It’s hard to imagine the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ first half of the 2024 going better than it did. At 6-2, the Steelers are in first place in the AFC North and have put themselves in position to achieve their goal of advancing deep in the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Obviously, the Steelers’ goals also include winning the franchise’s seventh Super Bowl. Pittsburgh’s desire to do that was on display during Tuesday’s trade deadline, as the Steelers acquired veteran receiver Mike Williams and veteran pass rusher Preston Smith. On Tuesday, Steelers general manager Omar Khan accomplished his goal of acquiring talent without having to part with anyone on the team’s active roster.
Williams and Smith join what has been a highly successful collection of players who have put the Steelers in their current position. As the Steelers prepare to open up the second half of the season in Washington, here are our position-by-position midseason grades for the black and gold.
Quarterback: A-
You honestly couldn’t have ask for much better play from Justin Fields during the season’s first six games and from Russell Wilson during the last two. Combined, Fields and Wilson have completed 65.4% of their throws with eight touchdowns and just one pick. Fields has also run for five scores and is Pittsburgh’s second-leading rusher.
Both quarterbacks have given the Steelers offense an added dimension. Fields’ mobility was a key part of Pittsburgh’s success during its 4-2 start. Wilson’s accuracy downfield loomed large in Pittsburgh’s wins over the Jets and Giants.
Quite a few NFL teams don’t have one quality quarterback. The Steelers have two and are paying very little for both of them. It’ll be interesting to see if the Steelers use Fields at all during the second half of the season after not doing so during Wilson’s first two games.
Running back: B
Pittsburgh’s rushing attack has seen a revival this year. The Steelers are currently eighth in the NFL in rushing, and a big reason why has been the steady play of Najee Harris.
Harris’ fifth-year option wasn’t picked up this offseason as the Steelers wanted to see how he fit in new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s system. So far, it looks like Harris fits in rather nicely. He’s currently enjoying career highs in average rushing yards per game (74) and yards-per-carry average (4.4 yards). Harris has also been a factor in the passing game with 17 catches.
Harris was on a tear during Pittsburgh’s final three games before the bye, as he ran for over 100 yards in each game. He ripped off long runs of 26, 34 and 36 yards in those games and was a big reason why the Steelers won the war of attrition in each contest.
The Steelers are clearly hoping to get more production moving forward from backup running back Jaylen Warren, who battled injuries during the first half of the season. The same can be said of third string running back Cordarrelle Patterson.
Receiver: B
We’re grading on a curve here. Pittsburgh’s receivers aren’t producing like an elite group, but they’ve nonetheless exceeded most expectations so far, especially Calvin Austin III and Van Jefferson.
A third-year pro, Austin caught key touchdowns in wins over the Chargers and Giants. Jefferson, after a slow start, has come alive with Wilson in the lineup. The former Ram scored his first touchdown with the Steelers against the Jets and had a big 36-yard catch in the following week’s win over the Giants.
Pittsburgh is likely banking on Williams’ arrival opening things up more for Pickens, whose production so far this season has been underwhelming, especially his lack of touchdowns (just one so far). For all of his talent, Pickens has yet to produce like a No. 1 receiver. He will need to start doing so if the Steelers are going to make a playoff run.
Tight end: A
Smith has taken full advantage of Pittsburgh’s depth at tight end. In turn, Pittsburgh’s tight ends have answered the bell and have played a significant role in the team’s success so far.
His numbers don’t jump off a page, but Pat Freiermuth has been reliable when his numbers have been called on (he caught nearly 84% of his targets so far). The Steelers should find ways to give him the ball more during the season’s second half, especially in the red zone, as Pittsburgh is just 30th in the NFL in that department.
Second-year tight end Darnell Washington has carved out a role this year in Pittsburgh passing attack. The 6-foot-7, 264-pound Washington has used his size to pull down 11 of 12 targets while being a constant mismatch for opposing defenders. And while his production has decreased, fellow tight end Connor Heyward has found new ways to contribute as a pseudo fullback.
Offensive line: A-
Pittsburgh’s offensive line has been very solid despite losing three players for the year (including first-round pick Troy Fautanu) and rookie center Zach Frazier for the past two games. In their absences, the unit has received big contributions from rookie Mason McCormick, backup center Ryan McCollum. Veterans Dan Moore Jr. and Isaac Seumalo have also been solid, while 2023 first-round pick Broderick Jones has rebounded after a rough start to the year.
Together, the unit has led Pittsburgh’s revived rushing attack and has provided serviceable protection for Fields and Wilson, who have been sacked a combined 21 times. Consistency is one specific thing this group could improve upon during the season’s second half.
Defensive line: A-
Steelers football is predicated on running the ball and stopping the run. Pittsburgh’s offense is running the ball, and its defense is stopping run. The defensive line has been a big reason for the later success.
