PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – A team 22nd in the NFL in red zone conversions, one of the points of emphasis this camp as been turning that to touchdowns. This preseason, the Steelers first team offense has yet to have a red zone possession. Not because they can't get there, rather they blow right by it into the end zone.
The Steelers have scored three touchdowns in three possessions and the closest they've been to the red zone is the 25-yard line. They were there for one play on Saturday before Kenny Pickett took advantage of a Calvin Austin punt return to threw a perfect pass to tight end Pat Freiermuth running up the seam.
Pickett threw a 33-yard touchdown to George Pickens in the only first team series of the first preseason game and Jaylen Warren ran 62 yards for the first score against Buffalo. So not only are they doing it, but a team dead last in plays over 40 yards last season, is doing so with chunk plays.
"Very confident," Freiermuth said of the feeling around the offense. "It helps us going into practice and watching film. Reassuring us that we can make those explosive plays and that we will make those explosive plays. We've been three drives, three touchdowns. We'll continue to build on that."
"It's good to see the hard work kind of coming into the games, obviously it's preseason but we put a lot of time in together," Pickett said. "You want to come out here and put points up and that's what we are doing. We need to continue that. Need to continue to push for perfection."
"I like the fact that we are getting some splash," said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. "It's just not a large enough sample size, but that's the thing that we all battle It's a limited simple size. If you are looking to feel good, you can find it. I don't know if I, or we, are looking to feel good. We are just working."
Warren said he's not surprised by the success, because he sees it every day in practice.
"I would say the confidence is high," Warren said. "We all trust each other. We are familiar with each other's game. We stack bricks every day. To come out in a game and do that, it's a good thing."
Warren said you could tell the chemistry is up with the offensive line and that's where this all starts. They are familiar with each other and know where they need to be. They trust each other and this year the backs meet more with the O-line than they did all last year and he believes that's where it's showed.
"There has been a difference with the continuity and everyone being around and familiar with each other," Freiermuth said. "Playmakers with Allen (Robinson) and Isaac (Seumalo) and I think it's been great for the offense."
It starts with the comfortability of Pickett and his knowledge of the system. The Steelers quarterback said he worked with offensive coordinator Matt Canada this offseason. They sat together and parceled through the plays, throwing out what they didn't like. Keeping what they did and giving a shot to trying something new.
All involved in the offense swear the plays aren't different, it's just with the knowledge, trust and execution, the options are there for bigger outcomes.
Tomlin noted, it's only the preseason. If the preseason were reality, the Ravens would be six-time defending Super Bowl champs. But it is a start, it may be only practice tests with nothing yet to affect the grade, but there does appear to be improvement with the unit that kept the Steelers from the playoffs last year.
