PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – When you think about it, it is amazing the Steelers are 8-2 given the stat I'm about to share. Even with the improvements on offense, they are 30th in 2024 in turning red zone chances into touchdowns.
Only just over four times out of every 10 in the red zone do the Steelers score six points. They are ahead of only Dallas (three wins) and the Giants (two wins). They are slightly ahead of the three-win Patriots and in the neighborhood with the Browns, Jets and Tennessee
Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith wanted to credit the Ravens defense for Sunday's struggles. He said there are times where issues were circumstantial in the last game, but then said flatly they have to be better there.
"That's why you keep working," Smith said. "You see it, try not to get caught up in it. You keep working, sometimes it is momentum and confidence."
"Just being efficient on first down, making sure we are not putting ourselves in bad situations behind the sticks," said tight end Pat Freiermuth, adding there is 'nothing to panic about'. "Guys locking in, making sure they know where they are supposed to be. It's a development thing, the more time we are on it, we'll figure it out for sure. We can do it. We've shown we can do it."
Freiermuth mentioned the first downs.
Over the last four games the Steelers are averaging 2.3 yards on red zone first downs. The numbers on second down are much worse, only 1.1 per play in the red zone.
What is crazy about the second down number is that it includes a 16-yard touchdown.
"We've just got to make plays," said quarterback Russell Wilson. "I think the biggest thing is consistency down there. We've done some good things. You can't let one game -- I've always told you guys this -- that every game has a history of its own. And it's really true. I think that you focus on trying to be a little bit crisper, making a couple plays."
"That's why you keep working," Smith said. "You see it, try not to get caught up in it. You keep working, sometimes it is momentum and confidence."
"I got a lot of faith. There are other things we can do. We need to be cleaner. The biggest thing that concerns me overall is we haven't turned the ball over a lot but that's two weeks in a row in close games we've turned the ball over in the red zone and come away with no points. That's the stuff you have to fix because that will cost you."
"Yeah, I mean you never want to turn the ball over at any point," Wilson said. "Obviously, I think the best thing that we can do, though, is focus on just trying to be great in the fundamentals, great in the little details and every time you step in the red zone, we're looking forward to scoring touchdowns."
"I think that's a mentality thing. I think that we've done that so far, some this year. We want to do more of it, obviously."
Wilson said he loves the team mindset and expects they will only get better.
