How bad were the Steelers on third down the last two games?

[jeemie]

Insanely bad.

They were 7-25…27th out of 32 teams.

But…this stat is even worse considering their average yards to go on 3rd down during that two game period (5.9) was SECOND out of the 32 teams.

So only one team did better gaining yards on first and second down than the Steelers…but 26 other teams did better converting those third downs.

How is that even possible?

https://steelersdepot.com/2023/12/the-s ... s-my-soul/

PS Interesting that the Steelers’ worst season converting third downs other than this year and the year of Duck Hodges/Tevin Jones/Mychal White was their Super Bowl winning 2005 season.

[bradshaw2ben]

Insanely bad.

They were 7-25…27th out of 32 teams.

But…this stat is even worse considering their average yards to go on 3rd down during that two game period (5.9) was SECOND out of the 32 teams.

So only one team did better gaining yards on first and second down than the Steelers…but 26 other teams did better converting those third downs.

How is that even possible?

https://steelersdepot.com/2023/12/the-s ... s-my-soul/

PS Interesting that the Steelers’ worst season converting third downs other than this year and the year of Duck Hodges/Tevin Jones/Mychal White was their Super Bowl winning 2005 season.

"So only one team did better gaining yards on first and second down than the Steelers…but 26 other teams did better converting those third downs."

That's actually not true. They did a better job of gaining yards on 1st and second down any time the team didn't get a 1st down on 1st or 2nd down. Big difference.

Last time I looked they were at or near the very bottom of teams gaining a first down before the 3rd down of any series.

[jeemie]

Insanely bad.

They were 7-25…27th out of 32 teams.

But…this stat is even worse considering their average yards to go on 3rd down during that two game period (5.9) was SECOND out of the 32 teams.

So only one team did better gaining yards on first and second down than the Steelers…but 26 other teams did better converting those third downs.

How is that even possible?

https://steelersdepot.com/2023/12/the-s ... s-my-soul/

PS Interesting that the Steelers’ worst season converting third downs other than this year and the year of Duck Hodges/Tevin Jones/Mychal White was their Super Bowl winning 2005 season.

"So only one team did better gaining yards on first and second down than the Steelers…but 26 other teams did better converting those third downs."

That's actually not true. They did a better job of gaining yards on 1st and second down any time the team didn't get a 1st down on 1st or 2nd down. Big difference.

Last time I looked they were at or near the very bottom of teams gaining a first down before the 3rd down of any series.

Correction noted.

My point still stands…the disparity of the yards they needed to get to convert a third down and their success rate is astronomically bad.

IIRC the average odds of conveying 3rd and 6 or fewer yards is about 45% so we were converting at a rate 38% lower than that.

[955876]

Why does this matter??

It’s the offenses job to not lose games.

The defenses job to win them.

The faster the O can get the ball back to Jibb’s “vaunted” defense the better in his eyes.

[jeemie]

Why does this matter??

It’s the offenses job to not lose games.

The defenses job to win them.

The faster the O can get the ball back to Jibb’s “vaunted” defense the better in his eyes.

Right.

We need at least three more quality turnovers this week.

Which is why the defense will play "faster than you've ever seen" on Saturday.

[Orangesteel]

Insanely bad.

They were 7-25…27th out of 32 teams.

But…this stat is even worse considering their average yards to go on 3rd down during that two game period (5.9) was SECOND out of the 32 teams.

So only one team did better gaining yards on first and second down than the Steelers…but 26 other teams did better converting those third downs.

How is that even possible?

https://steelersdepot.com/2023/12/the-s ... s-my-soul/

PS Interesting that the Steelers’ worst season converting third downs other than this year and the year of Duck Hodges/Tevin Jones/Mychal White was their Super Bowl winning 2005 season.

"So only one team did better gaining yards on first and second down than the Steelers…but 26 other teams did better converting those third downs."

That's actually not true. They did a better job of gaining yards on 1st and second down any time the team didn't get a 1st down on 1st or 2nd down. Big difference.

Last time I looked they were at or near the very bottom of teams gaining a first down before the 3rd down of any series.

Doesn’t surprise me and 100 percent passes the eye test.

Also results in going 32 yards after possessing the ball for 7 and a half minutes, half of an entire quarter, then punting.

WEIGHTY DOWNS

[Jobu]

Also results in going 32 yards after possessing the ball for 7 and a half minutes, half of an entire quarter, then punting.

That’s kind of impressive when you think about it…in a bizarro world type of way.

[W&M_Steeler]

Also results in going 32 yards after possessing the ball for 7 and a half minutes, half of an entire quarter, then punting.

That’s kind of impressive when you think about it…in a bizarro world type of way.

It's like the football version of Letterman's old "Stupid Human Tricks" segment.

[Stosh-67]

Since Tomlins game plan is to play it safe, conservative, attrition football, keep it close, win it in the end with a FG.........
It is reasonable to be right around .500 every year, if you can be safer and make less turnovers that the opponent.
You will win half the games with that approach and lose half the games with that approach. Some years the ball will bounce correctly.
Some years, they will not bounce the right way at tall.

That approach will work better, much better than .500 with HOF talent.
Even garner a Super Bowl ............A SB won WCGAS ( with Cowhers Guys and Staff )

Average to below average with out the franchise QB to turn those last minute FG's into a win.........with his philosophy.

I do think he game plans with his defense to be the difference maker, to get turnovers.....to SCORE points.
The defense to score points and Boswell to kick FGs

We saw his comments earlier in the year about turnovers, when we got turnovers, but did not win..........
"The turnovers were not impactful"
Which I took as, the defense did not score points.

I believe the Defensive point total per game that Tomlin game plans for is 3.07 points per game, which is the FG winning margin.
That is a lot to ask for from a defense, week in and week out.

The Steelers lost to the Brown 13-10 by a FG
The Steelers lost to the Patriots 21-18 by a FG.

Hang with me here.....lol.

That extra 3.07 points would have had the Steelers winning 13.07-13 over the Browns.
And 21.07-21 over the Pats.....if only that damn defense.....

Mike Tomlin and his football philosophy, if not for the non-impactful defense, would have the Steelers record at 9-4,
just a game behind the Ravens and tied for the Second best record in the AFC........with a Jan 7th Ravens rematch for the North and possible ONE seed.

If only the defense would have come up with those 3.07 points vs the Browns and Pats, we would have had 2 more wins.

The Steelers have been outscored by 40 points in 13 games, 250-210.

Do the math.
40 / 13 = 3.07 points. Ah ha!

The only teams that have been outscored more than the Steelers.

5-8 NY Jets
5-8 Titans
5-8 Giants
5-9 Chargers
4-9 Redskins
3-10 Pats
3-10 Arizona
1-12 Panthers

Teams that will be drafting in the top 10.
The only team above I would put money on for the Steelers to beat? The Chargers? Panthers?


BTW,
The defense and Boswell have score 102 of their 210 points.