Red-zone woes haunt Steelers' offense much too often

[stillers4me]

Are the Steelers not scoring more from inside the red zone because they don't crack their opponents' 20 more often?

Or do they not score once there because they just aren't good at it?

Turns out, both are true..............

Read more @ http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/2013/10/24/Red-zone-woes-haunt-offense-much-too-often/stories/201310240200

[steeldawg]

Finally somebody is talking about this! We need to improve in this area big time if we want to be the real good teams in this league.

[tube517]

Another issue that has been lingering for a few years now. We rarely put teams away when we have the chance.

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[oneforthetoe]

I love Ben. I wouldn't trade him for the metro-sexual or any Archie Manning seed, but much of our red zone problems over the years can be attributed to his style of play. Granted, poor offensive line play is a big factor as well. It would be nice to just line-up and ram the ball in once and a while. Still, it just seems to me that when Ben gets near the red zone he starts trying to find a play that will score on one play. I guess the shorter field isn't as conducive to the "seat of his pants style" he excels at so much between the 20's.

[NJarhead]

Another issue that has been lingering for a few years now. We rarely put teams away when we have the chance.

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That's also been bothering me.

[Psycho Ward 86]

this started 6 years ago with bruce arians. whats new? why is there even an article on this coming out just now?

[Shoes]

Not sure how accurate these red-zone percentages are from a 2011 article from a b/r report.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/976894-pittsburgh-steelers-why-touchdowns-in-the-red-zone-are-key-for-playoff-success

2003: 50%, 2004: 49.23%, 2005: 62.5%, 2006: 50%, 2007: 59.32%, 2008: 55.93%, 2009: 48.21%, 2010: 52.46%

[Psycho Ward 86]

Not sure how accurate these red-zone percentages are from a 2011 article from a b/r report.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/976894-pittsburgh-steelers-why-touchdowns-in-the-red-zone-are-key-for-playoff-success

2003: 50%, 2004: 49.23%, 2005: 62.5%, 2006: 50%, 2007: 59.32%, 2008: 55.93%, 2009: 48.21%, 2010: 52.46%

pitiful numbers. And were 2nd to last at the moment according to this: http://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/red-zone-scoring-pct

[GoSlash27]

You've got to be able to run the ball to have regular success in the red zone.

[steel striker]

Yeah they got to get better in the redzone because, sooner or later it will cost us big time. I mean last Sunday's game could have been alot easier if they would have converted a few red zone trips.

[tube517]

Not sure how accurate these red-zone percentages are from a 2011 article from a b/r report.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/976894-pittsburgh-steelers-why-touchdowns-in-the-red-zone-are-key-for-playoff-success

2003: 50%, 2004: 49.23%, 2005: 62.5%, 2006: 50%, 2007: 59.32%, 2008: 55.93%, 2009: 48.21%, 2010: 52.46%

This correlates to my blood pressure increasing at an alarming rate since 2003.

[Count Steeler]

I attribute it to poor play calling and being over anxious. They need to stay calm and confident. Forget the gadgets and shuffling players.

[Craic]

this started 6 years ago with bruce arians. whats new? why is there even an article on this coming out just now?

No, it didn't. Look again at the redzone efficiency averages since 2003 (TDs only).



Year
Percent
League Rank


2003
50%
16


2004
50%
21


2005
62%
4


2006
50%
17


2007
59%
7


2008
56%
14


2009
48%
22


2010
52%
15


2011
51%
17


2012
55%
12


2013
38.5%
31



In fact, it looks as if this team has been just average to below average as a mainstay, and every once in a while creeps up either to, or close the top third of the league. So, I'm sorry, but this ISN'T "a problem since Bruce Arians." Matter of fact, it looks like Arians corrected the problem from the year before. Heck, we've been above the normal 50% that we see in three of Cowher's last four years in every full season but one.

So what about this season? I think the answer is the same as I posted in the "Do you trust Haley's offense" thread. We were without Heath and had a line that was practically brand new in who played next to whom, or how many times they even lined up at that position on this team in a game. IMO, we'll get back close to the 50%. In short, this is much ado about nothing, because the issue is solving

Looking at it game by game,

game 1, 2 trips, 1 TD 50%
Game 2, 1 trip, 1 TD 100%
Game 3, A snap 1 yard outside of the Redzone, with a TD throw. One snap in Redzone, but it was a field goal try on a fourth down. So in reality, in this game, we're 1 for 1. 100%
Game 4, 6 trip 2 TD 33%
Game 5 2 trips 0 TDs 0%
Game 6 4 trip, 1 Td 25%

So the problem can be broken up into two categories. The first three games, we weren't getting the opportunities in the Redzone. However, once we got there, we were efficient. In the last three games, we are very inefficient in the Redzone. Why? That's a good question. Interesting however, that we've won 2 of the 3 games that were were horrible in the Redzone.

[steeldawg]

I attribute it to poor play calling and being over anxious. They need to stay calm and confident. Forget the gadgets and shuffling players.

It is play calling, you have Antonio brown who is good "small ball" receiver I think you could throw him a back shoulder throw all day long down their. Also I would get sanders out of there inside the 10 and go two tight ends, getting Johnson and bell out of the backfield. I like heath but everyone knows we are looking for him when we get inside the 20.

[Steelman]

We all know it's because our WR's are not tall enough. :chuckle:

[Psycho Ward 86]

being average to below average in the red zone for 9 of the past 11 years (including this year thus far) is extremely poor. i wont read into our percentage from 2003 because we were a 6-10 team and played like it. But damn, after that we had an actual semblance of a respectable offense.


im really not beating the dead horse that is bruce arians, im just saying nothing in the redzone offense has really changed at all. im blaming the O-line almost exclusively because thats the one constant thats been bad for quite a while

[Craic]

being average to below average in the red zone for 9 of the past 11 years (including this year thus far) is extremely poor. i wont read into our percentage from 2003 because we were a 6-10 team and played like it. But damn, after that we had an actual semblance of a respectable offense.


im really not beating the dead horse that is bruce arians, im just saying nothing in the redzone offense has really changed at all. im blaming the O-line almost exclusively because thats the one constant thats been bad for quite a while

The problem however, is that the redzone offense has remained pretty much a 50% proposition since 2003. I disagree with the "semblance of a respectable offense," at least in the redzone, because in 2004 and 2006, it was STILL at 50%. Only in the 2005 year was it higher, and that's because we took the Bus and made him a short yardage only back. Honestly, since then (not counting this year so far) we've had a better redzone offense every year than three of those first four years, but one. And that one, we were only 2 percent under. That means we've had a slightly better redzone offense under Arians and Haley than we did while Cowher was head coach (in general).

While I'd agree with the O-line issue, don't forget that we had a great O-line in 2004. That was probably the best line we've had in almost 20 plus years, but it was the same percent. 2006 featured quite a few of the same players, IIRC. (I think two were gone, and those were backups that started in 2004 due to injury). So the redzone issue has been around through at least two, if not three iterations of the offensive line.