How do you fix our Red Zone Offense ?

Is it a personnel issue?
Is it play calling?
Is it execution?
Is it Russ?

I feel like it is a little bit of all of the above. I’m not sure Jefferson or Austin are great down there. They get bodied and bullied. There not big targets and for whatever reason Austins laterally agility and quickness don’t seem to show up in small area space situations.

I worry Russ isn’t executing well because he doesn’t see the middle of the field well due to his shorter stature. Teams just cover the perimeter.

Would like to see Washington be coached up on jump balls and contested catches more. Frieirmuth and Heyward more involved and get Williams more involved soon.

I would prefer Warren in there because of his ability to catch and create YAC better than Najee.

Finally the obvious one - get Fields involved more either replacing Russ on occasion or with Russ.

 

Absolutey dreadful playcalling. 3 WR in the same area of the end zone? All comebacks? Just bad.

 

I get the pros and cons of it but I stand on the side of using Fields.

 

I can't buy into "Play-Calling" - I think they are limited to what they have.

First off, the WR situation is KILLING them.
- Pickens is a go-to at the goal line, that guy is made of rubber and can catch anything. But everyone in the stadium and watching on TV knows this.
- You have a 6'4" 200+lb WR in Mike Williams. It's like posting Abdul-Jabar on Nate Archibald. Throw the ball at 8 foot and he's going to grab it.

Next is the package.
- TE has to step up his game. Muth is not doing to well. If I can get Washington to just slightly be better in the passing game, he's probably a better option. Sorry Muth, love ya but you have the potential to be as good as any solid TE in this league and you are not.
- Options that the Defense has to account for. Harris, Warren and Patterson are guys you want to have on the field. Even Fields is a good option. Various packages need to include as many playmakers as possible.

Sequence - I like certain sequences.
1st down - Typically I'm looking at a power run package, and that leaves option to sneak out a lineman blocker like Washington that can be uncovered.
2nd down - I subscribe to play-action rollout. This is where I have the two WR's and a RB slipping.. You can run so many plays off the play-action rollout.
3rd down - This is another play-action down (the theme is to get the defense to mis-step) I like a RPO to Harris and look for Warren on a slip pattern.

The Steelers in my opinion suffer mostly from the WR scenario.. they don't have enough to threaten the secondary.
I wouldn't be opposed to bringing in some big DL like Benton to line up at fullback to give the look of a power run,, sometimes the Defense thinks "He'll never get the ball"

 

Steelers have scored 21 TDs vs opponents 17. Fields has 5 of the 21 and Najee 2. Freiermuth 3. Pickens has 2 and would have 2-3 more but he still thinks he's in college. Spreading around is most appropriate but Wilson and Fields are way too slow at finding an open receiver, assuming they're even open. Washington would seem like a natural if he can catch burners, assuming someone can throw one at him.

 

- More conventional power running plays.


- More zone beating concepts.


Teams are beginning to take away the deep shot more and more. Start getting some Zone Beating plays ready.

 

just use Fields on Special plays not always---- keep the element of surprise.Let BOZ KICK 20 fg if needed ---that's how--- because he is the mightyof BOZ

 

My thoughts are as follows:

1. Our WR situation is the worst of it. We are a Pickens only WR room and everyone knows it. Adding another RZ threat would be HUGE for this offense. Can't fix this during the 2024 season though, unfortunately
2. I'd mix personnel a bit. If we're going to go with Wilson, then I'd advocate spreading them out more and playing Warren instead of Harris. It goes against conventional wisdom to take your bigger-framed RB out inside the 20, but Warren can be a threat out of the backfield to score on a dump off pass, or to score on a run. Force the defense to do something other than crowd the LOS. When we go 3 TE and power run, the LOS gets muddied up and Harris is too easy to neutralize when touched at the LOS or behind the line. He's moving too slow to break tackles like he does when he has a head of steam and Warren seems more likely to squeeze through a hole and fall forward than Harris is.
3. Honestly the discussion has been worn out, but Fields' legs bring a huge element to our RZ offense. Its no surprise that 7 of the top 10 RZ offenses either have a mobile QB, or use a guy in a RZ package to score.
- 1. Balt 2. Cincy 3. TB 4. Detroit 5. Carolina 6. Buffalo 7. Arizona 8. NO 9. Chicago 10. Denver
- Balt, Carolina, Buffalo, Arizona, NO, Chicago, and Denver all use their QB's legs in the RZ area and in NO's case they use Taysom Hill like we would use Justin Fields. Philly and Washington are just outside the top 10 and do the same.

