With Week 4 within the books, I wished to supply a favourite stat at Steelers Depot: Adjusted Web Yards Per Go Try (ANY/A). ANY/A is Passing yards – Sack Yards + (20 * Passing TD) – (45 * Interceptions)) / (Passes Tried + Instances Sacked).
Here’s a visible for offenses (OANY/A) and defenses (DANY/A) by means of 4 video games:
Following the Pittsburgh Steelers first lack of the season, they really land above the imply in each information factors. Defensively, the primary three video games have been stellar, however they laid a stinker towards the Colts final week that was hopefully an outlier, which I imagine to be true.
Pittsburgh’s protection now has a 4.9 DANY/A on the season, nonetheless a really respectable quantity that ties for ninth within the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks. The checklist of defenses that rank increased are: Bears (4.0), Payments (4.0), Broncos (4.1), Jets (4.2), Saints (4.3), Vikings (4.4), Bucs (4.8), and Chargers (4.8).
Extra particularly, Pittsburgh has allowed 698 passing yards (T-eighth least), 4 TDs (T-Eleventh least), on 111 move makes an attempt (sixth-least), producing 11 sacks (T-Thirteenth), and 4 interceptions (T-fifth). So, limiting TDs and creating extra sacks are the areas that may stand to enhance probably the most by means of 4 video games.
The offense has trended upward every week, significantly in Week 4. with the passing sport having to step up with the bizarre defensive regression. The Steelers offense now has a 6.5 OANY/A, which ties for twelfth with subsequent week’s opponent the Dallas Cowboys.
Offenses that rank stronger are: Payments (8.5), 49ers (8.2), Vikings (8.1), Ravens (7.9), Saints (7.5), Commanders (7.5), Bengals (7.3), Packers (7.2), Lions (6.9), Cardinals (6.7), and Bucs (6.7).
Pittsburgh’s offense has 109 move makes an attempt (eighth-least), 757 yards (twenty second), three TDs (T-Twenty sixth), and just one interception (T-first), however taken ten sacks (T-Fifteenth). Limiting interceptions has clearly been a energy, one among 9 groups with only one decide, and have leaned on high quality over amount in makes an attempt.
Common in variety of sacks, however yardage misplaced significantly final week was painfully inexcusable. One was explosive yardage misplaced and led to a turnover besides. Absolutely dinged the OANY/A quantity in Week 4, which was nonetheless above-average, pointing to an encouraging passing day from QB Justin Fields.
On the season, their 6.5 OANY/A is correct on the wholesome goal line that our historic analysis has advised is conducive to successful and playoff success. Sadly, it wasn’t sufficient for victory final week, however an encouraging constructive pattern that hopefully stays true transferring ahead.
Right here’s a fast breakdown of the weekly outcomes, beginning with offenses:
The visible factors to the constructive pattern every sport that I discussed earlier, with the largest leap final week. Listed here are the ANY/A numbers per sport: Week One vs. ATL (5.32), Week Two vs. DEN (5.91), Week Three vs. LAC (6.09), and Week 4 vs. IND (7.95).
Yardage was the largest leap for the Steelers final sport, getting them above the perfect 6.5 OANY/A quantity (blue line). Additionally a part of the constructive pattern is having a passing TD every of the final three weeks, which hopefully continues to get again within the winners circle.
Now for defenses:
Regular decline for Pittsburgh’s protection, sadly. Listed here are the per week numbers: Week One vs. ATL (2.39), Week Two vs. DEN (3.81), Week Three vs. LAC (5.0), and Week 4 vs. IND (8.28).
Right here we get a way of the sooner factors, with the primary three video games being greater than acceptable, and falling off a cliff (to their requirements up to now) in Week 4. Pittsburgh’s protection must be pissed after permitting two passing touchdowns specifically, half of their TDs allowed this season, together with no interceptions (4 in 2024).
They did have two sacks, however star T.J. Watt was nearly taken out of the sport, particularly in comparison with his typical affect. Interceptions have fallen off, with two in every of the primary two video games, and none in Weeks Three or 4.
Right here’s to hoping these issues get again to elite standing for Pittsburgh’s protection, together with the offense persevering with to pattern positively.
To shut, right here’s a desk of the 2023 common season OANY/A outcomes, with workforce names in inexperienced making the postseason. The whole row is coloured for groups with a constructive differential (OANY/A – DANY/A), a DANY/A six or under, and an OANY/A of 6.5 or higher. Final, it’s sorted by differential with the purpose of exhibiting probably the most balanced groups:
Whereas final week wasn’t the end result Pittsburgh wished, we will see their 1.6 differential nonetheless fares admirably, tying for eighth-best by means of 4 video games. It’s nonetheless early, however that’s encouraging transferring ahead.
