3 reasons we should not overrate the Steelers based on what we’ve seen
By Tommy Jaggi
Steelers offense and defense hasn’t been good on third downs
I know it seems like I’m just looking for something to complain about at this point, but Pittsburgh’s struggles on third down aren’t going to get the job done against better opponents. So far their third-down struggles have come on both sides of the ball.
Offensively, the Steelers have converted on just 40.0 percent of their third-down plays this year – good for 21st in the league, according to Team Rankings. With 13 teams topping 45 percent and 6 others above 50 percent, moving the sticks at such a low rate isn’t going to take Pittsburgh’s offense to where it needs to be in 2020.
On defense, the Steelers have somehow been worse in this department. They’ve allowed 6.0 third-down conversions per game (25th in the league), and they are just 19th in the NFL in terms of their percentage of getting opponents off the field on third downs. Pittsburgh’s defense has been spectacular overall, but this is an area they must improve.
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The Steelers are a very solid football team that certainly seems to be headed for a playoff berth in 2020. However, it’s important not to overrate them too much in the early going. Let’s hope they continue to improve and show everyone why they deserve so much hype.