Fortunately, the Pittsburgh Steelers are atop the AFC North with a 3-1 report. There may be all the time room for enchancment, although. An space I needed to discover is explosive performs of 20 yards or extra. Here’s a visible of complete explosive performs for NFL offenses and defenses via Week 5:
The Steelers protection has allowed 15 explosive performs this season, tying for thirteenth. However Pittsburgh’s offense has simply ten explosive performs, tying for subsequent to final on that aspect of the ball. It could possibly be worse, because the last-place Saints break up that quantity with simply 5 explosive performs.
If Pittsburgh improves on this space, it might push the unit to a different degree. These complete numbers have an vital asterisk, although, with the Steelers contemporary off their Week 5 bye. That is additionally true for Atlanta, Chicago, and Inexperienced Bay.
With these groups having one much less sport, explosive play charges have a diminished pattern dimension:
Nonetheless not ultimate, however this graphic presents a greater image. Pittsburgh’s 4.7 p.c explosive play fee on offense ranks twenty second, in comparison with tying for Thirtieth within the preliminary uncooked stats. The con to that is that the Steelers rank lifeless final in complete offensive performs. This makes their explosive play fee appear higher, however they lack alternatives as a result of poor time of possession (which I’ll write about quickly).
The protection strikes right down to barely beneath common, with their 5.6-percent explosive play fee rating nineteenth, in comparison with tying for thirteenth within the preliminary view. The Steelers rank fourth in complete performs allowed, however have been a lot worse earlier than the bye week, additionally struggling within the time of possession battle.
Explosive performs typically ignite drives, most of the time leading to factors. They issue into one another, and each are areas that Pittsburgh can hopefully pattern positively in to maximise the crew’s potential as 2025 progresses.
Lastly, listed below are explosive play fee differentials (offense – protection):
The Steelers additionally land at twenty second right here, as they did in offensive explosive play fee, with a destructive 0.9 p.c explosive play fee differential. Pittsburgh is one in every of 17 groups with a destructive differential, which means they permit extra explosives on protection than they create on offense. The Rams have one of the best with a 4.2 p.c differential, clearly above the remainder of the league.
Seattle’s 3.4 p.c is second. They’re the one different crew above three, they usually handed Pittsburgh their solely lack of 2025 (31-17). Minnesota rounds out the highest three, the Steelers’ most up-to-date opponent. In these two video games, Pittsburgh misplaced the explosive play battle 9-to-4, significantly faltering in opposition to Minnesota (5-1).
Pittsburgh received up early on the Vikings, so the in-game circumstances have been an element. They practically allowed them to return all the best way again from an 18-point fourth-quarter deficit. One explosive particularly got here with 3:25 left, a whopping 81-yarder on a blown protection by the Steeler protection. LB Payton Wilson turned on the jets to trace down this play simply wanting the purpose line.
Most often, this could have gone for six. That would have reshaped the end result of the sport and led to a a lot completely different outlook for the crew throughout the bye week. As an alternative, Pittsburgh is sitting fairly within the AFC North, regardless of its struggles within the explosive play division.
The Steelers’ subsequent two video games are throughout the division. Cleveland and Cincinnati are each bottom-five groups in explosive play fee differentials. The Browns rank twenty eighth, with a 3.9-percent offensive explosive play fee (Thirtieth), and 5.7-percent on protection (twentieth, just under Pittsburgh). The Bengals have a Thirtieth-ranked differential, 3.7 p.c on offense (thirty first) and 5.9 p.c defensively, touchdown behind Cleveland at twenty first.
Explosive performs could possibly be an enormous issue. Every protection has allowed loads of them, whereas every offense has struggled to create them. Passing performs are the commonest explosive performs, and Pittsburgh has the clear benefit on paper with Aaron Rodgers. The Steelers’ protection can be clever to capitalize on not dealing with probably the most elite QBs of their upcoming video games.
The Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t going to grow to be probably the most explosive offense anytime quickly. Nevertheless it needs to be excessive on their radar for enchancment. Pair this with a protection that has leaked greater than anticipated, they usually’re fortunate to have a 3-1 report. Accidents, whereas not an excuse, have hit the protection exhausting. After the bye, well being is seemingly trending up.
The info we now have on this younger season suggests the subsequent two video games are a great time for cautious optimism. Seeing is believing, although. Right here’s to extra explosive play success on each side of the ball for the Pittsburgh Steelers of their all-important AFC North matchups beginning on Sunday.
