The Pittsburgh Steelers are now 3-1 through Week 4. Unfortunately, the running game and defense failed to carry their weight, and although the team nearly contributed to an early 17-point hole, they were unable to recover to go down 27-24. Lost to the Indianapolis Colts. Stripping them of their identity required more from the passing game, which I’ll go into detail about in this article.
Before we get started, here are a few things to note: I’d like to thank Thomas Mock for his great work, which helped me learn a lot about the visuals I use in the series. Good situational decisions with the bat at the line of scrimmage eliminate spikes and clear throwaways. In this game, 2 bats, 1 disposable, and 1 spike were removed.
QB Justin Fields went 22 of 34 for a 64.7% completion percentage, his lowest of the season. The picture looks a bit rosier with the helmet (73.3%) and 2 drops (78.6%) removed. Depending on the game situation, his 312 yards and 9.2 YPA were season highs.
He threw for a passing TD while connecting with TE Pat Freiermuth in the red zone for his first score of 2024. There were no interceptions, but there was a turnover-worthy play late in the game. Fields also made an impact with his legs, including two red zone rushing TDs.
But the season-high four sacks were unfortunate for him and an o-line that had seen better days. Delayed game penalties were also among the operational issues. Also infuriating were two fumbles. One sack he coughed up was a botched snap he wasn’t prepared for and a sack on running back after a huge loss of yards. There’s a lot of room for improvement, but Fields has some good points overall as a passer.
Let’s start with a quick look at the 30 passes from Week 4, charted along with the number of throws for each pass distance.
#1. 0-5 air yards: 43.3%. As usual, these are the most common: The first example is a 5-yard early completion to RB/WR Cordarrelle Patterson lined up in the backfield, leaking two air yards into the open area up the middle. To start the second drive, he hit a play-action boot to TE Pat Freiermuth in the flat at the line of scrimmage and whipped up a huge YAC for 7 yards.
Then, early in the second quarter, they were already down 17-0. Fields hit WR George Pickens on a sit route against zone for 4 yards. After the drive, Fields moved the pocket and passed it to a wide-open Patterson, who worked toward him on a scramble drill, adding a nice YAC for 14 yards.
Pickens’ third-and-3 stop route of the third quarter catches an off-target pass outside the frame at 5 yards and adds some YAC for 9 yards. However, the ball was stretched out unnecessarily, which was evident late in the game. Facing a 2nd-and-15 drive, they got TE Darnell Washington wide open on a stop route for 4 air yards, adding a nice YAC for 11 yards.
2 plays late in the 3rd quarter. First, RB Najee Harris was wide open at the line of scrimmage in the red zone and scored 11 points in YAC. After a 1st and goal false start by OG Mason McCormick, a good rub concept was applied to Pickens from the slot, working him outside the flat, but was broken into good tight coverage and unfortunately broken. Fields thankfully scored a scramble TD on the next play.
4th quarter, 14th down, 5 yard stop route to Freiermuth. Less than 5 minutes left and another stop route, this time to WR Van Jefferson for 4 air yards with good YAC to the red zone for 12 yards. Fields then zipped to Freiermuth on a slotted route on third-and-5 with a valiant YAC effort to retreat to the end zone for a much-needed touchdown to cut the deficit to three.
Last drive, 2:12 left, same scoreboard. A 9-yard stop to Jefferson with YAC resulted in a two-minute warning. A painful and untimely interrupted snap followed, setting up 3rd-and-21. Fields, looking deep in hopes of a fireworks display, unfortunately faced pressure and threw a check to Harris for 11. Big what-if play.
#2. 5-10 air yards: 26.7%. Not yet mentioned was a 3rd and 23 due to unnecessary roughness at the end of the play (G Spencer Anderson). But it was slanted to Freiermuth for 7 yards and was quickly tackled for just 8 yards. Late in the first quarter, Fields gave Pickens a slightly high score, but more seriously, he made a confusing stretch of a post catch on first down. Facepalmed and stripped for a huge red zone fumble turnover. The Steelers are beating themselves up.
Then it’s a 6-yard out route to Pickens, a drive that ultimately brings the first points (FG) into the locker room. Skipping to the fourth quarter, Fields stood tall in the red zone and made a good throw to WR Calvin Austin on his return, taking him to the 3-yard line.
Fields then avoided pressure on first and goal, found Pickens on a scramble drill and made an extra throw that threw him into hand for incomplete coverage. But Fields’ second rushing TD followed.
The final example was another red zone fumble when Fields threw a corner route into the end zone, Pickens ran an out, and the pass sailed incomplete and out of bounds. With 3:53 left in the game, untimely mistakes and several missed passes in the red/end zone were discouraging.
