt
Great Question. What I did do is consider what other backs are averaging
down there to get an idea of where we need to be. And don't get me
wrong, I am not a Mendenhall basher by any stretch. I am thrilled
with him as the starting back. Arians needs to figure out the redzone
rushing problems. If not, the passing down there becomes more
difficult.
November 19th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
It is not enough to say that we are a passing team. We are a DEEP ONLY passing team with a passing game built around a scrambling QB. Sure we get alot of big plays but we also get alot of negative/incomplete plays.
I still think Ben did a better job getting the ball out on time when Whiz was here. Our offense just has no plan, and no, having Ben pass all the time is not a plan.
November 19th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
I'm just pointing at that YPC is not really a fair measurement when there could be an extremely successful 2 yard run or even an untouched (could have been 50 yards with more field) 8 yard run inside the red zone.
That doesn't mean the team has secretly been successful running in the redzone, just that the stat you use as evidence is a little tilted.
November 19th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
arians is a big fan of tight ends but when it comes down to red zone offense especially inside the 10 yard line, he will use matt spaeth as a blocker. how about calling plays which will utilize the players strengths which with matt spaeth has been tall target 6'7 with excellent hands. spaeth has always been known as an average blocker since his days at the university of minnesota.the steelers keep on lining him up playing to his weakness which is blocking. his 1st season with the steelers he caught 3 tds right away in the red zone and ever since he's been wrongly utilized in the offense.the steelers have 2 john mackey award winners (most outstanding tight end in college) in heath miller and matt spaeth but when it comes to spaeth, they must of forgot he is a tall target and an excellent receiving tight end!
November 19th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
One thing is for certain, BA is not cerebral! lol
November 19th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
First of all, thanks for not being a stooge like some fans (of all teams) are when posting on the opposition board.
Mendy does a pretty good job between the tackles. I think it is the lack of a running plan inside the red zone. This year, the Steelers have had a lot of success passing in the red zone for TDs. I think Arians lacks patience with the running game in the red zone.
November 19th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
bingo. BA just got plain out-coached against the Bengals
November 19th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
There are 2 running backs on the Steelers that need to get much more involved. First being Mendy. Mendenhall has upped his game since his draft pick, but he needs to become that force within the red zone. He's still young… I am not getting too worried yet. The other running back that needs to become more involved: Mewelde Moore. I swear this guy saved a portion of the season last year. Don't believe me? Watch the Dallas Cowboys game from last year…. Ben threw a lot of passes his way and he needs to continue to do this. I'd love to see what the Steelers could do if they had both Moore and Mendenhall on the field at the same time. The opposing team would never know if it was going to be a run or a pass.
November 20th, 2009 at 1:00 am
Robert, I don't believe this is a case of Ben not getting the ball out on time.
Receviers weren't running free against the Bengals. Also, our offense is averaging
6.3 yards per play. Whisenhunts offense averaged 5.3 yards per play when he was here. The offense is better now. We just haven't cashed in as much as we should have.
I think we fumbled the ball 3 times near the redzone against the Browns for example.
You can argue that the offense needs to involve the Running backs more in pass
receiving. We have had one real bad game this year on offense. Ask the Chargers what if they would rather face the Giants offense (run based) or the Steelers offense that put 35 on them.
November 20th, 2009 at 1:39 am
Matt, here is Mendy's last 9 carries in the Redzone.
1st-10, CIN15 R. Mendenhall rushed to the right for 2 yard
1st-5, CIN5 5:43 R. Mendenhall rushed to the right for 3 yard loss
2nd-2, CIN13 14:34 R. Mendenhall rushed to the right for 1 yard gain
2nd-4, DEN19 7:56 R. Mendenhall rushed to the right for 6 yard loss
1st-3, DEN3 2:00 R. Mendenhall rushed up the middle for 1 yard loss
2nd-4, DEN4 1:35 R. Mendenhall rushed up the middle for 1 yard gain
2nd-1, MIN18 13:05 R. Mendenhall rushed up the middle for no gain
1st-9, MIN9 14:08 R. Mendenhall R. Mendenhall fumbled
3rd-1, CLE14 1:19 R. Mendenhall rushed to the right for no gain