Three ways the Steelers can save their season, including necessary changes to the offense

As soon as once more, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ season is in peril. For a 3rd straight season, Mike Tomlin’s group is coming into the season’s remaining month with a doable playoff spot hanging in within the stability. 

Issues are a lot totally different this yr, although. The truth is, you could possibly say that the sky is falling in Pittsburgh and it would not be an understatement. That is what occurs whenever you turn out to be the primary group in NFL historical past to have a profitable report and lose consecutive video games to groups which might be at the least eight video games underneath .500. In doing so, the Steelers went from 7-4 to 7-6 and on the skin of the AFC playoff image. 

Happily, the Steelers have three winnable video games on the horizon: at 7-5 Indianapolis, at house in opposition to 6-6 (and Joe Burrow-less) Cincinnati and on the highway in opposition to 6-6 Seattle. Pittsburgh ends the yr with a frightening highway recreation in opposition to 9-4 Baltimore, however that recreation could not decide the Steelers’ playoff destiny if they will deal with enterprise over the subsequent three weeks. 

Can the Steelers do this? Whereas the final two weeks would recommend in any other case, Pittsburgh can proper the ship whereas savaging its season. This is three issues the black and gold can do to enhance its odds at turning issues round simply within the nick of time. 

1. Refine the offense 

With 9 days in between video games, the Steelers have time to refine an offensive recreation plan that’s sorely in want of 1. They will not be capable to overhaul it, however the Steelers’ offensive brass could make changes to the sport plan whereas eliminating a number of the performs which have held the unit again to this point. 

Horizontal performs, as an example, needs to be largely banned from the offense. They’ve principally resulted in unfavourable performs which have too typically put the Steelers in apparent passing conditions on third down. Eradicate these and substitute them with performs which have a better probability of working. 

The trick performs additionally have to be both revised or taken out of the sport plan. That they had success on a Calvin Austin III reverse in opposition to the Patriots, however an identical play resulted in a giant loss when Pittsburgh ran it later within the recreation (Mitch Trubisky was one of many lead blockers on each performs … I do not assume I must say a lot else). The Steelers received fortunate when one other trick play close to the purpose line — a cross by tight finish Connor Heyward — wasn’t however may have simply been picked off. 

Talking of performs not working, interim play caller Mike Sullivan must scratch performs that simply aren’t working. Twice, he known as horizontal working plans Thursday evening that featured rookie tight finish Darnell Washington because the lead blocker. On each performs, Washington was crushed badly by Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings, who made two tackles behind the road of scrimmage. 

Pittsburgh has had quite a lot of success off of shotgun runs. That should proceed to be an integral a part of the sport plan. Mike Tomlin admitted that Pittsburgh received away from its working recreation in the course of the group’s Week 11 loss to Cleveland. It considerably occurred once more throughout Thursday evening’s loss to New England, though a 21-3 first-half deficit seemingly had one thing to do with it. Sullivan and Co. want to ensure it does not occur once more. 

2. Tailor the offense round Trubisky

This is not Kenny Pickett’s offense anymore, at the least till the Steelers’ beginning quarterback returns from his ankle harm. Till then, Pittsburgh wants to regulate the play-calling to enrich the issues Trubisky does finest whereas eliminating the issues he struggles with. 

Trubisky, like quite a lot of passers, is a rhythm quarterback. That was on show Thursday evening; after a sluggish begin, Trubisky received right into a rhythm whereas directing two drives that ended within the Patriots’ finish zone. 

It is paramount to get Trubisky right into a rhythm early. That may seemingly result in early factors whereas additionally setting the desk for Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren and the working recreation. This was mainly what occurred when the Steelers received their most up-to-date win in opposition to the Bengals again in Week 12. Pickett had early success, the Steelers scored on their opening drive, and Pittsburgh had good synergy between its passing and working video games. 

How can the Steelers get Trubisky into an early rhythm? By giving him fast, simple passes that he feels comfy making. That ought to embody quick passing to Harris and Warren, who’re each succesful pass-catchers out of the backfield (Harris caught 74 passes his rookie season; Warren is at present second on the group with 42 catches). 