Cam Heyward, 35, has returned to form after injuries hampered him last season. The unit has also received significant contributions from nose tackle Keeanu Benton and veteran Larry Ogunjobi. Preston Smith will likely fill the role left vacant by DeMarvin Leal’s injury as a hybrid defensive end/outside linebacker.
Outside linebacker: B+
T.J. Watt has been otherworldly despite being constantly being double- and triple-teamed. That attention had been hindering Watt’s sack production, but he more than made up for it by forcing four fumbles over a four-game span. Watt got back on track (as far as sacks are concerned) against the Giants with crucial takedowns of Daniel Jones that included a strip-sack late in the game.
Watt is playing at a Defensive Player of the Year level. Alex Highsmith has been good but missed three games due to injury. Top backup Nick Herbig has been injured, too, which is probably another reason why the Steelers acquired Smith before the deadline.
Inside linebacker: B-
This unit hasn’t been bad, but they’ve yet to truly distinguish themselves. Queen has been OK but has occasionally been out of position to make plays and has yet to make a splash play. Veteran Elandon Roberts has been a stabilizer, but like Queen has largely flown under the radar sans his soaring goal-line stuff late in Pittsburgh’s loss to Dallas.
Pittsburgh’s rookies have played an integral role in the team’s success so far, and linebacker Payton Wilson has been part of that success. He’s still getting used to the pro game (like Queen, Wilson can positionally take himself out of a play on occasion) but has the potential to be a long-term part of the defense.
Cornerbacks: B+
They’ve given up some yards and some big plays, but Pittsburgh’s secondary has largely made up for that with some big turnovers. Three of those have been interceptions courtesy of Beanie Bishop Jr., yet another of Pittsburgh’s impact rookies. Bishop was tabbed as October’s Defensive Rookie of the Month after recording two picks off Aaron Rodgers and a game-clinching pick in Pittsburgh’s win over the Giants.
Offseason acquisition Donte Jackson has been a near-perfect complement to Joey Porter Jr., who has made notable improvements in his tackling this year while also continuing to be among the league’s best young cover corners. The unit has some big tests coming up with two games apiece against Joe Burrow’s Bengals and Lamar Jackson’s Ravens.
Safety: B+
Of Pittsburgh’s free agent acquisitions, safety DeShon Elliott has been among the team’s best. A hard-nosed, old-school player, Elliott has been a menace in both pass coverage as well as in run support. He’s been the ideal backfield mate for Minkah Fitzpatrick, Pittsburgh’s perennial All-Pro free safety.
Speaking of Fitzpatrick, there’s been some rumblings about his lack of splash plays so far. But Fitzpatrick has proven to be capable of doing whatever the Steelers have needed him to do, whether that’s been as a run stuffer, a playmaker in the secondary or as a stabilizer, which is the role he’s had this year. Fitzpatrick making a big play isn’t a matter of if, but a matter of when.
Special teams: A+
Pittsburgh’s special teams has been the best performing of the three units. Chris Boswell, the NFL’s most underrated kicker for years, has missed just one of his 24 field goal tries and has made each of his 16 point-after attempts. Punter Corliss Waitman, signed after Cameron Johnston suffered a season-ending injury back in Week 1, is averaging nearly 47 yards per punt.
Danny Smith’s unit also blocked a kick in three consecutive games. The Steelers’ 11 blocked kicks since the start of the 2021 season are the most in the NFL over that span. Against the Giants, Calvin Austin III recorded Pittsburgh’s first punt return for a score since Antonio Brown back in 2015.
Coaching: A
Mike Tomlin’s decision to switch quarterbacks has paid off handsomely. Both on and off the field, Wilson has given the Steelers what they surely had hoped for when they signed him this offseason. He’s elevated the team’s quarterback play, has been a team leader and a positive mentor for Fields.
Arthur Smith has done a good job of building an offense that tailors to the unit’s strengths. Smith will continue to unlock new facets of the offense with Wilson running the show. That being said, the offense will still likely be predicated on running the ball and winning the battle in the trenches.
Pittsburgh’s defense is playing at a level not seen in years, led by defensive coordinator Teryl Austin. The Steelers are currently second in the NFL in points allowed, are fourth in run defense and tops in the NFL in red zone efficiency.
Danny Smith’s coaching this year has been nothing short of elite. As Tomlin said earlier this year, the Steelers embrace the component of blocking opposing kicks, and that starts and finishes with the veteran special teams coach.
The Steelers’ positional coaches have also enjoyed good years, most notably receivers coach Zach Azzanni, quarterbacks coach Tom Arth, offensive line coach Pat Meyer, secondary coach Grady Brown, inside linebackers coach Aaron Curry and veteran defensive line coach Karl Dunbar.
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Author: Bryan DeArdo
November 6, 2024 | 12:50 pm
