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Writer's picturegavin marshall

Is The Steelers’ offense dangerous again?

The Pittsburgh Steelers' offense, under Arthur Smith, has shown remarkable improvement, hitting heights not seen since the “Killer B's” era (2013-17) when Todd Haley was the offensive coordinator. The offense is now playing up to the level of their formidable defense, which ranks among the top in the league. 


Smith's scheme, built around heavy and condensed formations, makes execution simple for the offense,  while at the same time presenting not only a physical challenge for any defense,  but also complicating defensive reads through disguise and motion and creating opportunities for big plays off play-action.


A legitimate offensive explosion has been seen in the last two games since QB Russell Wilson replaced Justin Fields as starter.  While Fields impressed moving the ball with his legs,  Wilson's experience and decision-making have been pivotal in unlocking the full potential of this playbook. His ability to execute deep shots off play-action and maintain composure under pressure has been a game changer,  and the cerebral side of his game, particularly his quick processing and expert reading of opponent’s defensive looks has elevated the passing attack to heights not seen in Pittsburgh since Big Ben Roethlisberger’s heydey. 


Wilson's debut performance set a franchise record for passing yards in a first game, and the Steelers offense has topped 400 total yards in 3 of the 8 games so far this year.  This is a marked improvement from Matt Canada’s insipid offense scheme, which only hit that mark twice in 2023,  and failed to rack up more than 380 yards in a game in 2022 or 2021.


Despite facing a challenging second half of the schedule, the Steelers' 6-2 record coming off the bye, puts them in pole position to make a playoff run, currently sitting top of the AFC North. Hopes are high but so are expectations - a winning record isn’t enough this year. This team has not won a playoff game since 2017, and Tomlin and Co know the fans expect a postseason victory for this campaign to be considered a success.


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