PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said it’s not like they aren’t trying to get explosive plays down the field. He said Thursday before the Steelers host the Bills, they continue to work to get big gains.
“We try like hell every week to problem-solve that to put our guys in good situations,” Smith said. “Sometimes you feel like you have a great call and protection breaks down, the ball gets tipped. Those are things we are constantly working on, and that’s the name of the game. You get into these moments and we need to be playing our best football down the stretch.”
It’s not that the offense has been awful, Steelers fans have seen much worse over the last half-decade, but there is more there.
· DK Metcalf hasn’t had a 60-yard game since October 12 when he had four catches for 95 yards against Cleveland. He hasn’t gone for at least 50 yards in the last four games.
· Pat Freiermuth’s best game since 100 yards against Cincy was three catches for 33 yards, last week he had three for 19.
· Darnell Washington followed up his four-reception game with only two catches against Chicago
· Jonnu Smith doesn’t have a 30-yard game this season
These are players you were counting on and Arthur Smith said there are so many layers to this problem.
“The easiest way to score is when you get chunk plays, how do you get it?” Smith said. “You go back to Ireland, it was an 80-yard touchdown, whether the ball went in the air 50 yards or 15 yards, you still got the same chunk you were looking for.”
Smith noted they had early success in shallow routes where they were able to get receivers, tight ends and running backs in space and allow them to excel at run after catch by also hitting them in stride. They were one of the best teams in football at YAC early, and still third in the league, but defenses are adjusting.
Smith said they took chances down the field against the Bears, but just didn’t hit them. One of those was intercepted and turnovers remain a problem not just in reality, but in being turnover-averse. That would explain not going over the middle, but Smith said they will try and ‘rip the middle’ as well. He said some opportunities have been there, but something happens preventing it from being completed.
If there is a bright spot, the Steelers have run the ball better recently. After struggles early in the season, two consecutive 100-plus rushing games including a season-high 187 against Chicago.
“When you have a good run game, it opens up a lot of other things,” Smith said. “It does allow ways to get explosive plays. That’s a step in the right direction.”
Smith said they also look for ways for running backs Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell to get big plays. Gainwell did have a 55-yard run on an inside handoff on a fourth and short. Usually if you can get the run game going it forces defenses to commit more players near the line of scrimmage, theoretically opening up for more big passing plays.
“You just keep working,” Smith said. “Thankfully we have a big opportunity Sunday. You are in the thick of it with a big matchup Sunday and Buffalo is in the same situation we are, AFC team that has been in the postseason a lot, everyone is trying to make this push.”
Early in the success seems like a long time ago, but at least unlike recent seasons, there is evidence of points being scored (11th in the NFL at 24.9 points-per-game).
“The preparation is there, it’s the execution,” said quarterback Aaron Rodgers. “I wouldn't say it's been up and down just the last six weeks, this has been the entire season, just a little bit off on some of the details. So, we can tighten that thing up, all 11 of us, and I expect us to play really well.”
This would be a great time to do that.