T-3. Behind the scenes: 13.3%. 4 passes. Fields likely needed a minute (after roughing up the passer) as he delivered a very inaccurate swing pass to Harris incomplete. There was a highlight in the second quarter when Fields flanked a pass to put pressure on Washington. Showed the strength of a grown man, planting a defender with a stiff arm, dragging YAC down the sideline and setting up a hurdle for good measure for a 20-yard gain.
In the third quarter, Fields was hit and Harris took a late, inaccurate check. The final example came early in the fourth quarter, when he stood tall despite another big QB hit and took it to Harris on a screen (minus-5 air yards). Has a good block up front along with a plus cut and exposure angle for an explosive 32-yard play. Pittsburgh hasn’t had screen success in some time. Turns out, it was legal for them to run a successful screen play.
T-3. Explosiveness (over 20 air yards): 13.3%. The first example didn’t come until 5:16 into the third quarter. A big scramble drill play by Fields hit Pickens on a deep go ball from 31 air yards and a much-needed burst into the red zone with YAC on the scoring drive. The rest was the 4th quarter. 3rd and 2 with 5:14 left, Fields towers over another great go-ball pitch and catches it for 37 yards with YAC for a big conversion on the comeback attempt.
Others came at moments of weakness. On 2nd and 21 (after an aborted snap) Fields comes into the pocket, gives Pickens a go ball and is brought down by a defender. With 42 seconds left on holes 4 and 10, they needed to go up a notch, and Fields took it out on Jefferson, almost blocking it. They dug themselves into difficult situations, and unfortunately there was no late game magic.
#5. 10-15 air yards: 10.0%. That included another fumble, a third and fourth fumble in the third quarter. Fields took a slant from a wide alignment but attempted a laser to Freiermuth, who took tight coverage and attempted a pass interception from the defender. At this range, only pass past 10 yards.
#6. 15-20 air yards: 6.7%. 2 passes. Early in the game, he stuck to Austin with a good presence for a good throw/catch, a stop route into the zone, and a big hit for a 3rd-and-9 conversion. Before halftime, Fields avoided pressure on another scramble drill, crossed the line of scrimmage and side-armed a narrow javelin to Freiermuth from 16 air yards. A tight contest, a forced missed tackle, and a whipped YAC inspired a 29-yard explosive play.
Please give us more quality than quantity.
Here are the complete/incomplete points of the game:
Most pass 10 yards or less as usual. It’s great for continuous use in between and the connection is good too. Most imperfections inside or outside the numbers, including 50% of the explosives.
Completion percentage by distance:
battery:
behind the scenes: 2/4(50%).
0~5 air yards: 12/13 (92.3%).
5-10 air yards: 6/8 (75.0%).
10-15 air yards: 0/3(0.0%).
15-20 air yards: 2/2(100%).
explosive: 2/4(50.0%).
0-5 and 15-20 were money, and behind the scenes were explosives, especially 10-15 (0.0%), which was negative.
Completion rates by location:
battery:
External left number: 9/12 (75.0%).
Left digit-left hash: 3/3 (100%).
Internal hash: 3/3 (100%).
Right Hash Right Number: 3/4 (75.0%).
Outside right number: 3/7 (42.9%).
Interestingly, the outer right digit stands out as the only negative. LEFT NUMBERS – The left hash was where the money was, including an explosive and the lone passing touchdown along with the perfect ratio inside the hash.
Now for heatmaps on chart paths, only completion is possible.
There were more significant changes to both charts this week. A lack of mid-air success and a few explosive misses in the final minutes of the game resulted in a miss.
Below is a summary of the data for the 71 pitches charted in the 2024 regular season.
#1. 0-5 Aerial Yards: 42.6%. Previously it was 42.3%. 35.0% in 2023.
#2. 5~10 tool heads: 27.7%. Previously it was 28.2%. 23.8% in 2023.
#3. behind the scenes: 16.8%. Previously it was 18.3%. 18.5% in 2023.
T-4. 10-15 air yards: 9.9%. Previously it was 9.9%. 13.0% in 2023.
T-4. Explosiveness: 9.9%. Previously it was 8.5%. 12.4% in 2023.
#6. 15-20 air yards: 6.9%. Previously it was 7.0%. 10.8% in 2023.
Completion percentage by distance:
battery:
behind the scenes: 13/17 (76.5%).
0~5 air yards: 38/43 (88.4%).
5-10 air yards: 22/28 (78.6%).
10-15 air yards: 5/10(50.0%).
15-20 air yards: 3/7 (42.9%).
explosive: 5/10(50.0%).
Completion rates by location:
battery:
External left number: 28/38 (73.7%).
Left digit-left hash: 10/14 (71.4%).
Internal hash: 8/10 (80.0%).
Right Hash Right Number: 13/15 (86.7%).
Outside right number: 18/24 (75.0%).
To wrap things up, here are the points and heatmaps for all attempts shown in the chart and for completed attempts:
