Immediately I wished to dive deeper into explosive performs (20 yards or longer), after all, an essential side of crew success. This text will take a look at the impression of explosive performs on scoring drives, together with the speed of explosive performs that resulted in landing drives, and the speed of explosive performs that had been touchdowns.
Listed below are the outcomes via Week 17 on offense:
On the highest proper of the chart, we see groups that had a excessive share of explosive performs that resulted in landing drives, together with a excessive charge of explosive touchdowns. A number of groups which have already made the playoffs, or are combating for that privilege within the season finale land above or near the imply in every.
An excessive outlier on the underside proper is the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, with the reigning Tremendous Bowl Champions rating subsequent to final within the charge of explosive performs that had been TDs (6.8-percent), however a lot better in charge of explosive performs leading to landing drives (55.9-percent, ninth).
The NFL’s greatest in every so far are the Miami Dolphins’ 24.5 charge of explosive performs that had been touchdowns, and Baltimore having 62 % of their explosive performs lead to landing drives. Stellar marks, and an element to why the Ravens have the luxurious of resting starters in opposition to the Steelers within the finale.
Although Pittsburgh continues to be within the hunt, we see they’re a far cry away from the imply in explosive play charges that resulted in landing drives, at an abysmal 34 % that ranks thirty first within the league. For extra context, the league common for explosive play landing drives is 49.7 %, whereas explosive landing percentages are at 14.6. The Steelers encouragingly are available at 15.1 % within the latter, above the imply and 14th league-wide.
In totality, Pittsburgh’s offense has 53 explosive performs (T-Twenty second) and eight explosive touchdowns (T-Fifteenth). The latter is encouraging in comparison with the remainder of the league, however come at a low frequency of a crew’s whole performs. QB Kenny Pickett threw for 3 in Weeks Two-5, together with a double explosive (40 yards or extra) to WR George Pickens, together with two bombs of 70-plus yards to Pickens and Calvin Austin III approach again in Weeks Two and Three.
QB Mitch Trubisky had two explosive landing passes, one in every of 25 yards to WR Diontae Johnson in Week 14, and a 22-yarder to Pickens in Week Eight. One other explosive landing got here from RB Jaylen Warren, a whopping 71-yarder in Week 11. Most lately, QB Mason Rudolph offered two in his first begin in Week 16, on the 2 triple explosives (60 yards or extra) to Pickens.
Whereas there have been no explosive touchdowns final recreation, whole explosive performs elevated to seven in Week 17, and there was an explosive play on all three landing drives. Seven explosives and three landing drives had been every season highs. That sheds mild on what can occur when profitable in these points of the sport, with Pittsburgh’s good outcomes the final two weeks aiding their victories, an encouraging pattern that can hopefully proceed on Saturday.
Let’s see what this seems to be like for defenses:
Expectedly, we see a number of robust groups on the highest proper as soon as once more, much like the outcomes on offense. An outlier is the Philadelphia Eagles, a playoff crew that lands on the underside left. They’ve a 66.7 charge of explosive performs allowed on landing drives (T-Thirtieth), and an 18.3 charge on explosive play touchdowns (twenty fifth), the bottom marks by far of groups which are already within the playoffs.
Baltimore holds a prime rank on protection as properly, limiting the opposition to the bottom share of explosive play touchdowns (5.6 %), impressively. The Las Vegas Raiders lead the league in charge of explosive performs that resulted in landing drives, at solely 36.2 %.
The Steelers’ protection has had its points, however encouragingly landed above the imply in each, with a 41.4 charge of explosive performs that resulted in touchdowns (seventh), and allowed an 11.4 charge of explosive play touchdowns (ninth). Being prime ten in each is slightly encouraging and offers particular context to the bend don’t break repute they’ve been labeled as in 2023.
This level is furthered when contemplating Pittsburgh’s 70 whole explosive performs allowed, which ties for twenty ninth within the NFL, the “bend” component, and allowed simply eight explosive touchdowns (T-Thirteenth) “don’t break”. The latter, together with their prime ten ranks on the visible emphasizes the final word purpose of limiting the impression on the scoreboard on these performs compared to the league.
Including within the truth the Steelers’ protection is the NFL’s greatest in crimson zone interceptions, and fifth in crimson zone landing share allowed, the unit has been nice in these conditions in 2023.
Eight explosive touchdowns paradoxically match the overall for the Steelers offense. One got here in opposition to the run, approach again within the season opener, a triple 65-yarder to 49ers Christian McCaffrey. 5 of them got here from Week 3-10, all passing touchdowns of 30-plus yards.
Then the Pittsburgh Steelers protection tightened up with solely two explosive touchdowns allowed within the final seven video games, in Weeks 14 and 16. The previous was a painful loss, and an instance of the harm bug at LB and S permitting a TE landing, however emphasizes how encouraging this current span has been lacking a number of starters on the again seven.
Most lately in Week 16 was a blip on the radar, permitting a quadruple 80-yard landing to Cincinnati WR Tee Higgins, the one landing allowed within the dominant 34-11 win.
Issues have trended positively for the Pittsburgh Steelers on the proper time to shut the 2023 season. Hopefully, it closes out with a bang, ending issues on a excessive be aware with a win in opposition to Baltimore. The Ravens are very robust in these phrases however will probably be resting starters together with star QB Lamar Jackson since claiming the NFL’s greatest document (13-3) and a prime postseason stake.
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