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Steelers 2024 Offense

insaniti

insaniti

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I referenced this in another thread, but thought that this warranted it's own thread. I found a cheat sheet of some very interesting stats from the offense this year on Steelers.com. I'll post the link again in here, but I'll also copy and paste it in here with some very interesting stats highlighted. It'll tell the story of how bad we were as an offense, how we struggle without Pickens, and how we paid Muth and barely use him.


STEELERS OFFENSE
  • The Steelers generated 5.0 yards per play. They produced 4.9 at home vs. 5.2 on the road.
  • The Steelers produced 4.5 yards per play on first downs.
  • Pittsburgh's 317.2 yards per game finished 23rd among NFL offenses and up from 304.3 in 2023. The Steelers also averaged 22.4 points per game, up from 17.9 points per game in 2023.
  • The Steelers averaged 14.5 yards per point, 13th best in the NFL.
  • Only three offenses threw the ball at a lower percentage than the Steelers (50.7%). Pittsburgh's 533 total rush attempts were only behind the Eagles (621), Ravens (554) and Lions (534).
  • The Steelers threw 21 touchdown passes in 2024, 16 from Russell Wilson and 5 from Justin Fields. They had 13 touchdown passes in 2023.
  • Pittsburgh's offense converted a set of downs into a new set of downs or touchdown at a 68% clip. League average is 71%.
  • 29.2% of the Steelers offensive plays resulted in a first down or touchdown.
  • The Steelers averaged 192.0 passing yards per game.
  • The Steelers used 11 Personnel on 50% of their snaps. Only seven offenses used it less. Pittsburgh's 15.2% usage of 13 Personnel was the highest in the league.
  • Pittsburgh threw just six interceptions. Only the Chargers (3) and Ravens (4) threw fewer.
  • Russell Wilson threw between the numbers on 48.8% of his attempts. On throws outside the numbers, Wilson averaged 7.7 yards per attempt, 12th most.
  • Wilson threw the ball away on a league-high 7.2% of his dropbacks. Only the Bears (41) had more throw aways than the Steelers (38).
  • Steelers quarterbacks threw what is considered a "Check down pass" on 13.4% of their attempts, the highest rate in the league.
  • The Steelers average time to throw of 2.91 seconds was sixth-highest in the NFL.
  • The Steelers used play-action on 25.2% of their attempts, 10th highest in the NFL.
  • The Steelers threw a "Deep Ball" on 12.8% of their pass attempts. Only six teams threw deep a higher percentage.
  • Pittsburgh's average depth of target with George Pickens on the field was 7.1 yards downfield compared to 6.0 without him.
  • Pickens had 13 receptions of 30-plus yards which tied with Ja'Marr Chase for the league lead.
  • Pat Freiermuth finished the season with three or more receptions in seven-straight games. Freiermuth had 15 receptions in his final two games after not having more than five in any previous game this season. He had a team-high five touchdown receptions with Wilson on the field.
  • Pittsburgh's receivers generated 1,804 yards after the catch. Just six offenses had fewer.
  • In terms of targets per route run, Pittsburgh's pass catchers finished: Pickens (.23) Najee Harris (.21), Jaylen Warren (.20), Freiermuth (.17), Calvin Austin and Darnell Washington (.15), Van Jefferson and Mike Williams (.10).
  • Steelers passers were sacked on 8.9% of their dropbacks, the fifth-highest percentage in the league.
  • Warren has reached 64-plus scrimmage yards in seven of his last nine regular season games.
  • Over his final nine regular season games, Harris averaged 64.6 total yards per game and hit 100 yards once during that time.
  • Wilson ran for 128 yards and a touchdown in his last five games.
  • Pittsburgh ran into what is considered a "Stacked Box" on 25.3% of its rush attempts. Only seven offenses did so at a higher rate.
  • The Steelers had 28 rushing attempts inside the 5-yard line. That was tied for eighth most.
  • 3.8% of Steelers rushing attempts went for 15-plus yards. 19.7% of Pittsburgh's rushing yards came on such runs.
  • Steelers ball carriers reached speeds of 10-plus miles per hour on 64 occasions. Only eight offenses produced more such plays.
  • On rushing attempts, the Steelers created 1,181 yards after first contact. Only five offenses produced more.
  • Pittsburgh ran the football 225 times in the first half of games this year, sixth-most. The Steelers ran it 269 times in the second half, only behind Philadelphia and Baltimore.
  • Inside the 10-yard line, the Steelers had a passing percentage of 42.9%. Only seven offenses passed the ball a lower percentage inside the 10.
  • The Steelers red zone conversion rate of was 48.2% ahead of the Giants, Cowboys and Patriots.
  • When leading by seven points or more, the Steelers ran the ball at a 60.5% clip. Only the Falcons and Raiders were higher.
  • When trailing by seven points or more, the Steelers ran the ball at a 39.1% clip. Only the Eagles were higher.
  • With five to nine yards to go, the Steelers ran the ball at a 40.0% clip. Only the Packers were higher. With 10-plus yards to go, Pittsburgh ran it 47.1% of the time, fourth-highest behind the Eagles, Packers and Lions.
  • On first downs, Pittsburgh ran at the fourth-highest rate (59.1%).
  • On average, the Steelers snapped the ball 13.3 times per game on third downs. Only six teams were higher.
  • Pittsburgh converted 39.5% of its third down attempts, tied for 15th . The Steelers' 36.8% conversion rate on fourth downs was only better than Dallas.
  • Pittsburgh's offense reached third downs on 49.6% of their drives, 25th in the league.
  • Final snap counts: Quarterback: Wilson 760, Fields 411. Running Back: Harris 587, Warren 473, Patterson 110. Wide Receiver: Pickens 809, Jefferson 755, Austin 627, Miller 209, Williams 180, Skowronek 109. Tight End: Freiermuth 802, Washington 602, Pruitt 281, Heyward 211. Offensive Line: Moore 1,128, Jones 1,117, Frazier 1,021, McCormick 936, Seumalo 872, Anderson 357, Daniels 209, McCollum 153, Fautanu 55.
We get behind the chains too often with the amount of runs on first down.
The numbers tell the story everyone else has been saying, Wilson is a check down or moonball QB.
Pickens (after the QB) is the most important offensive player we have right now.
Freiermuth needs more targets!!
Our redzone struggles can be attributed to becoming even more predictable.
 
