How do you fix our Red Zone Offense ?

If I were the coach, here is what I would do......
Run and pass out of a power formation using play action in the red zone with TE go route spaced with a TE/WR on the edge and one TE/WR in the back of the end zone. I would love to see run and passes out of a power formation and little more smash mouth type of play. You may get a 1 on 1 man if the defense out of a power formation where the defense has to stack the line. I really think a play action boot leg out of a power formation would be very successful as well.

if you don't want to go the power route, maybe they need some creating play calling to spice things up. shovel pass, cross routes, screens (WR or conventional). How about a TE screen with Washington on the edge, tell me how that would be stopped. Maybe have a gadget play with fields line up as a receiver and do a reverse with the option to pass. Take these new concepts and plays and go live one day with the best defense in the league and see how it works with this extra time after thursday's game.

I really believe the success of the offense is always dictated by line play and that doesn't change in the red zone. I would love to see the attitude of "we are going to run in the A gap announcement to the defense, stop us" mentality. then smash them in the mouth. It is sad that we have not seen this style of play for a long time.

I think having counter plays can be very successful. for example. TE screen on edge with washington until they commit LB's to stop it and then run draw with harrison out of same formation with fake to the play that is killing them. Same concept as play action.

My 2 cents for what it is worth.

 

if we score from outside the red zone we won't have to worry about it.

 

I don't think we can blame Russ. Not that he can't have anything to do with it, but this has been a Steelers problem for several years, way before anyone even thought Russ would be in the picture. It's not a new problem this year.

 

Apparently there is an Arthur Smith interview where he hints at the Steelers using Justin Fields near the goal-line this week against Cleveland.

 

I am pretty sure in Matt Canada's offense, the plan on 3rd in 2 is to throw a quick pass 4 yards behind the line of scrimmage.

 

Also terrible but at least that is somewhat a bubble screen even if it never worked. The play to Jefferson was literally a hard out to the sidelines 2 yards short of the first down.

 

Not too fast, though—you need to give the defenders time to get there.

 

Or consistently not getting beat at the point of attack in pass protection.

Also someone that's the size of Wilt Chamberlin needs to jump! Might as well Jump! Jump! Instead of looking like he was a statue frozen by Medusa.

Oh and also getting the other tight end with a fresh contract some red zone looks.

Those who want to consistently use Fields I don't agree with. The element of surprise using Fields i'm in favor of used sparingly.

 

I remember when Kordell was a backup and they used him near the goal line with an option play. It worked beautifully. Perhaps we can try that with Fields.

 

Well it was a problem in the Kenny Pickett years, but red zone offense is always going to be a struggle when your QB sucks. The last year that it was good was 2020 with Ben. We were the best in the league in 2018.

Teams that are good in the redzone usually have 1 or more of the following elements
1. A high end QB
2. A high end RB
3. A dual threat QB

With Russ at the helm we have exactly 0 of the 3. I do think we can blame Russ to the extent that he is the worst graded QB in the red zone in the league. He is 7 of 24 passing in the red zone and while he's thrown 4 TD's to 1 INT in that area, we've only scored 25% of the trips the last 3 games... Not a good rate at all, and Russ has a good bit of the blame for that.

 

Stop with Russ not throwing to the middle of the field. He has thrown to the middle of the field more in 4 games than Fields has in 6. I really don't know where people get this information. Go look at the complete charts. People hear people saying this, and they just repeat it, and repeat it. Even when it's not true. For instance....how many times do You think Russell threw the ball to the middle of the field from where we started on each hash mark just in the last game???

 

You think it's bad here, you should see reddit. It's nothing but that, and it seems like 90% of the time it's unfounded.

 

It's by design and by philosophy. We spend big time on defense. We're built to win with field goals. Our skill positions and o-line are not great. You have to win your matchups and have great execution in the red zone. Midfield is more forgiving and you can scheme guys open.

 

Honestly we just need to start throwing $hiitt at the wall and see what sticks. I would even support this

https://steelerswire.usatoday.com/2024/11/21/antonio-brown-steelers-return-2024/

 

• This team needs to be run dominant, but they just can’t. Our line is average, and Naj shouldn’t be touching the ball. You can’t convince me the offense isn’t better with Warren.
• There is no emphasis on getting Friermuth the ball.
• Think back the past 30 years…where would you rank this WR room? Outside of Pickens, it doesn’t scare you at all.

 

All pretty valid points. I've said that the offense looks better with Warren because he is better in space. You can do more with Warren. Najee is a plodder that balls out 3 games a season, yet we just relentlessly hand him the ball. The WR room is garbage. Pickens is really good, and he's all we got. Austin can be a pretty solid #3, but he isn't someone to rely on to pick up the slack and force teams to respect him over Pickens.

 

This team needs another receiving threat, not just a wr…

I’d activate Roman Wilson.

 

Why? He would be hurt during the second practice play on Wednesday. Let the fragile little guy rest.