At present I needed to offer some invaluable crew metrics by means of the halfway level of the 2024 season. The three most important stats I take advantage of are Adjusted Internet Yards per Move Try (ANY/A), Turnovers and Explosive Performs (TOX), and Profitable Run Charges. The cumulative calculations are known as CATS for brief.
First, let’s take a look at ANY/A: (Passing Yards – Sack Yards + (20* Passing TD) – 45 * Interceptions)) / (Passes Tried + Occasions Sacked). Utilizing the differential for offenses (OANY/A) and defenses (DANY/A), that is probably the most predictive particular person stat in predicting Tremendous Bowl Winners that I’ve present in my research:
First, we see that Pittsburgh is one in every of eight groups comfortably above the imply on each offense and protection, encouragingly. Their 6.8 OANY/A ties for thirteenth within the NFL by means of Week 9. That may be a massive deal, and whereas it’s not elite like Baltimore (9.7, wow), the Steelers have been beneath common or worse for a number of seasons. Right here’s to hoping that refreshing reality continues the remainder of the way in which.
Pittsburgh’s 5.1 DANY/A can be robust by means of 9 video games, tying for seventh-best. This steadiness on offense and protection results in a 1.7 ANY/A differential that additionally ties for seventh, as one of many higher passing sport groups on each side of the ball. Positively an enormous issue of their 6-2 document, and will go a great distance into lastly profitable their first playoff sport since 2016 if they will preserve this up.
A troublesome schedule does stay although, together with robust passing offenses (Baltimore, Washington, Cincinnati, Philadelphia). Much less so on protection which bodes nicely for Pittsburgh’s offense preserving their stride, as Philadelphia has the one above the imply DANY/A.
Subsequent, let’s take a look at turnovers and takeaways:
Above the imply in every but once more, and much more considerably. Taking good care of the soccer and taking it away is Pittsburgh’s MO. They’ve executed it at one of the balanced ranges within the NFL, together with a number of the NFLs greatest in Buffalo and Detroit as the one prime 5 groups on each side of the ball.
The Steelers have simply 5 turnovers on offense and 15 takeaways defensively, every tying for fourth-best league-wide. This has been their most important catalyst to a fantastic 2024 season general, and should proceed to succeed in their final objectives.
Washington is up subsequent on the schedule, and has simply three turnovers on offense by means of Week 9, and elite quantity. Knock on wooden Pittsburgh’s protection can change that narrative. Baltimore can be robust, together with Cincinnati and Philadelphia touchdown above common as nicely.
Each crew on the Steelers remaining schedule lands beneath the NFL imply in takeaways, once more boding nicely for the offense to hopefully proceed their encouraging play.
Explosive performs are in fact very impactful to a groups success:
For the primary time, Pittsburgh has a beneath the imply outcome. That comes on offense, with 30 explosive performs to this point, rating nineteenth within the NFL. It has trended positively with the final two video games when QB Russell Wilson took over, which is true for ANY/A as nicely, and results in optimism to development positively the remainder of the 12 months.
The excellent news has been on protection to this point, permitting 25 explosive performs which ties for fifth-least on the midpoint of the 2024 season. That has aided their ANY/A as nicely, in fact, and if the Steelers offense could be above common the remainder of the way in which, look out.
Powerful upcoming offenses embody the league main Ravens, Commanders (third), together with the Eagles as soon as once more. The 2-time defending Tremendous Bowl Champion Chiefs emerge, as the very best within the NFL at limiting explosive performs considerably with simply 17, however nicely beneath common in creating them to this point (surprisingly). The Bengals have additionally been nicely above common on protection.
Listed here are profitable run charges, outlined as six yards or 40-percent of the wanted yardage on first down, six yards or 50-percent of the wanted yardage on second down, and third or fourth downs gaining the wanted yardage for a primary down or a landing:
Right here we see Kansas Metropolis has been probably the most dominantly profitable operating crew on each side of the ball, a significant component of their success as the one remaining unbeaten crew at 9-0, whew. The Steelers have had related success at stopping the run on protection, with a 46.3 DRSR that ranks third within the NFL. The flipside is a 50.0 ORSR that’s by far Pittsburgh’s worst twenty sixth rank of the examine.
Whereas the Steelers operating sport has proven flashes, and are eleventh within the NFL in complete yards, the low success fee factors to inconsistency and situational struggles, which must be the primary purpose of the stats I checked out in the present day to enhance.
That is likely to be powerful sledding in opposition to Kansas Metropolis, and two above common defenses within the division (Cleveland and Baltimore), whereas the Philadelphia, Washington, and Bengals matchups look extra advantageous.
Together with the elite Chiefs, three different upcoming opponents have above common run success charges on offense: Washington, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. These three groups stored recurring as robust offenses throughout the article, presenting a problem for Pittsburgh’s protection little doubt.
To shut, right here’s a desk of the stats used in the present day exhibiting the differential numbers of groups offenses and defenses together with their ranks, sorted by CATS differential, together with coloured crew names contending within the postseason:
In totality, Pittsburgh comes out because the sixth ranked crew in CATS differential, particularly because of the protection being prime ten throughout the board. What a incredible reality that would bode nicely to their final playoff aspirations.
The brand new look 2024 offense has additionally trended nicely in areas in comparison with previous years, particularly ANY/A from the brand new QB room, fortunately. The offense’s areas for enchancment will hopefully be explosive performs and run success charges.
With Wilson’s explosive means, and the potential of the operating sport that’s getting more healthy off their bye results in optimism for enchancment. If that’s the case, they may actually make noise the remainder of the way in which and put the remainder of the NFL on discover. Right here’s to hoping for simply that.
Thanks for studying and let me know your ideas about these Steelers stats within the feedback.