insaniti said:
The most frustrating mediocrity you can get to at that. Because we know that it'll be much of the same next year, and the year after, and the year after that *sigh*
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Mediocrity as a team, Tomlinships at Groundhog Day.

Great thread post insaniti, appreciate you.




Salute the nation
 
Last year 28th total offense

This year 16th total offense


Salute the nation
 
Aussie_Steeler said:
Some interesting and contradictory stats there. They throw the deep ball more than most teams and are near the top in both yards after catch, and yards after first contact, yet are bottom 10 in total yards per game.

Shows their offence seems to operate at 1 (go short and rely on the receiver or runner to create something) or 11 (look for the big play) with little in between.
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Only 6 teams had fewer yards after catch, that means 24 teams had more yards. You read that one backwards.

Yards after first contact mixed with running into stacked box, means they are getting hit earlier and get the most they can
 
insaniti said:
Only 6 teams had fewer yards after catch, that means 24 teams had more yards. You read that one backwards.

Yards after first contact mixed with running into stacked box, means they are getting hit earlier and get the most they can
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Sorry, yep missed the word fewer.
 
I know he has behavioral issues but this is why we must keep GP, he is the only potential superstar game winning player we have.
 
I know he has behavioral issues but this is why we must keep GP, he is the only potential superstar game winning player we have.
Fiji Mariner said:
Only have him for 1 more year before his sentence in Pittsburgh has been served and he will finally be a free man!
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most likely yeah, and I garuntee he gets a ring before TJ even gets a playoff win 🥲
 
Fiji Mariner said:
Only have him for 1 more year before his sentence in Pittsburgh has been served and he will finally be a free man!
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You must not think our WR Whisperer, HC can get him to sign an extension ?


Salute the nation
 
Drink IRON City said:
You must not think our WR Whisperer, HC can get him to sign an extension ?


Salute the nation
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Art is too cheap to sign off on the overpayment that would be necessary to get him to stay. I think if they made him the highest paid receiver in the league he’d think about it…short of that he’s gone unless they extend his sentence with a franchise tag.

Once he is paroled that hostage will quickly run to greener pastures…having watched his whole career I’d say he’s pretty unhappy getting cooked by the dumpster fire.

He needs a fresh start somewhere else and he knows it.
 
Fiji Mariner said:
Art is too cheap to sign off on the overpayment that would be necessary to get him to stay. I think if they made him the highest paid receiver in the league he’d think about it…short of that he’s gone unless they extend his sentence with a franchise tag.

Once he is paroled that hostage will quickly run to greener pastures…having watched his whole career I’d say he’s pretty unhappy getting cooked by the dumpster fire.

