Steelers 4th Qtr Offense. Worst In League ?

[SteelerEmpire]

...We have seen the Steelers offense have trouble putting away teams in the 4th quarter this year, with the most recent example being Sunday against the Bengals...

LINK: http://www.steelersdepot.com/2011/11...fter-bye-week/

[polamalubeast]

I am not so worried.

I am confident they will fix this problem!

[86WARD]

I'm not...it's been a problem for "years..."

[fansince'76]

More concerned about the D coughing up 90+ yard TD drives to otherwise mediocre QBs at the ends of games to lose...

[suitanim]

Usually a lot of these articles are whiny garbage. This one seems pretty good though, as it leaves out a lot of pontificating and gets right down to brass tacks (facts). The balance seems to be there (36 run to 41 pass...hardly lopsided), but look at the yards per play (for both) and look at the sacks!

This is one of the clearest arguments I have ever seen laid out that proves that this team doesn't have a playcalling problem in the 4th, they have an execution problem in the 4th.

[zulater]

I didn't read the article yet, but to me any game you end in the victory formation is a win for the offense. Two out of our last 3 games we had possessions we could have scored on at the end but chose not to because of game situation. Really I think this is overblown.

[Butch]

I also have not read the article yet, but I will say I was ABSOLUTELY yelling at the T.V. this past weekend when with more than 10 minutes to go in the game we go conservative run up the middle, run up the middle, Bomb that wasn't close punt, and it wasn't much different on the next series. It was much much better with slightly more than 2 minutes to go we played more aggressive passing the ball to make some yards and we ran out the clock!!!

3 and out kill the D, thankfully they stepped up this week and were able to get 2 key turnovers in winning time. It won't happen every week I certainly hope the Offense gets this figured out before it comes and bites us in the butt again.

[zulater]

I also have not read the article yet, but I will say I was ABSOLUTELY yelling at the T.V. this past weekend when with more than 10 minutes to go in the game we go conservative run up the middle, run up the middle, Bomb that wasn't close punt, and it wasn't much different on the next series. It was much much better with slightly more than 2 minutes to go we played more aggressive passing the ball to make some yards and we ran out the clock!!!

3 and out kill the D, thankfully they stepped up this week and were able to get 2 key turnovers in winning time. It won't happen every week I certainly hope the Offense gets this figured out before it comes and bites us in the butt again.

Granted they went extra conservative in the 4th quarter, but field position played a part in that, particularly on the one possession where they took the ball at about their own 10.

[Butch]

Granted they went extra conservative in the 4th quarter, but field position played a part in that, particularly on the one possession where they took the ball at about their own 10.

Understandable but is it any less risk of passing with slightly more than 2 minutes and you are trying to run the clock? I have recently commented on our 3rd down conversions and I do have faith in the offense in long situations especially but for some reason at that point in the game I knew what we were doing and so did the bungles. 10 minutes to go and only up 7 is way to early to go conservative. I may be way off my rocker but I think if we tried to pass rather than run on 1st down with 10 minutes we would have been had much better success on those drives.

Guess my biggest beef with the offense and B.A. has been when he gets predictable and goes away from what is working. We may not have scored passing the ball I just feel we would have gotten more time off the clock, resting the D in the process and changed the field position. Just my 2 cents for what it's worth.

[zulater]

Understandable but is it any less risk of passing with slightly more than 2 minutes and you are trying to run the clock? I have recently commented on our 3rd down conversions and I do have faith in the offense in long situations especially but for some reason at that point in the game I knew what we were doing and so did the bungles. 10 minutes to go and only up 7 is way to early to go conservative. I may be way off my rocker but I think if we tried to pass rather than run on 1st down with 10 minutes we would have been had much better success on those drives.

Guess my biggest beef with the offense and B.A. has been when he gets predictable and goes away from what is working. We may not have scored passing the ball I just feel we would have gotten more time off the clock, resting the D in the process and changed the field position. Just my 2 cents for what it's worth.

The thing is both of those series almost worked in a big way. Both those series ended with a pass from Ben to a wide open Wallace who had ample yardage for the first down. On the first one Ben misfired on a sure touchdown to Wallace. On the second one Wallace dropped an easy pass from Ben that would have moved the sticks. So it was just a matter of execution, not playcall.

[Butch]

The thing is both of those series almost worked in a big way. Both those series ended with a pass from Ben to a wide open Wallace who had ample yardage for the first down. On the first one Ben misfired on a sure touchdown to Wallace. On the second one Wallace dropped an easy pass from Ben that would have moved the sticks. So it was just a matter of execution, not playcall.

Sure it's about execution but it's also about play call and for that matter the score and momentum. Three and outs not only screws the D it also puts momentum back in the other team's hands. The run game has been dismal for us averaging and if I'm not mistaken was only averaging about 2 . something yards per attempt at that point in the game. Passing in those situations IMHO would have been a much greater option. Don't abandon the run but at the same time play to your strength and don't go conservative with more than 10 minutes to go in the game and deep in your own territory.