I don't think we are far off, but against some of the better defenses we are going to have to have an answer. The way our offense ends up being good enough to be Championship caliber lives and dies in how we perform in the RZ.

 

Throw the ball into the Endzone

 

Something has to change. And, I just don't understand what has happened to Muth this year, and as far as I know, unlike last years, he is 100% healthy. I was really expecting Muth to have a great year in Arthur Smith's offense.

 

It would be nice if our offensive line could actually maul people, and we could just run it in.

 

Score more touchdowns than field goals

 

I think that we telegraph what we're going to do. It's rare that I am surprised by the play in the red zone. You can just see from the formation and the quarterback if it's going to be a run or pass most of the time.

I think that we need to disguise what we're going to do better. We need quarterbacks that can get rid of the ball quickly on some kind of a slant a crossing route. And we need a better run scheme for those short yardage touchdown drives.

 

He got a big contract. That seems to be the kiss of death for so many high caliber NFL players.....lol

 

the jump balls in the corners (or down the sidelines) to the little guys don't work. leave that to the bigger guys.....if they are going to be thrown.

 

It's simple ... after practice Russ and the wr's get in reps like he and Pickens did before his first start.

 

That stat is not surprising having watched the games. I think Smith might've gotten used to using Fields' legs and now is struggling to find plays that work with Russ?

Wilson has been feast or famine so far this year. Sure, some of it is the fact that he came off injury at his age, but he REALLY seems to like the low percentage balls. In between the 20's most of our offense comes from running it or chucking up a deep ball and hoping our dude gets it. In the red zone, Najee has been a lot less effective... so it ends up being a lot of jump balls as well. I think more designed pick plays or simpler concepts that scheme guys open is the route to go.

 

Since we can't run down there, be less predicable, it's okay to pass on 1st down once in a while. There formations say run all the way. Use Muth more cause he has the best hands, even Washington on the short out passes. Shovel passes anyone, Just quit doing the same predicable Harris up the middle.

 

I hated that throw to Jefferson in the red zone on 3rd down vs the Ravens short of the sticks.

 

Stop running the ball on first and second down in the red zone, throw the ball into the end zone to your big guys Pickens, Williams, Muth, and Washington.

 

I agree with you on Friermuth. He leaves alot to be desired in the blocking game. I have seen him get blown back by smaller guys in just the past two games. The rollout is great for Russ because that is what he is good at but it makes defending it in the red zone much easier because he probably isn’t going to run it and the defense only has to cover one side of the field. I think in fact that is a big part of the issue with Russ. He isn’t nearly as good staying in the pocket and using the middle of the field because he can’t see it ... so the defense only has to cover a small area of the field (perimeter) in limited space. The red zone requires very quick and precise passing and when you can only see the perimeter of the field it really limits your options. I think this was Denvers biggest issue with Russ from a limitation standpoint. Its honestly why I would like to see Fields in there more in the red zone.

 

He needs to get stronger. He gets bodied and blown back alot on blocks and struggles to maintain his blocks. He has great hands and he is athletic, I am not sure why he isn’t getting the ball more.

 

I agree it makes no sense. If your going to throw short of the sticks the receiver needs to be facing the end zone with a head of stem when they catch ball. What’s the point of that play.

 

I do think there is defiantly and element of Smith learning Russ and what he is comfortable with down there. I feel like we are limited with Russ down there because its obvious he doesn’t like using the middle of the field. In a shorter field to defend it makes it much easier to defend us when the defense only has to worry about the perimeter of the field. I think alot of our route concepts are developed around what Russ is comfortable with. In the short area like that our receivers are really struggling to get separation so you see Russ holding onto the ball down there. The other option is to roll him out so he can see the field better but then the defense essentially only has to worry about covering one side of the field.

as much as I love those moon balls to Pickens down the sideline I would love to see some of those go in for a touchdown instead of him stepping out of bounds at the ten, etc.

 

The old third and 2 run a 0 yard out