Trubisky does higher with fast passes that do not require quite a lot of reads. Curls, or comeback routes, are usually his bread and butter. His two-point conversion completion Thursday evening to tight finish Pat Freiermuth was an instance of a play that highlights what Trubisky does effectively. 

Talking of Freiermuth, he’s one in every of Pittsburgh’s talent gamers that wants the ball in arms arms extra. Ditto for George Pickens, whose lack of involvement has been effectively documented. Getting these two extra concerned goes hand-in-hand with getting Trubisky into an early rhythm. 

Basically, the Steelers would profit from spreading the wealth and forcing defenses to unfold out whereas respecting your complete discipline. If Freiermuth is extra concerned, for instance, that can undoubtedly result in extra alternatives for Pickens to make performs, particularly downfield. The Steelers have the gamers to make this occur, they only want to take action. 

So far as Trubisky’s mindset is anxious, the Steelers want to inform him that it is OK to take the protected choice (i.e. examine down) extra typically. Since being benched final season (largely for being too conservative), Trubisky has made it some extent to be extra aggressive. Whereas that has occasions resulted in good issues (like he landing cross to Diontae Johnson on Thursday evening), it has as a rule led to turnovers and different drive-killing performs, similar to his fourth-down incompletion to Johnson that basically ended Thursday evening’s recreation. 

Trubisky’s aggressiveness is not a nasty factor. Nevertheless it must be reigned in.

3. Be prepared to make personnel adjustments 

Tomlin mentioned after the loss to Cleveland that he’s prepared to show over each stone with a view to win video games. He is made some adjustments (most notably Matt Canada’s firing), however the Steelers have not turned over each stone. The time to take action is now. 

Defensive captain Cameron Heyward mentioned it himself after Thursday evening’s loss. Heyward mentioned the Steelers want to interchange anybody who is not getting the job finished, himself included. Heyward definitely does not have to be benched, however a couple of of his teammates cannot say the identical. 

Mason Cole, for instance, had a number of expensive low snaps over the previous week that included one which contributed to the Steelers having to accept a discipline purpose on their opening drive in opposition to the Patriots. Nate Herbig, one of many group’s free agent pickups this offseason, ought to substitute Cole if Cole’s points persist. The identical may be mentioned of Chukwuma Okorafor, who dedicated a pre-snap penalty Thursday evening 5 days after Pittsburgh needed to burn a timeout as a result of he got here onto the sphere late. Dylan Prepare dinner, who’s behind Okorafor on the depth chart, would have been a greater choice in hindsight. 

Changing gamers should not simply be about efficiency, although this might come on the expense of profitable, which might solely exacerbate Pittsburgh’s present state of affairs. However you possibly can’t argue that Tomlin benching Pickens and Johnson for his or her lack of effort on working performs in current weeks would not ship a robust message to the locker room. 

Relating to Pickens, his frustration is comprehensible. He is a proficient participant who desperately desires to make performs that may make a distinction within the recreation. However he additionally must discover ways to harness his frustrations whereas not permitting it to return out within the type of tantrums and taking performs off. 

Trubisky’s job should not be thought of protected, both. No, Trubisky should not have a brief leash; he confirmed final season that his efficiency drops off when he is in these conditions. However Tomlin ought to give Mason Rudolph extra reps in apply so that he’s higher suited to return right into a recreation at a second’s discover. 

Altering personnel is not solely reserved for the offense. Backup sturdy security Trenton Thompson, who had a decide in Pittsburgh’s win over Cincinnati, needs to be a candidate for extra much more enjoying time transferring ahead, particularly after Damontae Kazee’s’s struggles in cross protection in opposition to New England. 

Tomlin has already made adjustments to the beginning lineup; he changed Okorafor with rookie Broderick Jones at RT, and Pittsburgh’s offense has been higher for it. Tomlin ought to proceed to be open to creating adjustments if it improves his group’s probabilities at profitable.