The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens had a classic AFC North rivalry game Sunday, the Steelers winning 18-16. Chris Boswell carried the Steelers to victory with six field goals as Pittsburgh's offense failed to score a touchdown. It was a big defensive game for the Steelers as they held Lamar Jackson and the Ravens to a season low of 16 points. Jackson falls to 1-4 against the Steelers as a starter and added another interception to his resume against Pittsburgh. Head Coach Mike Tomlin noted after the game that although he's thankful for Boswell, he knows kicking field goals reminds them of the team's flaws and what they still need to work on.
The Steelers entered the red zone four times throughout the game and fell short each time. Offensive struggles in the red zone have been a known problem for the Steelers this season. Pittsburgh ranks 30th in red zone offense, having a red zone touchdown rate of 44.4%. Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith realizes the inefficiency the Steelers have had and gave light to it in his press conference on Tuesday.
Smith talked about how teams have been covering the passing game when they get into second and long situations and making it hard to throw in the end zone. The Steelers got close to scoring a touchdown when they got to Baltimore's five-yard line in the middle of the fourth quarter. Russell Wilson threw the ball to Darnell Washington in the end zone, but it got picked off by Marlon Humphrey.
Smith was clearly frustrated with the outcome of the play as that would've put the Steelers up 22-10 against the Ravens in the fourth quarter. Or if the pass was incomplete, they could've kicked a field goal with Boswell to make it 18-10. The fault of that play can be put on either Wilson or Washington. Wilson could've thrown a better ball to his tight end, but 6-foot-7 Washington had the ability to jump up to make a play on the ball. Tomlin said in his postgame press conference on Sunday that he wished Wilson hadn't thrown the ball.
It's positive in a way that the Steelers found a way to win without scoring a touchdown, which they are 2-0 on the season. The first being in their season opener against the Atlanta Falcons. However, the Steelers have a few games coming up against high-efficient offenses that can score. Smith and his offense have proven they are getting better each week, but they need to figure out how to finish drives with touchdowns if they want to have a deep run in the playoffs.
Steelers' Offense May Be Run Heavy Thursday Amid Rainy Weather
The forecast for Thursday night in Cleveland is not looking pretty. Rain and snow showers are expected all day into Thursday Night Football when the Steelers take on the Cleveland Browns. Playing in the AFC North, the Steelers are used to games like these.
Pittsburgh's offense may need to focus on the running game Thursday night as the weather isn't ideal for throwing. Smith's concerns about the passing offense in the red zone could potentially be put on hold if he decides to go run heavy with Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, and Cordarrelle Patterson. A Justin Fields package could also be a huge factor in the offense as there was a glimpse of it Sunday against the Ravens.
