With Week 7 within the books, I needed to offer a favourite stat at Steelers Depot: Adjusted Web Yards Per Move Try (ANY/A). ANY/A is Passing yards – Sack Yards + (20 * Passing TD) – (45 * Interceptions)) / (Passes Tried + Instances Sacked).
First, let’s have a look at the weekly outcomes for offenses by quarterback, contemplating Russell Wilson made his Steelers debut in Week Seven:
Right here we see that Wilson offered one of the best OANY/A of Pittsburgh’s season, properly above the perfect 6.5 mark (blue line). This quantity got here in at 10.0, a stellar quantity within the all-important stat that’s traditionally nice within the final objective of successful. These nice contributions from Wilson aided in doing simply that, for the Steelers highest level complete of 2024, within the 37-15 victory. This was the fourth-best mark of the week, and 18th on the season (min. 20 recreation makes an attempt, 198 qualifiers).
Compared, Justin Fields was above the road in solely one among six video games, the Week 4 loss to Indianapolis (27-24). His OANY/A got here in at 7.95, additional down within the season ranks at fortieth/198.
Listed here are Pittsburgh’s numbers by week:
Fields Week One: 5.32
Fields Week Two: 5.91
Fields Week Three: 6.09
Fields Week 4: 7.95
Fields Week 5: 5.17
Fields Week Six: 4.0
Wilson Week Seven: 10.0
So, we see Fields was in a stoop as a passer in Weeks 5 and 6, significantly the latter which was unacceptable (T-149th of 198). The choice by HC Mike Tomlin to make the change to Wilson makes all of the sense on the earth when these outcomes, and paid off in spades in Week 7.
Subsequent, here’s a visible for complete offenses (OANY/A) and defenses (DANY/A) by way of seven video games:
Partly to Wilson’s massive recreation, Pittsburgh comfortably lands above the imply on each offense (6.6, tenth) and protection (5.2, T-ninth). Considered one of eight groups to attain that in 2024 thus far: together with some nice groups just like the Payments (5-2), Lions (5-1), Vikings (5-1), Packers (5-2), and the 5-2 Steelers. The one crew with extra wins up to now are the reining back-to-back Tremendous Bowl Champion Chiefs, unbeaten and the most important outlier of the stat in 2024 thus far.
Pittsburgh’s subsequent three opponents are attention-grabbing. The New York Giants are up subsequent, at NFL common on protection however a lot decrease on offense with the latter being unsurprising. Following the bye week, Pittsburgh faces two robust offenses within the stat, Washington (7.6, T-third), then the NFL’s greatest Ravens by way of Week Seven at a whopping 9.4 OANY/A. This will probably be attention-grabbing to look at unfold transferring ahead.
Fortunately the Steelers protection has been very robust as properly. Let’s see the weekly defensive outcomes:
What jumps out straight away is Pittsburgh’s protection being above the perfect blue line in each win in 2024. Permitting a DANY/Various lower than six is the final word objective, and has been the most important catalyst to the Steelers robust file to start 2024.
Right here’s how issues have stacked up per recreation:
Week One: 2.39
Week Two: 3.81
Week Three: 5.00
Week 4: 8.28
Week 5: 6.50
Week Six: 4.71
Week Seven: 4.98
One of the best mark of 2024 was within the season opener, with that stifling 2.39 mark tying for twentieth out of the 214 video games performed up to now, impressively. Whereas they have been nonetheless robust, we noticed a downtrend main as much as the primary lack of the season, and worst 8.28 DANY/A of 2024, 168th-of-214 that isn’t as much as Pittsburgh’s defensive requirements to say the least.
Regardless of the two-game dropping streak, issues improved and contributed to the Steelers getting again into the winners circle the final two weeks. Holding their opponents beneath 5 ANY/A, and coming off the extra spectacular efficiency in opposition to the Jets, with a future Corridor of Fame passer and loaded move recreation weapons.
Right here’s to hoping Wilson continues to spice up the OANY/A and passing offense, married with the protection being on a job the previous couple weeks as properly.
To shut, right here’s a desk of the 2024 ANY/A outcomes, sorted by differential with the objective of displaying probably the most balanced groups:
The Pittsburgh Steelers at present have a 1.4 ANY/A differential, rating ninth-best within the NFL by way of Week 7. What a breath of contemporary air in comparison with final season, when the offenses abysmal play had them in the direction of the underside of those ranks persistently.
Right here’s to hoping they proceed to be robust in these phrases, which has aided their robust 5-2 file to date, which might bode properly for the final word objective of playoffs and hopefully past. I undoubtedly like their possibilities beginning subsequent recreation in opposition to the New York Giants (2-5) who’re twenty fourth in ANY/A differential.
