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Bears, Texans, Giants, Bills, Steelers: The Missing Ingredient For 3-3 NFL Teams

By Henry McKenna

Sep 8, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 8, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports /
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5. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers are a puzzling team this year. In terms of yards per game, they’ve got the 11th best passing offense, the 5th best rushing offense, the 10th best passing defense and the 15th best rushing defense. Put it all together and you should have a really good team, right? Yet, the Steelers are average in terms of scoring. They’ve beaten the Browns and lost to the Browns. They’ve beaten the Jags (who cares?) and given Tampa Bay it’s only win. The lost to the Ravens (4-2) and beat the Panthers (3-2-1). It’s been a very odd year where their record and production simply don’t add up.

Missing Ingredient: Red Zone Efficiency

The Steelers are scoring touchdowns on just 36.8 percent of their red zone appearances. That’s 30th in the league. You can’t win in the NFL when you’re settling for field goals around 65 percent of the time. Luckily, their field goal kicker Shawn Suisham is 11-of-12 for the year… phew? But with an offense that’s productive in yardage, and a running back that is second in the NFL in rushing yards in Le’Veon Bell, they need to improve their aptitude for finding the end zone.

Part of that means turning the ball over less often and taking it from their opponent more often. The Steelers are tied with Miami for 21st in the league with the turnover differential at -1. The Steelers are a good football teams. Once they find the end zone, it will be roses.

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