Interesting Offense Stats

Ben leads NFL in passing attempts at 502 (38.6/game). Ben is 2nd behind Brady in PY.
Bell leads NFL in rushing attempts at 283 (21.8/game). Bell is 1st in RY.

Steelers are only 5th highest in T.O.P.
but 8th highest in yards per play

Seems strange that team would have leaders in both PA's and RA's when they don't run a hurry up O nor a short yardage controlled West Coast style O.

It's probably more of an indicator of a relatively successful O with a very healthy workhorse QB and RB.

The most important 11-2 record is an even more impressive stat.

 

Think it can also indicate how great the defense was doing getting other teams offenses off the field and getting the ball back in Ben and Bell's hands.

Sadly injuries are making the defense more vulnerable, but thankfully Haden should be back soon.

 

This is what I was thinking but looked at their time of possession and it was about 32 minutes avg per game which is good but only ranks 5th. Still a puzzlement that they would have both the passer attempt leader and rushing attempt leader and not absolutely dominating the T.O.P. stat. (Note: If Elliot had not been suspended for the Boys he would most likely be leading in rush attempts but Bell would still be a close second.) It's also an indication of how much they depend on Bell with little or no relief.

 

What it says to me is that Ben is throwing a lot and the team isn't using a RB not named Bell, whereas other teams use multiple RB's. That also says to me that the Steelers are likely to tag Bell or move on from him at the end of the year, which is why they are running him into the ground, but that's merely an assumption that the facts don't back up in any way.

We already know the Steelers are throwing more than any other team, but Bell's numbers don't in any way indicate how often we're rushing compared to other teams, since most other teams use multiple backs. Instead, look up how often the Steelers rush the ball compared to other teams and I bet you'll see that we're not at the top

 

Just looked it up and I was right. We average 26.9 rushing attempts per game, which is good for 15th in the NFL. The difference is we don't share the wealth among our backs, whereas most teams do. We are primarily a passing team

 

Thanks Shaner - I was too lazy to nab that stat but it puts things in perspective.

 

I'm half in the bag and am watching the Pens game, the wife and kid are sound asleep, so I have nothing but time to look up meaningless stats lol

 

To me it speaks volumes to the importance of Ben’s recent surge. There’s no secret that our success hinges on Ben’s arm. If he’s good, we’re good.

Had he been right early in the year when our defense was injury-free and clicking, we would have been dominant. This is probably the best roster in football, IMO.

It’s at least top 3!

 

And yet it still can't match up with the Patriots, at least not the current version with so many injuries.

There is a very real chance they will not only be without Shazier Sunday, but also Haden, Matakevich, Smith-Schuster and McDonald. In fact, I'm guessing they all miss the Patriots game.

 

Pouncey was limited in practice with a hip injury:

http://triblive.com/sports/steelers...u-smith-schuster-among-names-on-injury-report

 

Geez, can we just pack all of our guys in ice until the game Sunday???!!!

 

this is why depth matters. look at pats injuries, even brady is hobbled. It's late in the year, injuries are upon every team.

 

Pittsburgh is 2nd in passing yards a game, first is..... the GOAT tom brady. girliest of all time lol. Was thinking another word

 

I was counting on ju ju to be ready for this game after a week off, AB is going to be smothered all day so we need him in this game, but if he cant go full speed he wont help us much...........

 

I knew about that one. I'm just guessing that Pouncey will play. I am more concerned with Smith-Schuster, who has been battling the hamstring problem for weeks and just went on the injury report later in the week.

 

I'm just praying at the end of the season I can look back and tell you all that I was right about our team peaking at the right time. (Lord, this is one of the few times I ask you to let me be right about something )

 

Hey Jim - here's the kind of attitude you need:

"I've only ever been wrong once in my life - it was the time I thought I was wrong about something - but then found out I was right"!

 

I don't think I've ever thunk about it like that

 

A buttload of 3-and-outs?

 

I brought this up in another thread, is there really much of a difference in running the ball and dumping it off to Bell quick? Bell has 358 touches while Gurley and McCoy are tied for 2nd with 287. Bell is getting his work rushing but also more receiving. One guy doing it all.....

 

Not really, no. I was just responding to the original question

 

I was agreeing with ya, we are a one man show in the backfield. All while putting up some nice stats.

 

Wow that's surprising. We all know what this offense is capable of and it's not a surprise.

It's been clear how much we depend on Bell the last few years when he was injured. Our offense is a shell of itself without him. Even against Baltimore we were killing it with him and then when he went out with the knee injury our offense went stagnant until he picked it up late in the game.

 

Sometimes wish they would use Conner more just for a change of pace of course I was pissed when they cut Walton lose.

 

So you are ticked that they cut a guy whose name you can't remember. The guy they cut was Watson. I hear what you are saying though. The issue is more about the predictability of the offense. If the Steelers begin with a run on first down and gain negligible yardage, they are going to run again to try to create a 3rd and short situation. Then if they throw incomplete its a 3 and out. If they pass on first down and its incomplete, they are going to run on second down, to try to create a manageable 3rd down.

I would like to see them in a run formation and throw to the fullback or be in the spread offense and run it with Bell, just to keep the defense guessing more.