At the moment, I wished to have a look at how dashing offenses have fared by means of Week 4, utilizing success charges by down, recreation halves, and weekly views as effectively. Let’s bounce proper in.
First, let’s take a look at early down success charges league vast (with scrambles, kneels, and aborted/penalty performs excluded):
- First Down Rush Success = A rush that good points 40-percent or extra of the wanted yardage.
- Second Down Rush Success = A rush that good points 50-percent or extra of the wanted yardage.
Very telling visible. We see that Pittsburgh’s operating recreation has totally struggled on first down thus far in 2024, with an abysmal 35.7-percent success charge that ranks thirty first by means of 4 video games. That’s painful to see, creating much less advantageous second and third down conditions.
Additionally, contemplating first down is probably the most frequent by far, this impacts the full dashing success charge probably the most. If this could enhance, it’ll go a protracted technique to the Steelers enjoying extra to their identification on offense. Right here’s to hoping that happens beginning subsequent week towards the Dallas Cowboys, who’re the one offense with a worse first down dashing success charge (34.1-percent).
Surprisingly excellent news for Pittsburgh on second down, with a effectively above-average 64.3 success charge on second down, the eighth-best dashing offense up to now. The Steelers even have the second-most makes an attempt (27), in comparison with tying for twenty seventh on first down. Defenses anticipate run extra on first down, and the charges present Pittsburgh’s operating recreation has capitalized on second down.
Second and lengthy runs are one thing we scream on the tv about at Steelers Depot. Chopping these down would probably result in an elite quantity, and finally much less/higher late down conditions.
Talking of which, listed below are late downs, the place third and fourth downs that choose up a primary down are thought-about successful:
Again to bottoming outcomes, with Pittsburgh’s 47.5-percent late down dashing success rating twenty sixth within the NFL. Sure, typically it’s a cat-and-mouse recreation on third and lengthy with the Steelers robust protection and a willingness to punt it away, dwelling to see one other drive. However, the discouraging third and shorts, unable to select up a primary down too usually as a run-oriented group has been moderately irritating. Knock on wooden this turns round quickly.
Now for the total image, whole dashing success charges:
In totality, the dashing offense for the Pittsburgh Steelers rank twenty fifth in success charge at the moment, at 47.9-percent. That’s not ok for this groups identification. For added context, the NFL common by means of 4 video games is 52.2-percent, and even some robust groups are above 60-percent. For instance, the reigning Tremendous Bowl champion Chiefs high the league with a 65.2-percent success charge.
Pleasant reminder, scrambles are excluded from this information, so these charges largely mirror how operating backs have fared of their offenses. Right here’s some Steelers RB numbers that add to the story.
Najee Harris: 68 makes an attempt, 3.4 yards per try
Cordarrelle Patterson: 16 makes an attempt, 5.8 yards per try
Jaylen Warren: 14 makes an attempt, 3.9 yards per try
Aaron Shampklin: 1 try, 5.0 yards per try
Not superb for Harris to say the least, who simply has probably the most carries. So many elements, just like the offensive line that has been riddled with accidents and inconsistent efficiency, and the way defenses recreation plan. Final weeks abysmal 19 yards on 13 carries (1.5 YPA) was most painful up to now when Indianapolis performed eight males within the field 23.1-percent of the time towards Harris.
He hovered round 70 yards the opposite three video games thus far, with two of them going through eight field defenders at 10-percent or much less. Week Two was the very best charge towards Harris (29.4) in 2024 however nonetheless posted 69 yards (4.1 YPA) towards the Denver protection who’re within the high ten in YPA allowed. The Colts have allowed the second-most rush yards this season, so hopefully Harris’ worst dashing recreation final week was a painful outlier of Steelers beating Steelers.
Patterson has the most effective YPA for Pittsburgh RBs, and was a optimistic final recreation. He had six carries and a wholesome 7.2 YPA, and even Shampklin (lately on the apply squad) was additionally in a position to reel off a five-yarder. So, we see there was a transparent goal to cease Harris.
Shampklin’s elevation got here with Warren lacking the sport on account of harm, hampered this yr nd missing his regular effectiveness when wholesome. Besides, Warren is probably not again anytime quickly. Patterson additionally left with an ankle harm, so the battered place room will probably be leaning on Harris much more, with hopefully improved line play and higher outcomes transferring ahead.
I used to be additionally curious to see how rush offenses have carried out by half:
Apparently, the charges have been eerily comparable, in comparison with my expectation of first halves being noticeably worse contemplating gradual begins from the Steelers offense. As an alternative, each are below-average. Pittsburgh’s 48.0-percent success charge within the first half ranks twenty second, whereas 47.8-percent after halftime lands twenty third. Not a lot of a narrative right here, apart from constantly poor.
To wrap up, let’s take a look at a weekly breakdown for added context:
Regardless of the Week 4 loss, we see that Pittsburgh is coming off their solely above=common dashing success charge on offense of 2024. They posted 60.0-percent success, largely from Patterson. This tied for thirty fifth out of the 128 video games performed up to now, moderately good however there’s room to enhance.
As you may anticipate, final recreation featured Pittsburgh’s finest outcomes on early downs: 54.5-percent on first, and a 72.7-percent second down success charge. The latter ties for twenty third, contributing to such a excessive whole second down success charge I broke down earlier.
In any other case, the Steelers have been under the NFL common of 52.2-percent every week. Week 1 was their second-best (50.0), in comparison with 46.4-percent the earlier recreation, and 36.7 in Week Two. The latter was the Thirteenth-worst dashing success charge within the NFL this season, which can hopefully be the groups lowest quantity in 2024.
Encouraging although is an upward swing since. Dissecting this additional, listed below are Pittsburgh’s down outcomes per recreation:
Week One: First Down – 38.5. Second Down – 58.3. Late Downs – 55.6. Whole – 50.0
Week Two: First Down – 25.0. Second Down – 63.6. Late Downs – N/A. Whole – 36.7
Week Three: First Down – 31.3. Second Down – 62.5. Late Downs – 75.0. Whole – 46.4
Week 4: First Down – 54.5. Second Down – 72.7. Late Downs – 33.3. Whole – 60.0
Good enhancements total, with the exception final week being late downs, which after all killed some drives. Knock on wooden Pittsburgh stays above-the-line this week, placing their most full dashing efficiency on show towards Dallas, and onward. Accidents to the operating again and offensive line rooms complicates this hope on paper, however this was additionally true final recreation, and optimistically “subsequent man up” continues.
Some particular enchancment areas to concentrate on must be first and late downs, which might go a great distance in Pittsburgh enhancing their whole success charge, and personally would like to see first half change into an above-average quantity. Reaching these feats together with remaining robust on second down would play fantastically into their objectives on offense, and fulfilling their identification extra constantly.