For a number of seasons, the Pittsburgh Steelers have had points on the all-important scoreboard. Former OC Matt Canada was quoted usually in press conferences “we gotta rating extra factors”. Thus far in 2024, the insertion of OC Arthur Smith has delivered simply that and a robust 6-2 report.
At the moment, I’ll take a look at and supply NFL offenses factors per recreation by season since 2019, with the aim of seeing how Pittsburgh and Smith fared in his teaching stops as OC or HC.
Right here is that factors per recreation (Pts/G) visible:
Instantly, we see that 2024 has been the most effective scoring output for Pittsburgh since 2020, and second-best for the Steelers since 2019. This season, the quantity sits at 23.4 Pts/G, rating 14th in 2024.
That’s Smith’s strongest mark since his time as OC in Tennessee, with 25.1 in 2019 and 30.7 in 2020. The latter was impressively seventh-best out of the 192 qualifying groups within the timeframe and was additionally above-average in 2019.
Previous to buying Smith, the Steelers posted simply 17.9 Pts/G in 2023 (T-Twenty seventh). That was their worst mark of the timeframe, even put up towards the injury-riddled 2019 season (18.1, twenty eighth). Compared, the 2024 season has felt so significantly better, fortunately.
In an analogous research this offseason, I anticipated {that a} return to OC with Pittsburgh and a extra proficient roster following his beneath common outcomes as a HC with the Falcons (2021-23), would result in higher outcomes for Smith and the Black and Gold.
Extra particularly, listed below are the 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers level totals by week and recreation consequence:
Week 1: 18, W.
Week 2: 13, W.
Week 3: 20, W.
Week 4: 24, L.
Week 5: 17, L.
Week 6: 32, W.
Week 7: 37, W.
Week 8: 26, W.
Issues did begin off sluggish to start the season, however nonetheless ran a three-game win streak because the protection allowed not more than ten factors in every contest. Since, the Steelers have scored 24 or extra in 4-of-5 video games, with the exception being their Week 5 loss to the Dallas Cowboys (20-17).
The final three video games have been refreshing, posting their finest level totals of 2024, together with two 30-plus outings with extra time beneath Smith. That’s just about felt like the best present on turf in comparison with final 12 months’s 17.9 Pts/G.
Fortunately we’ve seen Smith’s affect come to fruition, significantly of late, and encouragingly have seen potential for a good increased ceiling shifting ahead.
Right here’s a desk view of the Pts/G numbers, conditionally formatted league-wide since 2019, and Smith’s groups bolded:
One other clear view of all of Smith’s finest marks coming as OC in Tennessee and to this point in Pittsburgh. Though this season has been the least Pts/G in these three seasons to this point, there’s room for optimism on Smith’s resume and performs left on the sector for the 2024 Steelers for that quantity to enhance.
One flipside to that coin is a troublesome remaining schedule, which may result in tighter decrease scoring video games. Notably all of the divisional video games that stay and their tendency to transpire in rock-fight trend.
Even when Pittsburgh can keep above the 22.8 league common in the timeframe, as they’re heading into the bye week (23.4), it ought to bode properly to stacking extra wins the remainder of the 12 months paired with their 14.9 Pts/G allowed on protection that’s second-best within the NFL.
