The Pittsburgh Steelers have had their fair share of issues, particularly on the offensive side of the ball this year. From offensive line play to injuries, to play calling, to Kenny Pickett's disappointing play thus far, there are many things you can point to as to why the Steelers have struggled to move the ball.
However, despite all of this, the Steelers sit at 2-1 through three weeks staring down a matchup with the Houston Texans. The Steelers have managed to overcome these issues and continue to win football games. But, they can't expect this to continue all season.
If they expect to make the playoffs, they will have to improve and clean up the mistakes. While some of these things may take time, there's one thing that the Steelers have failed to do thus far, that they must implement offensively.
The Steelers Must Utilize their Tight Ends
Through two weeks, Pat Freiermuth had 2 receptions for 5 yards and a touchdown, per ESPN stats. And while he wasn't super involved last week, he had 3 receptions, and a crucial touchdown catch, showing just what he can do inside of this offense. Last season, Freiermuth showed he could be a valuable weapon for Kenny Pickett just as he had been for Ben Roethlisberger the year before.
Tight ends can serve as a nice safety blanket for young quarterbacks in the middle of the field, and Freiermuth has demonstrated that he can be very trustworthy in that role, as he has good hands and a big frame. But, what makes him so special is not just good hands, and being a big target. He also presents the Steelers with a dynamic weapon in the middle of the field with plenty of athleticism, which allows him to be a mismatch for opposing linebackers and safeties.
Freiermuth unlocks the middle of the field for Pickett, and utilizing him down the seam, in tight end screens, and in the red zone, adds much more to this Steelers offense. Since the injury to Diontae Johnson, the offense has been mostly run plays, checkdowns, and looking for George Pickens.
The Steelers are wasting one of Pickett's best targets, and limiting themselves on offense. Not to mention they spent draft selections on Connor Heyward and Darnell Washington the last two years as well, giving themselves one of the top groups in the league at their position.
Play-Action Offense must be Used More to Utilize the Tight End Group
When the Steelers experience any bit of success in the running game, they must integrate more play-action pass plays into their offense, particularly in obvious running situations. Last week they got into the red zone, after showing a bit of success with the run game, threw in a play-action bootleg, and Pickett had Freiermuth wide open in the end zone for an easy touchdown.
Play-action plays are one of the easiest ways to throw more wrinkles into the offense and help Pickett get in space and find his receivers in space. Freiermuth, Washington, and Heyward are all strong options to look for in the passing game, and each provides the team with a unique skill set. While Pickens is a great option in the passing game, he is not the only one the team needs to scheme up plays for.
Particularly in the red zone, the tight ends should be heavily involved as it is hard to guard these big-bodied receivers in small spaces. Throwing Freiermuth or Washington in particular on any defender inside the 10-yard line is an extremely difficult matchup for a defender and one that Pickett can easily exploit.
While play calling and offensive line are pretty big issues thus far, the team can help smoothen out those issues by utilizing their big-bodied playmakers, who have been criminally underutilized thus far in 2023. Freiermuth has all the talent to be one of the top tight ends in the league, and Washington is one of the most freakishly athletic players in the league for his size.
Matt Canada must find a way to get them the ball. If Pickett can get the ball into these playmakers' hands, good things will happen, and things will start to open up more on the offensive side of the ball.