He needs a fresh start somewhere else and he knows it.
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You know that there is a salary floor as well as salary cap don't you? Whatever the Steelers pay Pickens would have no impact on the bottom line, it only affects the amount of cap space available for other players. I do agree with your basic premise - I doubt he stays with the Steelers unless they pay him big money, as I expect he would have suitors amongst teams with a better quarterback and offensive situation than the Steelers.
 
SteveA said:
Putrid....

You were asking for a one-word answer correct?

If you need a 3-word answer I'm going run, run, pass....
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But you tell us all in CAPS in another thread that Tomlin is our coach, accept it....you accept Putrid??

You don't think if enough outrage over Putrid is shown it might force Rooney to make a change?
 
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Aussie_Steeler said:
You know that there is a salary floor as well as salary cap don't you? Whatever the Steelers pay Pickens would have no impact on the bottom line, it only affects the amount of cap space available for other players. I do agree with your basic premise - I doubt he stays with the Steelers unless they pay him big money, as I expect he would have suitors amongst teams with a better quarterback and offensive situation than the Steelers.
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Perfectly aware of cap and how it works

The entire point was he’s gone unless they massively over pay, not just over pay…MASSIVELY OVERPAY.
It would literally take resetting the WR market for him to willingly lengthen his sentence with this dumpster fire of an organization…like top paid WR $$$

The cheap a$$ Art comment was just shooting a stray towards the cheap a$$ lawyer that is allowing this dumpster fire to happen. No way does cheap A$$ Art sign off on the guaranteed money GP would require to look past all the red flags surrounding the dumpster fire.

You do realize that even though there is a cap and a floor cheap a$$ owners like Art don’t like forking out large sums of guaranteed money which is one of the major enticements to players.
You can have a 4 year 160 million contract set with 40 million guaranteed all guaranteed front loaded in the first two years or that same 4 year 160 million contract with say 100-120 million guaranteed spread the length of the contract. While the two can be structured to have very similar yearly hits and cap implications those are two vastly different contracts and cheap A$$ Art doesn’t like big guaranteed money.
 
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Fiji Mariner said:
Perfectly aware of cap and how it works

The entire point was he’s gone unless they massively over pay, not just over pay…MASSIVELY OVERPAY.
It would literally take resetting the WR market for him to willingly lengthen his sentence with this dumpster fire of an organization…like top paid WR $$$

The cheap a$$ Art comment was just shooting a stray towards the cheap a$$ lawyer that is allowing this dumpster fire to happen. No way does cheap A$$ Art sign off on the guaranteed money GP would require to look past all the red flags surrounding the dumpster fire.

You do realize that even though there is a cap and a floor cheap a$$ owners like Art don’t like forking out large sums of guaranteed money which is one of the major enticements to players.
You can have a 4 year 160 million contract set with 40 million guaranteed all guaranteed front loaded in the first two years or that same 4 year 160 million contract with say 100-120 million guaranteed spread the length of the contract. While the two can be structured to have very similar yearly hits and cap implications those are two vastly different contracts and cheap A$$ Art doesn’t like big guaranteed money.
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EXCELLENT post Fiji and thanks for all your great ones, along with the humor….. along the way.

We will continue to strive on direct bullseye hits, with our AIR-drop service.


Sometimes Art 2 does Pony-UP, take the Minka & TJ contracted as an example (proven players).

I think it will be far pressed in the George Pickens negotiations to obtain “proven player” type contract here. There is no way they are going to re-set the WR market on just the “potential” of said player. Had George been working hard, focusing, not lashing out or requiring a personal HC WR Whisperer to maintain player-ship along the way, he may be in the conversation of irreplaceable, but not currently. Being the best offensive player on the team does not mean he is that player on every team, that is what should be required to reset a positional $$$$ Value.


Salute the nation
 
Drink IRON City said:
EXCELLENT post Fiji and thanks for all your great ones, along with the humor….. along the way.

We will continue to strive on direct bullseye hits, with our AIR-drop service.


Sometimes Art 2 does Pony-UP, take the Minka & TJ contracted as an example (proven players).

I think it will be far pressed in the George Pickens negotiations to obtain “proven player” type contract here. There is no way they are going to re-set the WR market on just the “potential” of said player. Had George been working hard, focusing, not lashing out or requiring a personal HC WR Whisperer to maintain player-ship along the way, he may be in the conversation of irreplaceable, but not currently. Being the best offensive player on the team does not mean he is that player on every team, that is what should be required to reset a positional $$$$ Value.


