'We've got to be better there': Steelers look to solve struggles in short-yardage situations

When it comes to what Mike Tomlin likes to call the weighty moments, especially when the offense has a third-and-1 or fourth-and-1, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been coming up short.

After struggling in short-yardage situations, the Steelers acknowledge it’s an area of emphasis for improvement.

“We’ve been focusing a lot on that,” Steelers running back Jaylen Warren said. “We have a plan for that, and we’re excited to get to work.”

The Steelers lead the NFL in third downs, averaging 14.3, but rank 15th in conversion rate (38.9%). That number has dipped by more than a percentage point over the last three games, mostly because the Steelers sandwiched a 4-for-16 performance (25%) against the Baltimore Ravens between going 7 for 16 in games at the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns. The Steelers have converted 57.9% (11 of 19) on third-and-1 and 57.1% (8 of 14) on third-and-2 this season.

On fourth downs, the Steelers are converting at a 50% clip that is tied for 21st in the league. By comparison, the Ravens are sixth in fourth-down conversion rate at 70% whereas the Browns and Cincinnati Bengals are tied for 10th at a 64.3%. The Steelers have converted six of 10 fourth-and-1 chances and are one of two on fourth-and-2.

Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said penalties have been a problem as well as failure of execution at the line of scrimmage even when they have a blocker for every defender.

“We’ve got to be better there. That’s the reality on the ground. We’ve got to have better answers,” Smith said. “It’s pro football. That ball is snapped, and sometimes it’s one-on-one. They get paid, too. The things you’ve got to do as a coach you put on you. ‘All right, I’ve got to coach it better or we’ve got to do this.’ But there’s a point where you’ve got to bow up. It becomes one-on-one football, like an old-school Oklahoma drill. That’s the reality of it.”

Tomlin said the coaching staff shares some of the blame for its handling of the NFL’s technological advances that can make a monumental difference in a game of inches.

“We as a coaching staff need to adapt and adjust to ‘replay assist,’ ” Tomlin said of the league’s Replay Assistance Rule that allows replay officials and designated members of the NFL officiating department to advise on-field crews based on “clear and obvious video evidence.”

“Sometimes we make decisions at speed and in a spot of, the ball might be different or circumstance might be different based on replay assist. And I think that’s happened two or three times in the last two or three weeks. That’s been a component of performance for us. So, some of the things got nothing to do specifically with the schematics that we call or the utilization of people. It’s just those moments and administratively and logistically how things go. And so we looked at all components of it. But obviously we need to be better than we’ve been, particularly of late.”

In the past two games, in particular, the Steelers have sabotaged some of their chances. Against Baltimore, the Steelers had a fourth-and-1 at their own 29 before wide receiver Ben Skowronek was called for a false start penalty that pushed the Steelers back 5 yards and forced a punt. On third-and-1 at their own 44 against Cleveland, tight end Darnell Washington was whistled for a false start. The Steelers converted the third-and-6, however, when Russell Wilson connected with tight end Pat Freiermuth for a 22-yard gain for a first down.

The Steelers also failed to convert on back-to-back plays in the first quarter against Baltimore when Wilson was stuffed for no gain on a third-and-1 quarterback sneak, and Najee Harris was stopped short on fourth-and-1. On third-and-goal from 5 in the fourth quarter, Wilson threw an interception in the end zone. Harris later came through with a critical third-and-1 conversion from the Steelers’ 39 with 57 seconds left, clinching the 18-16 victory.

On a third-and-3 at Cleveland’s 32, Wilson was sacked for an 8-yard loss by Myles Garrett and Chris Boswell missed a 58-yard field-goal attempt. In the third quarter, Warren was stopped on a fourth-and-1 from the Steelers’ 46. When Harris couldn’t gain a yard third-and-1 at the Browns’ 22, Wilson followed with a 9-yard pass to Freiermuth.

Where Smith credited Cleveland’s defensive front for stopping them, Wilson believes it’s up to the Steelers to correct their shortcomings in short yardage and reverse the trend.

“I don’t want to say too much, in terms of scheme and thoughts but, at the end of the day, we’ve got to find a way to convert it,” Wilson said. “Maybe it’s break a tackle. Maybe it’s find a way to find a way, especially on third-and-1s, fourth-and-1s. It’s all of us together. We know we’re capable of that. It’s tough to look at one week or two weeks and judge off that. You have to look at the next moment.”