Ben's bombs to Mike are great when they work, but I'm willing to bet, that more often than not they don't connect. If I know this I'm sure that B.A. and Mike know it and so do the teams we play. Almost working in a big way means you did not succeed you failed and I don't like that type of game planning. No it did not bite us this time but I don't want to see it when it does cost us a game.

[suitanim]

Even when it's basically proven that it's all about execution, Arians still shoulders much of the blame. Even when Arains ISN'T CALLING THE PLAYS (no-huddle), he still gets blamed for the play-calling. Simply amazing....

[Steeldude]

Sure it's about execution but it's also about play call and for that matter the score and momentum. Three and outs not only screws the D it also puts momentum back in the other team's hands. The run game has been dismal for us averaging and if I'm not mistaken was only averaging about 2 . something yards per attempt at that point in the game. Passing in those situations IMHO would have been a much greater option. Don't abandon the run but at the same time play to your strength and don't go conservative with more than 10 minutes to go in the game and deep in your own territory.

Ben's bombs to Mike are great when they work, but I'm willing to bet, that more often than not they don't connect. If I know this I'm sure that B.A. and Mike know it and so do the teams we play. Almost working in a big way means you did not succeed you failed and I don't like that type of game planning. No it did not bite us this time but I don't want to see it when it does cost us a game.

i would have to lean to play calling being more of the problem in the 4th. putting the players in 3rd and long situations is never good. especially when you are barely hanging onto a lead.

Pittsburgh - 14:04
1st-10, PIT10 14:04 I. Redman rushed to the right for no gain
2nd-10, PIT10 13:25 I. Redman rushed to the left for 2 yard loss
3rd-12, PIT8 12:40 B. Roethlisberger incomplete pass down the middle
4th-12, PIT8 12:22 J. Kapinos punt. B. Tate returned punt for 15 yards. Cincinnati committed 10 yard penalty

Pittsburgh - 12:16
1st-10, PIT33 12:16 B. Roethlisberger passed to D. Johnson down the middle for 6 yard gain
2nd-4, PIT39 11:39 R. Mendenhall rushed to the right for no gain
3rd-4, PIT39 10:55 B. Roethlisberger incomplete pass to the right
4th-4, PIT39 10:38 J. Kapinos punt, no return

Pittsburgh - 6:24
1st-10, PIT20 6:24 R. Mendenhall rushed up the middle for 2 yard gain
2nd-8, PIT22 5:42 R. Mendenhall rushed to the right for no gain
3rd-8, PIT22 4:57 B. Roethlisberger incomplete pass to the left
4th-8, PIT22 4:28 J. Kapinos punt. B. Tate returned punt for 16 yards

Pittsburgh - 2:27
1st-10, PIT31 2:27 M. Moore rushed to the right for 2 yard gain
2nd-8, PIT33 2:22 B. Roethlisberger passed to W. Saunders to the right for 11 yard gain
1st-10, PIT44 2:12 M. Moore rushed to the right for 5 yard gain
2nd-5, PIT49 2:00 B. Roethlisberger passed to M. Wallace to the left for 7 yard gain
1st-10, CIN44 1:53 B. Roethlisberger rushed up the middle for 1 yard loss
2nd-11, CIN45 1:12 B. Roethlisberger rushed up the middle for no gain
3rd-11, CIN45 0:33 B. Roethlisberger rushed up the middle for 1 yard loss

[zulater]

I don't know, first and 10, at your own 10, with a 7 point lead with 4.56 to play, I'm ok running there. I know if Ben is sacked and we're forced to punt from inside our own 5 yard line or if worse he throws an interception, everyone is asking why we didn't run there?

[zulater]

i would have to lean to play calling being more of the problem in the 4th. putting the players in 3rd and long situations is never good. especially when you are barely hanging onto a lead.

Pittsburgh - 14:04
1st-10, PIT10 14:04 I. Redman rushed to the right for no gain
2nd-10, PIT10 13:25 I. Redman rushed to the left for 2 yard loss
3rd-12, PIT8 12:40 B. Roethlisberger incomplete pass down the middle
4th-12, PIT8 12:22 J. Kapinos punt. B. Tate returned punt for 15 yards. Cincinnati committed 10 yard penalty

Pittsburgh - 12:16
1st-10, PIT33 12:16 B. Roethlisberger passed to D. Johnson down the middle for 6 yard gain
2nd-4, PIT39 11:39 R. Mendenhall rushed to the right for no gain
3rd-4, PIT39 10:55 B. Roethlisberger incomplete pass to the right
4th-4, PIT39 10:38 J. Kapinos punt, no return

Pittsburgh - 6:24
1st-10, PIT20 6:24 R. Mendenhall rushed up the middle for 2 yard gain
2nd-8, PIT22 5:42 R. Mendenhall rushed to the right for no gain
3rd-8, PIT22 4:57 B. Roethlisberger incomplete pass to the left
4th-8, PIT22 4:28 J. Kapinos punt. B. Tate returned punt for 16 yards

Pittsburgh - 2:27
1st-10, PIT31 2:27 M. Moore rushed to the right for 2 yard gain
2nd-8, PIT33 2:22 B. Roethlisberger passed to W. Saunders to the right for 11 yard gain
1st-10, PIT44 2:12 M. Moore rushed to the right for 5 yard gain
2nd-5, PIT49 2:00 B. Roethlisberger passed to M. Wallace to the left for 7 yard gain
1st-10, CIN44 1:53 B. Roethlisberger rushed up the middle for 1 yard loss
2nd-11, CIN45 1:12 B. Roethlisberger rushed up the middle for no gain


3rd-11, CIN45 0:33 B. Roethlisberger rushed up the middle for 1 yard loss

Honestly I don't see where the problem was with the play calling?