Salute the nation
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Exactly

He’ll place his value far higher than the Steelers will and you couple that with him wanting a better offensive scheme and the writing is on the wall.

The “good news” is AS and the run/run/pass/punt offense doesn’t really require a legit WR1…all it needs is a possession guy that can get firsts over the middle and a WR2 that is a pure blocking machine. So you see we have plenty of square pegs, as per usual.

Skowronek is actually about the perfect WR2 for AS, which shows how broken the schemes and philosophies are in Pittsburgh. Too bad it’s an offensive playmaker’s league while we wallow in archaic, outdated and ineffective schemes of yesteryear.
 
This is the tomlin offense. 18 ppg in 2024. 22 ppg in 2024. Improving. Rooney likes it.
 
GP is a top-10 WR if he has the right person throwing to him and the right person calling the plays. The problem, as we all know, is his terrible attitude and lack of being an adult. He currently is not worth the money. I can see them offering him $30 million per year if they do make him an offer. If they do make him an offer, they still need to draft a WR in the first or second round (as a true WR2 and possibly WR1 if they then decide to trade GP) and they need to bring in a good, non-diva veteran (something GP hasn't had) to help him grow up and be a professional for once in his life.

My guess is any contract they would offer him would severely hinder the team moving forward especially if they have to end up getting rid of him. The dead money cap hits would set the team back for years. They better be very sure of their move here one way or the other.
 
I can't give Pickens 30 million, he's talented for sure, but you never know which Pickens you're going to get. And on top of that, we don't have a QB to get him the ball, so his behavior will only get worse without him getting the ball. I'm not sure why he'd want to stay here anyways, the culture is just getting worse and worse here, so they'll probably make him the highest paid WR in the NFL.
 
Coryea said:
I can't give Pickens 30 million, he's talented for sure, but you never know which Pickens you're going to get. And on top of that, we don't have a QB to get him the ball, so his behavior will only get worse without him getting the ball. I'm not sure why he'd want to stay here anyways, the culture is just getting worse and worse here, so they'll probably make him the highest paid WR in the NFL.
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I agree. He is a great WR when he doesn't give up on plays or take plays off. If we had a franchise QB and/or better coaching, I'd be more lenient with him but we don't so I am not. We'd be lucky to get a 3rd round pick for him since he would be a one year rental for someone. We'll know between now and the first day of the draft what they decided. Although, they could keep him and try to tag him. But, my guess is if GP doesn't have a new deal before the season and/or if they try to tag him next year, he will hold out in both cases. His diva-ness won't let him play out his current deal or the tag.
 
TDX27 said:
I agree. He is a great WR when he doesn't give up on plays or take plays off. If we had a franchise QB and/or better coaching, I'd be more lenient with him but we don't so I am not. We'd be lucky to get a 3rd round pick for him since he would be a one year rental for someone. We'll know between now and the first day of the draft what they decided. Although, they could keep him and try to tag him. But, my guess is if GP doesn't have a new deal before the season and/or if they try to tag him next year, he will hold out in both cases. His diva-ness won't let him play out his current deal or the tag.
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Agreed, everyone gives Tomlin credit for getting the most out of AB, but let's be real, that was Ben, Ben getting him the ball is what kept him happy. Ben missed a couple games and AB was already bitching after a win, so Ben got the most out of AB not Tomlin, so I agree on the franchise QB thing.
I'd trade him, but it's so hard to even consider anything knowing Tomlin will be back, we could have a franchise QB fall in our laps and we'd never know it because Tomlin would keep the wraps on the QB. We got lucky that Ben was a Super Bowl winner and a 4 year veteran and we had the OC and DC in place when Tomlin got here.
 
Coryea said:
Agreed, everyone gives Tomlin credit for getting the most out of AB, but let's be real, that was Ben, Ben getting him the ball is what kept him happy. Ben missed a couple games and AB was already bitching after a win, so Ben got the most out of AB not Tomlin, so I agree on the franchise QB thing.
I'd trade him, but it's so hard to even consider anything knowing Tomlin will be back, we could have a franchise QB fall in our laps and we'd never know it because Tomlin would keep the wraps on the QB. We got lucky that Ben was a Super Bowl winner and a 4 year veteran and we had the OC and DC in place when Tomlin got here.
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Spot on

Had we not had a HOF QB, and the coordinators
Already in place I have zero doubt the coat tail rider never would’ve won a SB. The stars were perfectly aligned for a mid coach to ride a hot streak to glory, with someone else’s culture/team.
 
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