Steelers’ Red Zone Struggles Highlight Win over Ravens

The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves in a strong position with an 8-2 record, holding a two-game lead in the AFC North after their recent victory over the Baltimore Ravens at Acrisure Stadium. Nonetheless, there remain areas for improvement, notably in the red zone where converting opportunities into touchdowns has been challenging.

During the Steelers’ 18-16 win against the Ravens, they failed to score touchdowns in four trips inside the 20-yard line, settling instead for six field goals by Chris Boswell. Despite averaging 27.25 points per game under quarterback Russell Wilson, the team ranks 30th in the league for red zone scoring percentage, scoring touchdowns in only 44.4% of their red zone appearances. Over recent games, this figure has dropped to 25%.

Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith acknowledged these shortcomings, stating, «You look at — that’s why it’s always week-to-week and circumstantial. But obviously overall, every time you get there (you want a) touchdown. In the Giants game it might be two called back, whatever it was. Not ideal. Washington, we were better, obviously the one we didn’t score — not ideal. But this past week, give Baltimore credit. We’ve got to do a better job there. We need to be cleaner there.»

Quarterback Russell Wilson has shouldered some of the responsibility for missed opportunities, acknowledging a crucial interception during a red zone attempt against the Ravens. Despite these setbacks, Wilson highlighted his role in securing a later touchdown pass to Mike Williams, emphasizing the need for better execution to secure victories in closely contested games.

The Steelers’ defense, however, has been a compensating factor, allowing opponents to score touchdowns in the red zone at a rate of 48.3%, placing them eighth-best in the league. Wilson’s deep-passing ability has helped maintain the team’s offensive efficacy, although opponents like the Ravens have started to adapt their strategies to limit this option.

On a positive note, the Steelers have achieved scoring success in 22 consecutive quarters, longest in the NFL, signifying consistent ball movement even if it rarely results in touchdowns. Wilson himself has an impressive red zone career record, boasting a 94.1 passer rating with 225 touchdown passes and 15 interceptions.

As the Steelers prepare to face the Cleveland Browns, who rank 24th in red zone defense, they aim to capitalize on the opportunity to enhance their scoring efficiency. Wilson commented, «I think the best thing that we can do is focus on just trying to be great in the fundamentals, great in the little details and every time you step in the red zone, we’re looking forward to scoring touchdowns.»