From the outside looking in, it may seem like the Pittsburgh Steelers are having a successful season. They're 6-4, atop the AFC North, and outperforming preseason expectations. But it's not quite as rosy as it seems.
After an impressive start to the year, the Steelers have slowly been losing their grasp on the division. Their offensive struggles have caused them to come up short multiple times. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has been floated as a potential head coach candidate for the 2026 cycle, but he hasn't been without fault this season.
In fact, Smith has shown one consistent problem that could end up derailing the Steelers' season.
Pittsburgh Steelers can't ignore this alarming Arthur Smith trend
In a recent article, various ESPN reporters broke down the early returns from every offensive play-caller in the NFL. Steelers insider Brooke Pryor laid out Smith's most glaring weakness, saying, "The most recurring issue by far has been the Steelers' third-down struggles and inability to sustain drives. Heading into Week 11, the Steelers had converted 36% of third downs, but from Weeks 8 to 10, the Steelers ranked 31st in conversion percentage at 21%."
The trend is a perfect representation of the shift Pittsburgh's season has taken over the last month. Four weeks ago, it seemed like the Steelers were running away with the AFC North. The Aaron Rodgers signing looked like a resounding success, and Mike Tomlin was on his way to yet another playoff appearance. Then, everything went downhill.
The offense isn't solely responsible for the downturn. The Steelers have allowed 25 points or more in each of their four losses this year, signaling that the defense isn't the elite unit that fans have come to expect. But Smith's inability to keep drives going on third down has cost this team more than a few times.
The offensive coordinator is often too conservative in key moments. His relatively simple system is largely based on staying in favorable down-and-distance situations, using the run to control the game. But when defenses can stop the Steelers on early downs, Smith often has no answer. Opposing defensive coordinators seem to have his scheme figured out, consistently staying one step ahead of him.
Pryor did provide a solution to the issue, simply stating that Jaylen Warren needs to get more touches. She said, "With his explosive and physical style, Warren is capable of being the Steelers' most consistent big-play maker, but he has to get more opportunities to make those happen."