Why are the Steelers Succeeding?
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The Pittsburgh Steelers have surprised many as they’ve gotten off to a (5-3) start in the first half of a long NFL season. The defense isn’t as dominant as it has been over the last couple of years and there’s not an MVP candidate at quarterback, so who’s to thank for their first half success?
A lot of Steeler fans have been calling for Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada to be fired. The fans are upset with the playcalling and the inconsistency of the offense. The Steelers average just 16.6 points per game, which is the fourth worst in the league, in front of only the New York Jets, New England Patriots and New York Giants. Pittsburgh is also the fourth worst offense in terms of yards per game at 278.5, ahead of only the Las Vegas Raiders, Jets and Giants. The Steelers are also the fifth worst team in the NFL in yards per play, at 4.7.
Let’s take a look at the defense. Pittsburgh is currently the second worst team in the NFL in terms of yards allowed per game at 377.3, ahead of only the Denver Broncos. They’re also the 13th best team in points allowed per game at 20.4, which is above average. These rankings give a general understanding of how they’re competing with teams that have more talent than them, but there’s one stat that hasn’t been mentioned. Pittsburgh is second in the NFL in takeaways per game with two. They give up a ton of yards but they take the ball away. This is also a team that has a -30 point differential.
There are a lot of numbers here. Let’s break it down. This is a team that gives up a ton of yards both on the ground and through the air, yet don’t give up a ton of points. This offense doesn’t score a lot but they seem to have timely scores. Their success is a combination of four things.
The first thing is coaching. Mike Tomlin has been able to stay above .500 in every season that he’s coached the Steelers. This is one of the least talented rosters he’s coached, yet he’s two games above .500 heading into week 10. One stat that’s overlooked is they’re ranked ninth in penalties per game at 5.8. This group is well coached and disciplined.
The second reason is strength of schedule. The Steelers have the seventh easiest schedule in the NFL. A team that isn’t as talented as the rest of the league can benefit from an easy schedule, especially with a good head coach. Outside of their division, they’ve played and played against only three playoff teams from a season ago. What makes up for that is the amount of competition against their division.
The third reason is their ability to win divisional games and make the better offenses crumble. Pittsburgh is currently (2-0) this season, with a very impressive win over the Ravens who they compete really well with every time they square off. Their other divisional win was against the Browns in week two, by a score of 28-22.
What do both of these wins have in common? They’re both home victories. Over the last three seasons, the Steelers are 20-9-1 on their home field. It’s really difficult playing in Pittsburgh, what used to be called Heinz Field, especially as the weather gets colder.
The Steelers have the 10th easiest remaining schedule in 2023. Will Tomlin take them to the playoffs?