First series was compromised by field position.

Second series, Ben passed successfully on first down, but Mendy got stuffed on 2nd down, and Wallace dropped a perfectly thrown ball that would have made the first down on the 3rd down play.

Last series was textbook good for running out the remaining clock.

[Butch]

I don't know, first and 10, at your own 10, with a 7 point lead with 4.56 to play, I'm ok running there. I know if Ben is sacked and we're forced to punt from inside our own 5 yard line or if worse he throws an interception, everyone is asking why we didn't run there?

Not me I would love to see us pass there even if Ben gets sacked. I believe we are in a better position to get positive yardage from a pass than from a run. If he gets sacked try passing again. If he gets a sack the clock still runs, but at least with a pass the chances of making a bigger gain and therefore changing field position are much better than a run game that was netting 2. something yards per attempt. If Ben throws a pick 6 the game is tied and it gives us more time to mount a game winning drive.

Guess I look at it like this no matter what there are going to be risks, I just would love to see us being aggressive with a lead or even late in the game as opposed to trying to run clock early in the 4th quarter. I have more faith that our passing game will prevail than maybe I should but hey that's just me.

[suitanim]

The Cowher Doctrine: Run (or spread the O and run a draw play) when inside your own 40 late in the 2nd or 4th, or when protecting a lead.

Go back to the 2005 regular season loss to the Colts as an example of what happens when you deviate from that.

This team now passes much more then they did under Cowher. It is what the team is built to do. I have a SLIGHT problem with it, as 2 out of 3 outcomes from a pass play are bad, but what I cannot stomach is fans who complain when we run, and complain when we pass, complain about short throws, complain about medium throws, complain about long throws, complain about runs up the middle, complain about runs around the end, complain about trap plays, complain about draw plays, complain about end arounds....complain complain complain complain...

The Steelers have had too much success, it has spoiled the fans and there just is no pleasing them. The intellectually lazy and/or dishonest ones simply blame the coaches for everything on top of it. It just gets old, year after year after year...

It's painfully simple: If this team excecuted better, especially late in games, they'd be 9-1 right now.

[Steeldude]

Honestly I don't see where the problem was with the play calling?

First series was compromised by field position.

Second series, Ben passed successfully on first down, but Mendy got stuffed on 2nd down, and Wallace dropped a perfectly thrown ball that would have made the first down on the 3rd down play.

Last series was textbook good for running out the remaining clock.

you don't have a problem setting up 3rd and long or 3-and-outs, but i do. how well were the steelers running that day? i guess it's just the players' fault for not executing every play called in.

i didn't have a problem with the last series. the second series wasn't bad either, but they could have had someone else on the field besides johnson, IMO. sorry, but play calling and execution played a role.

[zulater]

you don't have a problem setting up 3rd and long or 3-and-outs, but i do. how well were the steelers running that day? i guess it's just the players' fault for not executing every play called in.



i didn't have a problem with the last series. the second series wasn't bad either, but they could have had someone else on the field besides johnson, IMO. sorry, but play calling and execution played a role.

I don't think it was the plan to set up 3rd and long, in fact I think the plan was to avoid that scenario, by avoiding incompletions or sacks on first and second down. Personally I think Redman did a lousy job on 2nd down. Honestly my only problem with that series was that Redman was in over Mendenhall. Mendy is back to being our most effective back. On both touchdowns he made yards after contact on plays where the blocking really didn't get the job done. So really given that situation why aren't we riding the hot hand?

But outside of that I'm not going to complain about the play calls there.

[suitanim]

I don't think it was the plan to set up 3rd and long, in fact I think the plan was to avoid that scenario, by avoiding incompletions or sacks on first and second down. Personally I think Redman did a lousy job on 2nd down. Honestly my only problem with that series was that Redman was in over Mendenhall. Mendy is back to being our most effective back. On both touchdowns he made yards after contact on plays where the blocking really didn't get the job done. So really given that situation where aren't we riding the hot hand?

But outside of that I'm not going to complain about the play calls there.

Redman is good if there is a small hole for him to bulldoze his way through. He's not going to improvise or run to daylight, he's going to hit the hole.

Mendy is good when the hole is completely closed (or never opened in the first place). He WILL improvise, bounce it outside, reverse field, spin...whatever it takes to make some yards. It's not Arians fault for the way the RB's comport themselves in different situations...